You know that feeling when you're scrolling through vacation photos on a Sunday night, and reality hits? Tomorrow it's back to the grind, and your next real break feels like a lifetime away. What if I told you there's a growing movement of people who've decided they're not waiting until they're 65 to actually live?

Let’s look at a few financial freedom concepts that can change your life and how you think about your daily habits and decisions.

A mini-retirement is taking extended breaks from work throughout your career - we're talking anywhere from a month to a year or more. It's not a vacation where you're frantically checking emails by the pool. It's a real pause. A chance to press the reset button before you're too burned out to remember what you actually enjoy doing.

The concept has been around for a while, but it's having a major moment right now, especially with millennials and Gen Z who've collectively looked at the traditional career path and said, "nah, we're good."

Here's the thing that really gets me: Why are we saving all our time, energy, and adventures for the end of our lives? When we're young, we have energy but no time. When we're older, we have time but less energy. It's a terrible trade-off.

Some people intensify their efforts to increase their earnings, diversify their income, scale their businesses, and invest and seek passive income to get money moving. For many, FIRE means getting as much work done as possible in a condensed amount of time. They are highly results-oriented, avoiding wasting time on things that aren't effective. This allows them to move more quickly to the stage where they earn only passively and retire at 37, 42, or 48.

However, there are also people for whom FIRE isn't even an early retirement, but rather a focus on so-called mini-retirements that can be achieved throughout our lives. That is, taking breaks of one or two years to live in a dream location, travel, or simply enjoy some time off and freedom. At the same time, such people realize that this type of life is combined with intense work. You could say that these are many sabbaticals throughout our lives.

Both approaches require a mindset shift, a focus on effective work, and the elimination of what doesn’t truly matter. But each of these concepts undoubtedly has its advantages. The first concept allows us to retire sooner, allowing us to travel, enjoy life, spend time with loved ones, and have time for the projects we've dreamed of and that build our identity. The concept of mini-pensions is also important, and it has many advantages that may not be immediately apparent. It works well for people who have a flexible approach to their careers but are unafraid to work hard in the meantime and focus on the effectiveness of their actions. These are often entrepreneurs who develop their business for several years, only to later sell it for a break with the money they earn. Then they move on to another business and work intensively for several years, then allow themselves to fully relax for a year or two, or as long as their financial situation allows.

Some people use mini-retirements to pursue passion projects, learn new skills, or travel to places they've always dreamed about. Others use them to recover from burnout - and let's be honest, if you've been working hard for 15-20 years without a substantial break, you're probably burned out whether you realize it or not.

When you're constantly in survival mode, your creativity tanks, your motivation disappears, and suddenly you're that person who used to be excited about trying new restaurants or taking that painting class, but now you just want to collapse on the couch. Sound familiar?

That's burnout, and here's the uncomfortable truth: you can't recover from it by watching Netflix. You need real rest. The kind that comes from completely stepping away and giving yourself permission to just... be.

People who take mini-retirements often describe feeling like they've rolled back the clock. After a month off, they feel like they did a few years ago. After six months, they're back to their pre-burnout selves. It's like a factory reset for your brain and body.

Start by defining your purpose. Knowing why you want the break helps you decide how long it should last and how much money you need.

Next, prepare financially. Most people aim to save at least six to twelve months of living expenses, depending on the length of the break and their comfort level.

Set a clear timeframe and an exit plan. Decide when you will return to work and how you will position your experience on your résumé or in interviews.

If possible, communicate with your employer. Some companies may allow unpaid leave, contract work, or a phased return.

The mini-retirement revolution isn't about being irresponsible or checking out of real life. It's about designing a life where you don't have to wait decades to experience joy, rest, and meaning.