{"id":227388,"date":"2025-06-30T19:36:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T19:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/227388\/"},"modified":"2025-06-30T19:36:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T19:36:12","slug":"do-you-need-a-micro-retirement-or-just-to-find-a-new-job-how-to-decide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/227388\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Need a Micro-Retirement or Just to Find a New Job? How to Decide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> Are you stuck in a job that leaves you feeling burnt out, exhausted, or uninspired? Or maybe you have a boss who <a class=\"recommendation-inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/m\/micro-manager.asp\" link-destination-recommendation=\"true\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">micromanages<\/a> you. You&#8217;ve probably thought about finding a new job\u2014but what if you quit your job before landing another one?\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_3-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> Garrett McLaughlin, 27, recently quit his job as software engineer without another one lined up because he was feeling burnt out.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_5-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> &#8220;I had spent four years [at my last job]. I was remote the whole time, so I was just spending a ton of time in my apartment staring at the screen all day, and I was pretty burnt out,&#8221; said McLaughlin. &#8220;I thought, &#8216;I have to take a break and stop staring at the screen&#8217;.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p> Key Takeaways <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A <a class=\"recommendation-inline-link-ai\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/millennials-and-gen-z-micro-retirements-11712812\" link-destination-recommendation-ai=\"true\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">micro-retirement can be an opportunity<\/a> to recharge and rest, if you can afford to go without a paycheck or benefits for several months.<\/li>\n<li>Experts say it&#8217;s typically easier to <a class=\"recommendation-inline-link-ai\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/articles\/personal-finance\/062015\/why-it-easier-find-job-while-employed.asp\" link-destination-recommendation-ai=\"true\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">land a job while you\u2019re still employed<\/a>, and that it can be risky to quit when the labor market is weak.<\/li>\n<li>Before you resign, research the labor market for your industry and reflect on your goals. Make sure your decision aligns with your budget and career path.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>  To Quit or Not to Quit?  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_9-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> For some people, a micro-retirement, or a <a class=\"recommendation-inline-link-ai\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/can-you-afford-a-micro-retirement-11721294\" link-destination-recommendation-ai=\"true\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">career break lasting a few months<\/a>, can offer time to reset and recharge before they return to the workforce. But it can be costly. Without an income or employer-sponsored benefits, you\u2019ll need to budget carefully for living expenses, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/how-to-get-health-insurance-4772855\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">health insurance<\/a>, and more.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_11-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> Experts say it\u2019s important to weigh your financial and personal motivations against current labor market conditions before making the leap.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_13-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> Chris Martin, a lead researcher at Glassdoor, says that there are a few risks people should be aware of when determining whether to quit their job completely or job hunt while they&#8217;re still employed.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_15-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> He notes that it&#8217;s generally easier to find work when you&#8217;re already employed and that a weak labor market can make it more challenging to land a job.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> &#8220;If you have a job, it&#8217;s easier to find another job\u2014you&#8217;re in a position of stability, and you can leverage your current position to <a class=\"recommendation-inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/how-and-why-to-negotiate-a-job-offer-8603892\" link-destination-recommendation=\"true\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">negotiate salary<\/a> or titles. It&#8217;s more difficult if you&#8217;re starting from a place of really needing a job,&#8221; said Martin. &#8220;Then the big risk is how long it&#8217;s going to take for you to get the job you want when you&#8217;re ready to return.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_21-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> McLaughlin started job hunting immediately after he quit his job. One month in, he&#8217;s already completed two interviews, but he&#8217;s saved enough to have a financial runaway lasting a few months.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_23-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> &#8220;I&#8217;m pretty frugal. The only real expense that I have is rent,&#8221; said McLaughlin. &#8220;Even if I don&#8217;t work for six months, I could survive, and I don&#8217;t think that I won&#8217;t have a job for that long.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>  Why the Job Market Matters  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_26-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> Martin suggests that people consider the <a class=\"recommendation-inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/j\/job-market.asp\" link-destination-recommendation=\"true\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">job market<\/a> for their particular profession, rather than look at the labor market as a whole.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_28-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> &#8220;There&#8217;s not a single labor market, so if you&#8217;re a nurse, the risk of remaining unemployed for a long time is not the same as if you&#8217;re, say like a wildlife biologist in 2025,&#8221; said Martin. &#8220;Do your research on what the current labor market [could] look like for you, given your profession, job level, and experience. You could find that the labor market is relatively resilient, or you could find that you&#8217;re in a weakening market, and it&#8217;s going to be really risky for you to leave.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>  Can You Afford It?  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_31-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> Priya Rathod, a career expert at Indeed, says that ultimately, whether you&#8217;re able to take a micro-retirement depends on whether you can afford it or not.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_33-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> &#8220;You have to <a class=\"recommendation-inline-link-ai\" href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/emergency-proof-your-finances-4800551\" link-destination-recommendation-ai=\"true\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">understand your financial safety net<\/a>. Our experts typically suggest three to six months of living expenses. Then you want to think about your whole portfolio: health benefits, retirement contributions, and other things you might lose when you&#8217;re no longer employed,&#8221; said Rathod.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_35-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> She suggests that people think beyond finances too by figuring out what they want out of a micro-retirement, whether that&#8217;s a career pivot, a better workplace culture, or a time to recover from burnout. She also recommends starting to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/n\/networking.asp\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">network<\/a> before you quit your job, so you can see what other opportunities are available before you leave.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_37-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> &#8220;A lot of people do feel conflicted about making this decision, but workers should really think about why they&#8217;re leaving and what they want,&#8221; said Rathod.\n<\/p>\n<p>  The Bottom Line  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_40-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block finance-sc-block-html mntl-sc-block-html\"> The decision of whether to quit your job to take a micro-retirement or just to find a new role is often a deeply personal one. It&#8217;s important to take the time to reflect on what you want before taking the leap. Your choice may depend on your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/personal-finance-4427760\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">finances<\/a>, the state of the job market, and your own goals and desires.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are you stuck in a job that leaves you feeling burnt out, exhausted, or uninspired? Or maybe you&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":227389,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3093],"tags":[51,474,2499,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-227388","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-finance","10":"tag-personal-finance","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227388"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227388\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/227389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}