In 2014 I read the book The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. I didn’t realise it at the time but this book would change my attitude & path to work & life.

On the train journey to my weekend job while at University, I would listen to Tim Ferris talk on my way to work.

He introduced to me a completely alternative approach to work and life to the 9-5. That you could "Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich".

But it wasn’t until a few years later that I started to put in place the ideas I took from the book.

The first was to build an online business which I still run today. The other idea took 10 years before I got to a place where I could do it.

It is the concept of taking mini-retirements — which is this weeks topic.

By the end of this piece, you’ll;

• Have a better idea of mini-retirements

• Understand why it might be good for you

• Learn what lessons I gained from doing my first one.

And who knows? In a few months, you could be planning out your next mini-retirement too.

Let’s get into it.

👨‍💻 Mini-retirements for Work and Life

What would you do if you planned a mini-retirement? One month off work where you don't have to head to the office or reply to any emails?

Complete freedom to do whatever you want for a whole month.

Would you go on holiday, start that side project, play golf, or head to a café and read that book sitting on your shelf?

The key takeaway idea is that — you don’t have to wait until you retire to enjoy the things you've always wanted.

Instead, you can build in ‘mini-retirements’ each year or every few years. During that time, you tick off the things on your dream list.

What’s the difference between a holiday and a mini-retirement?

There is no definite rulebook on mini-retirements, but I look at it like this. A mini-retirement is longer than a normal holiday but shorter than a full sabbatical.

• Holiday/Vacation = 1 to 3 weeks off work.

• Mini-retirement = 4+ weeks off work

• Sabbatical = 12+ months off work.

Some people might want to call it a long holiday, which, if that sounds better to you, you can call it that too.

5 Benefits of Mini-Retirements

Here are the benefits that I see from a mini-retirement.

1/ Recharge your physical and mental energy.

When was the last time you felt deeply rested? An extended time away from work gives us a chance to recharge.

A holiday is great, but sometimes it takes time to even start to rest and relax. Having a prolonged period off gives you a chance to rest your body and your brain.

2/ Avoid costly mistakes that come from being constantly on the grind.

When we are exhausted and fatigued, we make poor decisions. I see a lot of people wanting to pivot careers, leave their jobs, or travel.

These can all be great, but often they can be a result of pushing ourselves to limits that we want to escape from. Take one month off to travel or work on your side project.

You’ll learn a lot more about what you do or don’t want than by quitting and leaving completely.

3/ Test out belief systems in life and work.

"I always need to be there for work in case (insert problem)."

"I couldn’t take that much time off because I would need to do (insert problem) for someone."

There is always a reason why now isn't a good time.

By doing a mini-retirement, you have to plan things out in advance. In business, that could be automating or delegating tasks.

It enables a fresh approach to designing your work and personal life. You will also get the benefits when you come back by having these new systems in place.

It might surprise you how well things can run when you're not involved all the time.

4/ Life fulfilment

Life isn’t always about work. There are other areas of life that we want to explore. Spend time with family and friends, travel, hobbies, etc.

You don’t need to wait until you’re retired to start these out.

In your mini-retirement, you take some tennis lessons. You also learn guitar and take these new hobbies back to work with you.

Do these things while you have more energy and youth. These things will only ever get harder to pick up the older you get.

5/ Personal and business development

During the normal workweek, there is little time to work on ourselves. We have commitments to our work, family, and daily tasks, like cooking and cleaning.

Having time to think, reflect, and look at yourself and the life you're living is important.

From this space, you might come up with some new insights. A new business idea, a realisation about your life or relationships with family, etc.

👨‍🎨 My Mini-Retirement Experience

I want to start by acknowledging two things:

1. I understand that not everyone has the luxury of taking a mini-retirement. Honestly, I never thought I’d be in a position to do something like this either.

2. This wasn’t a mindfully planned break; it was more of a happy accident that came from prior commitments.

Here’s how it happened.

I had a wedding to attend in Norway this August. I'm based in Southeast Asia, so it was a perfect chance to visit family and friends back in Europe.

But as the plans started piling up, I realised I had a decision to make.

• Option 1: Try to keep working while travelling. But this would mean sacrificing quality time with people I hadn’t seen in ages.

• Option 2: Attempt to balance work and social time. This would lead to half-hearted efforts in both areas, which didn’t sit right with me.

• Option 3: Take a break from work. Fully immerse myself in time with loved ones, accepting any setbacks in my business.

I chose Option 3, and that’s how I ended up on my first-ever mini-retirement.

What did I get out of it?

A lot.

I reconnected with old friends, made new ones, and deepened my family ties. (That's tough to do when you're always on the move.)

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

The logistics were intense: 10+ flights, 4 countries, and over 50+ hours of travel.

By the time I returned to Bali, I was exhausted and sick.

A lack of sleep, too much socialising (I'm introverted), and a stag do/wedding with too much alcohol caused it.

But here’s the thing—despite the physical toll, it recharged me in ways I didn’t expect.

Being around people I care about breathed new life into me. I was reminded of how important it is to relax, have fun, and enjoy the company of others.

It also gave me a fresh perspective on work.

I felt stuck before. Sometimes, the solution isn't a deep insight. It's just stepping back to see things from a new angle.

Would I recommend a mini-retirement?

100%. I know it’s not possible for everyone, but if you can find a way to make it happen, it’s worth it.

Will I do it every year?

I’m not sure yet. I’d love to spend 1-2 months each year in Europe, visiting family and taking a break from work.

But if I do, I’d make sure to prioritise sleep, exercise, and eating well.

I tried to keep up with those habits during this trip, but between the stag do and the wedding, it was a bit tricky.

And you know what?

That’s okay.

Sometimes, letting loose for a few weeks is exactly what is needed.

🎁 Members Freebie: Free Trial for Metalabs AI Beta Testers

I’ve been working on releasing an AI tool.

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🔥 Interesting Finds: The Network School

This idea is pretty wild — imagine 90 days of living in a hotel on an island close to Singapore. You’re surrounded by entrepreneurs, builders, and creators.

You work, take exercise classes, follow a biohacker's food plan, and listen to talks by top guests.

This feels like Digital Nomadism 2.0 because it has similar core values.

1. Tech

2. Community

3. Freedom

My pattern and I applied, and we both got accepted. We're still deciding whether to go and, if so, how long.

But if I end up going, I’ll be detailing the experience right here in the newsletter.

You can read about this event/experience here.

📚 The Book Club

Here's what I've been reading or listening to lately alongside some little nuggets I've picked up through the week.

1. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

2. At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson

🎵 Music to Vibe too

If you want some laid-back modern jazz.

Come join the listening party with one of my curated Spotify playlists

• 🤘 Rock Out | Belfast in the 00s

• 🧊 Vibe | Bali Beach Bar at Sunset

• 🔋 Energy | London Rave at 3am

🏝️ Lifestyle Entrepreneur AI Images

Norway had some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen. This week’s AI image is inspired by what I saw

And that is it for this week's newsletter.

Wishing you a great week ahead as always

Let's catch up soon

Matt

Stay awesome

🫶

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