I received a compliment at work a few weeks ago from a data scientist that the company had hired to help develop/refine some of our analytics, mostly because I understand concepts such as Standard Deviation. I forget what was specifically said, but it was along the lines of "he really understands analytics", or something similar to senior leadership. I took it as a compliment. Mostly though, I am glad it was said privately to me. I hate being singled out in group settings.
Anyway, I have been thinking a lot about numbers recently. Here's some examples (courtesy of some god-forsaken Google A.I. thing):
- Coffee Consumption - I am in the 23% of the U.S. population that does not drink coffee.
- Alcohol Consumption - I am in the 38% of the U.S. population that does not consume alcohol.
- Tobacco Products - I am in the 80% of the U.S. population that does not use tobacco. I suspect the number is far lower for those of us who have never even tried a tobacco product (which is me).
The real number I have been thinking more about though is how long before I retire? Before anything else, I should note that I am privileged in that finances are not a major driver of this decision. Ms. Rivers and I have worked with a financial advisor, and we are in better shape than most when it comes to being ready to self-select out of the full-time workforce. Much of that is thanks to both of us "technically" being (non-consensual) early retirees of Prudential Financial, one of the few companies around that still provides (or provided, depending on one's perspective) good retirement benefits. Included as well is the fact that we have a basic plan for healthcare coverage as we get older.
For the record, I will be 61 years old in April.
What drives a decision to keep working for 3+ more years? I would certainly get a larger Social Security benefit. I would also be closer to Medicare eligibility. Both prior statements assume that some god-forsaken group of politicians doesn't screw it up. Anyway, those are nice, but not compelling arguments. What I think is the bigger issue for me is one of mental stimulation. As has been noted in these postings since 2008, I sometimes have the attention span of a brain-damaged gnat. Will I have enough to do? I am sure that early on I would, but what after, for example, most of the house projects are completed? I could continue to work on a part-time basis; see below. I will also add that I believe I am at a place professionally whereby I probably will have the opportunity to keep working full time for a few years to come. Business is good, the company is growing, and they seem to tolerate me (see paragraph #1).
What drives a decision to only work for less than 3 more years? This one is far simpler to understand: As currently constructed, my professional life is bad for both my physical and mental health*. Now I know that I can control parts of those things. The reality is that I am hard-wired to not say no to things and to people. Quite frankly though, I have far more work than I have time. Physically, I have gained more weight over the past 4+ years than I am willing to confess to, almost entirely because I literally don't have the time at work to get up and even take a 15-minute walk. Wolfing down a microwaved lunch most days while reading emails isn't helping either. Mentally, I would say that I have been working at trying to maintain a better balance in my head relative to the importance of work in my life, but that's an on-going struggle, and I lose, often. Coming home mentally spent is also not a great thing.
Noted above is the fact that I can and probably will work part-time in retirement, regardless of when that actually occurs. I have some thoughts about that, but nothing definitive. Mostly, this would have to be something I enjoy, and which won't prevent me from regaining a better balance for my physical and mental health.
None of these musings are new for me; in fact, I have been thinking about this for a few years now. The closer I get to age 62. the more important it seems to become. On the quasi-philosophical side of things, there is the very important and real concept of death...as in I will die at some point. It's the space between here and there though that matters the most. How much of that time should be dedicated to a non-corporeal entity that would likely replace me a month after my passing? I think/hope that the people in my life I care about the most would miss me for far longer than that.
Lastly, I will note that 2025 will be an important year for me in the forward-looking department. Maybe it all comes down to this: If I have a good 2025, I will work longer. We shall see. Regardless, I'd love to hear the perspectives of others on this topic.
So, there you have it, a posting about numbers. Well, it's actually more about a larger question of how much we truly owe to an employer (any employer) than it is anything else. Things CAN change though. Scratch that...things WILL change. This is not a bad thing.
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(*) I recognize that there are people who are struggling to find a job these days, stressful or otherwise, and my privilege extends to employment. I am grateful to be employed, and I would hate the thought of having to look for a job at my age. Age discrimination in employment is a significant issue in the United States today. If anyone is reading this and would like my help in finding a job, even if it's as simple as reviewing a resume, please just let me know.
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