Why take a Year Off when you’re younger?

In a previous post, I challenged some of the common assumptions that are made regarding a Year Off. One of those assumptions is that you have to be young when you take your Year Off. In that post, I argued that an extended career break is for anybody of any age. That whether you’re 30 years old or 60 years old, you can reap the rewards of extended time off.

I firmly believe that time spent out of the rat race of life is very beneficial, no matter what age. But I also believe that there are additional benefits to accomplishing it while young. In this post, I outline why you should make it a goal earlier in life rather than waiting until later.

You’re in better health.

Plain and simple, you’re more likely to have better health when you are younger. It’s harder to accomplish your dreams and goals if you’re also battling an illness. And the likelihood of having some chronic health issue increases as you age. Your body is more youthful at 30 years old and can better handle the rigors of extended travel or adventure activities (if that’s what you want to do).

There’s no guarantee of tomorrow. It’s important to plan for the future but don’t forget about the present. Your time as a healthy, able-bodied person is limited. So take advantage of it and take a little more risk when you are younger.

You’re more likely to continue your healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life.

I think it’s important to have good health and to be in excellent shape before embarking on your journey. That requires a good amount of work ahead of time to establish healthy eating habits and an adequate exercise routine.

But if you put in the hard work ahead of time at a younger age, you’re more likely to continue those healthy habits later in life. You will have a better chance of avoiding unhealthy habits that are difficult to kick. And healthy eating and regular exercise will be ingrained in your mind as beneficial.

You learn to live frugally at a young age and to avoid big spending mistakes.

When you’re concentrating on paying off debt and saving a large amount of money, you learn to live frugally. And you learn to avoid unnecessary purchases. You have a specific goal in mind (your Year Off), so you can avoid the temptations of unchecked spending.

Just like good health, if you learn healthy spending habits earlier in life, you are more likely to continue those good habits later in life. Spending money is easy, and it’s easy to get trapped in the consumerism culture. If you get out of that early in life, you’re more likely to avoid it later in life as well. Less money wasted on unnecessary stuff equals more money for your pursuit of true happiness.

You’re able to take advantage of compounding interest for a longer time if you’re able to save in your 401k.

I think it’s important to get a good start on your retirement savings prior to a Year Off. It’s nice to have a solid financial base and extra money in case something goes terribly wrong (highly unlikely). But the main reason is to take advantage of compounding interest for a longer period.

Money saved in a 401k or an IRA at 25 years old will have more time to grow tax-free compared to money saved at 45 years old. If you’re able to save a good chunk of money prior to a Year Off, you’re setting yourself up for financial success later in life too. And it’s easier to save that money when you have the amazing goal of a Year Off to look forward to.

You learn the value of minimalism.

Minimalism is all about removing the material possessions and time wasters from your life so you can better focus on your greater dreams and passions. The less stuff you have to worry about, the more time you have for other more meaningful pursuits.

When you travel full-time and carry only what you need to survive in a backpack slung over your shoulder, you learn how little is required to live a happy, healthy life. And once again, if you learn this lesson earlier in life, you’re more likely to continue it into old age and reap the benefits of it for a longer time.

It’s better to take more risk when you’re younger then to wait until you’re older.

While I believe they are highly unlikely, there are definite financial and health risks associated with an extended career break. You could get seriously injured or sick while gone. Or you could go broke trying to find work upon your return.

But just like investing, you’ll have more time to recover financially if you’re younger and something goes wrong during your Year Off. And if you love outdoor adventure (like I do), then your risk of serious injury or illness is lower because of your more youthful body. No matter what the risk is, it’s better to risk it at a younger age because you have more time to recover.

You’ll have more time after your Year Off to put what you’ve learned to good use.

A Year Off is all about learning a new skill or pursuing a passion and getting better at it. The pursuit of goals you’ve created in relation to these passions is very important for a successful career break.

Once you’ve gained the experience you’ve always wanted, you’ll have the ability to teach other people about it and inspire them to pursue the same goals. And you’ll have much more time in your life to teach them.

You learn how to live independently.

I believe that learning how to live independently is very important for a successful long-term relationship or marriage. If you learn how to take care of your own physical and emotional needs on your own, then you can focus on the more synergistic aspects of a committed relationship, like raising children.

A Year Off gives you the opportunity to learn everything you need to know about taking care of yourself, both physically and emotionally. When you can handle the bad days that are inevitable in life on your own, you avoid placing a burden on your partner. This allows both of you to grow individually and to pursue more meaningful goals together, like raising a family.

So while I firmly believe a Year Off is for anybody at any age, I also believe it’s best to try and accomplish it while younger.

There’s no guarantee of tomorrow. Good health can vanish in an instant. And regrets are more likely to develop as you age.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain