Embracing Micro-Retirement: A Summer of Transformation

This summer, I have given myself something I’d never had before — a three-month break. Not a holiday. Not time off sick, or caring for others. Not a sabbatical as such. More of a – how can I put it? – micro-retirement. 

The name matters. It’s a taste of what retirement could bring in years to come.

It was a conscious choice to press pause, not just on work, but also on the pressure to be productive. I didn’t want to fill the time. I wanted to use it. To restore. To reconnect. To rebuild — mentally, physically and emotionally.

Now, with the school holidays in full swing (and childcare and a family focus making things a bit more planned and a little less about “me), I’ve been reflecting on the first part of this experiment and what it’s really meant for me.

What I Thought Rest Would Look Like

If you’d asked me in May when I was in the final moments of preparing for this, I’d have said this break would be quiet. Reflective: peaceful walks, reading fiction, long yoga stretches, silent mornings with coffee and no alarms or scheduling, beyond the necessary school runs.

I genuinely thought the biggest gift I could give myself was space away from other people and external expectations for a while. I assumed that was not just the only way to recharge. It’s the thing I crave most when I feel drained or have been through a particularly busy period.

Spoiler: I was wrong.

What It Actually Looked Like

Over the last few months, here’s what I have actually done:

✅ Learned to ride a bike.

✅  Completed a bike skills course with my son as part of a pilot scheme in our city. Met some great people in the process and overcame a few fears. 

✅ Joined a gym, did my first barbell and Bulgarian split squats. I also met fantastic PT (an ex-athlete and bodybuilder!) and found a gym full of lovely, welcoming people

✅ Started (and sometimes repeated due to high temperates) the Couch to 5K — and discovered some fun in plodding jogs with my son cycling beside me. I learned however that I didn’t enjoy the running itself most of the time, and neither did my my knees, and lengthy walks remain my preference.

✅ Got my EIA coaching accreditation — quietly, privately, and for me.

✅ Joined a women-and-kids karate class with my son and gained a serious confidence boost.

✅ Went glamping twice in the Forest of Dean, prepared for an upcoming trip to Ireland , and spent a break with my family in Pembrokeshire.

✅ Did some yoga but not a huge amount. It turns out this wasn’t quite the summer of yoga I imagined… and that’s okay. I’d imagined gentle yoga and slow mornings as my “healing path.” But this summer has been all about building physicalstrength. 

✅ Hosted outdoor pizza nights with our new pizza oven (and watched my husband and son bond over flour, tomatoes and perfect crusts)

✅ Built new social connections through group social rides and a local walking and cycling network.

Honestly? That’s more movement, and more community than I’d anticipated. It also included a lot more structure than I’d intended.

What I’ve Learned

🌀 Rest isn’t always passive. It can involve movement, challenge, connection and curiosity.

🌀 Community energises me more than I expected — especially when there’s shared interests and activity.

🌀 Joy is found in progress, not perfection — whether it’s repeating week 3 of Couch to 5K or wobbling through a karate move.

🌀 Strength is self-care, and rest is also about restoration — not just stopping.

🌀 We don’t have to wait until retirement to live fully. This was a micro-retirement — because some things just can’t be postponed. 

The Biggest Surprise? I’m More Extroverted Than I Thought

I’d expected to re-energise through solitude. But what restored me most was shared activity.

For the most part, I find myself thriving in those environments. Not overwhelmed. Not drained. But lifted. Buoyed by being around people who share the same goals and values, or simply enjoy the same activities.

I’ve often defaulted to solitude as a way to manage my energy. But this summer has me questioning whether that’s the full story. Am I always clear of what is active and intentional rest, and what is recovery from overstimulation or overwhelm, or lack of connection?

Maybe the key isn’t time alone — it’s time that’s aligned. With people. With purpose. With play. Environment too is a key element.  Being outside and in different places is incredibly important to me.

What’s Next?

The summer isn’t over yet, and with school holidays in full swing, I’ll be adapting my routines again — fitting things in around childcare, outdoor adventures and changing energy levels.

But the foundation is there. The shift has happened. This time wasn’t just a break — it was a realignment. One I hope to carry into autumn, and beyond.

If you’ve ever found yourself dreaming of more space, more purpose, or more alignment… I see you.

You don’t have to wait until life slows down to start living differently.

Sometimes all it takes is a season.