What if retirement wasn’t a line you crossed, but a lifestyle you eased into – deliberately and on your own terms?

For decades, retirement has been treated like a finish line. A date we count down to. One day you’re working, the next, you’re not. But as we live longer, work more flexibly and expect more from life, that abrupt model is starting to feel outdated.

Not ready to fully give up work? Try taking retirement for a test drive.Credit: Simon Letch

In its place is a more thoughtful approach I call dipping your toe into retirement. It’s about gradually stepping into life after full-time work – giving yourself time to figure things out rather than making all the decisions at once.

Retirement is better seen as a continuum: a slow shift involving financial preparation, emotional readiness and a reworking of your lifestyle to suit what’s next.

Some of the most fulfilled retirees I’ve met didn’t retire in the traditional sense. They began easing in five or 10 years before they fully stepped away from work, gradually shaping a life they genuinely wanted to live.

Often, that meant reducing their hours, trialling new routines, taking career breaks or volunteering. They rebalanced their priorities and made small changes to explore what brought them joy and meaning, while also planning how to fund it.

A simple way to dip your toe in is to shift to a four-day week. That one extra day creates space – for health, family, hobbies, or simply catching up on life. It gives you the chance to try a different rhythm while still enjoying the structure and financial benefits of work.

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