NOTE: This is a personal blog, no insights below about AI or NLG!

In 2021 I wrote a blog Retirement on Horizon?, saying that I planned to retire after 2025. In 2024 I’ve definitely started the “journey” towards retirement. Some people have asked me about this, so I thought I’d explain what is happening in a blog.

Less Work

I’m currently working around 1/3 fewer hours than in 2021; partially by leaving Arria (two part-time jobs is more work than a full time job), and partially by formally reducing my working week. Which means that my salary income is also down around by around 1/3. This sounds drastic, but my salary will fall even more when I formally retire, so seems better to start adjusting now to lower income.

In terms of what I actually do, I’m not doing anything for Arria any more. On the university side, I’m doing more teaching and admin than in 2021 (when I was part-time at the university), but less than other colleagues. On the research side, I have almost as many PhD students as in 2021, but I will not take on new students so the number should start decreasing. I am not writing new research proposals, and generally taking a co-investigator rather than PI role in new projects.

I’m also focusing much more on using AI and NLG to support patients, eg by helping them understand their condition and choices and also helping them manage long-term illness (blog). I’ve always been interested in this, and decided to focus on it in the last stages of my career; would be great to end my career with progress in this area! Success in helping people look after themselves better would have a large impact on better health worldwide

I guess my blog is also part of my research contribution. I started it partially because I wanted to make younger researchers more aware of things that I notice as an “old timer” (or maybe “old fogey”). Ie, kind of analogous to the village elder who tries to share “wisdom” with younger members of the tribe?? And certainly some people do seem to find my blog to be useful. I’ve written a new book on NLG which hopefully will appear by end of 2024, which also is partially intended to share my perspective as a long-time researcher in the field.

More trips and holidays

Of course less time at work means more time for personal activities, and I am especially keen on more trips and holidays while my health is still reasonable. For example, I’ve always liked do cycling holidays (I sometimes write them up in blogs), and before 2024 I managed to do this kind of trip once every 2 years. In 2024, I will do two cycling trips, and in 2025 I plan to do a longer trip in Europe. I am becoming frailer as I get older, and I want to do these trips while I still can!

I’m also spending more time visiting my family, which is scattered around the US and UK, and doing more trips with my wife Ann. Until recently it was difficult for us to go on a holiday together because of our autistic son (someone had to stay in Aberdeen unless we could make special arrangements). Its now a lot easier because my son recently moved to a residential home in Lockerbie, and I am taking advantage of the opportunity to do more trips with Ann!

More generally, I did a lot of travelling in my 20s and early 30s (I have some travelogues in my blog). This largely stopped when became a father and started working as a lecturer, but I always thought I would do more of this when I approached retirement.

Other changes

On a more unpleasant note, I am spending much more time on doctor visits, hospital tests, minor procedures, etc. then I did even 5 years ago. Im still basically OK, but my body does not work as well as it used to (not surprising), and trying to keep it in good shape is taking up more time. This is also motivation to do trips and travelling now, rather than wait until I am fully retired.

I also find that I cannot do really long work days. It takes me longer to get up in the morning, I get tired more easily, and I need to go to bed by my bedtime (11PM), otherwise its hard to get to sleep. So its now unusual for me to work more than 8 hours in a day, and rare to work more than 10 hours.

Incidentally, I’ve realised that if I work another year in US (even on a small part-time basis), then I will be eligible for US social security pension (I have 9 years working in US, need 10 years to be eligible). So maybe this is something Ill try to do at some point over the next few years, if a suitable opportunity comes up.

Future

The above model (reduced working hours, more time for other things) seems to be working well for me at this point in time. Of course this may change as I get older, I guess I’ll take this as it comes.