Mini retirements: A growing trend among Indians, 64% Gen Z and 58% millennials in favour, reveals HSBC survey

A mini retirement is a deliberate career break lasting from a few months to a few years, taken to pursue personal passions such as travel, family time, hobbies, or skill development.

Retirement, once viewed as a singular milestone marking the end of a career, is undergoing a transformation. A growing trend, termed "multi retirements," is reshaping how individuals approach work, wealth, and well-being.

According to HSBC’s Quality of Life: Affluent Investor Snapshot 2025 report, which surveyed 10,797 affluent investors globally, including 1,006 affluent adults from India aged 21 to 69 with investable assets between $100,000 and $2 million, people are increasingly embracing multiple intentional career breaks to realign or reinvent themselves. These pauses, known as mini retirements, are redefining life’s trajectory.

The HSBC survey reveals that 85 percent of Indian respondents believe a mini retirement enhances their quality of life.

What are mini and multi retirements?

A mini retirement is a deliberate career break lasting from a few months to a few years, taken to pursue personal passions such as travel, family time, hobbies, or skill development. Unlike a sabbatical, which is typically shorter, a mini retirement often sparks significant life changes, such as a shift to a new career path.

Multi retirements refer to the practice of taking multiple such breaks over a lifetime, allowing individuals to periodically reassess their priorities and aspirations.

Multi-retirements on the rise

In India, the concept of multi retirements is gaining significant momentum. Nearly half (48 percent) plan to take at least one mini retirement break, with 44 percent favoring a duration of three to 12 months.

Indian respondents consider 44 years as the ideal age for their first mini retirement, with 44 percent planning to take two to three breaks over their lifetime, some pausing every six years.

Sandeep Batra, Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking at HSBC India, notes, “Multi retirements reflect a profound shift in how people view their careers and personal lives. This behavioral shift calls for deeper analysis of their investment strategies to meet life goals, such as mini retirements every six to seven years.”

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Financial planning for mini retirements

Funding these breaks requires careful planning. According to the survey, 61 percent of Indian respondents intend to spend USD 100,000 or more per mini retirement, while 39 percent aim to keep costs below this amount.

According to the survey, personal savings (38 percent), financial support from family or parents (36 percent), and part-time or freelance work (36 percent) are the top funding sources during mini retirements. Notably, younger generations are driving this trend, with 64 percent of Indian Gen Z (age: 21-28 years) and 58 percent of millennials (age: 29-44 years) planning mini retirements to focus on personal goals, career progression, or family time.

However, financial planning preferences lean conservative. Traditional insurance products are the top choice, followed by investments in gold and mutual funds. “This approach contrasts with the aggressive investment strategies needed to sustain multiple career breaks, highlighting a potential gap in aligning financial planning with ambitious life goals,” says Batra.

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Challenges to overcome

Despite interest for multi retirements, challenges persist. Financial security concerns top the list, cited by 37 percent of respondents, followed closely by family obligations (36 percent) and perceptions of family and friends (31 percent).

These hurdles underscore the need for robust financial planning and societal acceptance to make multi retirements a viable option.