Recently, I was introduced to the concept of micro-retirement, that is the idea of taking intentional, extended breaks from work, ranging from a few months to even one or two years. Micro-retirement is taken in between career phases rather than waiting for a single “retirement moment” at the end of one’s productive working years.

A decade ago, the dominant narrative was FIRE i.e. Financial Independence, Retire Early. Many people pushed themselves to save and invest aggressively, all with the aim of exiting the workforce as soon as possible.

Today, I sense a shift. A mindful shift. 

Instead of racing toward a finish line, more people are choosing to pace themselves,  learning how to live along the way, not just at the end. Micro-retirement reflects a deeper desire to enjoy life in chapters, not defer everything to that “someday.” What if that “someday” doesn’t come?

For many of us, the idea still feels uncomfortable. Months without a paycheck. A pause in career momentum. The fear of “falling behind”, of being “left out”. All these are real and valid concerns. 

And yet, it raises an important question:
What is money really for, if not to give us options, flexibility, and room to breathe?

Most of us grow up unconsciously following a familiar success script:
Get a good job. Start a family. Buy a home. Work hard. Save diligently. Retire.

But life doesn’t always follow this progression. 

Here’s what I often observe in practice:
By the time retirement arrives, many people struggle to spend the money they worked so hard to accumulate. Years of conditioning around discipline and delayed gratification can make it surprisingly difficult to shift gears and enjoy life fully. And this is especially true when people do not have the clarity of what lies ahead with their finances. They may have missed out on that all important planning for retirement cash flow.

If you like, micro-retirement is like a speed bump, allowing us a pause that invites reflection. Are we planning our money around our lives, or quietly shaping our lives around our money?

Money, when structured well, buys us choices.

But when the pursuit of wealth becomes automatic and unquestioned, it can also create invisible constraints – routines we never stop to examine, timelines we never challenge.

Importantly, micro-retirement doesn’t replace sound financial planning.

Long-term retirement planning still matters. So does building resilience, diversification, and sustainability.

What changes is how we think about time.

It asks us to be more intentional about our short- and mid-term planning – setting aside resources not just for a distant future, but for meaningful pauses when our health, energy, or life circumstances call for one.

Investing, at its core, is not about getting rich. It’s about having the freedom to choose.

The key lies in early, disciplined, and thoughtful planning, building a portfolio that supports the life you want to live today, without compromising your security tomorrow.

Because true financial freedom isn’t about stopping work forever. It’s about knowing you have options and the confidence to use them when it matters most.