The Challenge, Part 1

The Vow

Matt Viera
October 01, 2022

Image by Gerd Altmann

In September 2021, I vowed to myself I would take control of my life to live my life on my terms.

Before the pandemic, working from home was a fantasy, as unrealistic as finding a unicorn. I currently work for a government agency, a public sector job. My daily responsibilities can easily be accomplished from home. Working from home was never an option—until the pandemic.

In March 2020, my employer informed all employees we would be working from home “out of an abundance of caution.” It made sense. From March 2020 until, I believe, May 2021, I worked from home effectively and productively.

In May 2021, I had to report to the office one day per week.

Shortly before I was to begin working in September 2021, I called a colleague to inquire as to what the work schedule would look like. I was informed all employees would work in the office from Monday through Friday. I was flabbergasted. I went from working in a quiet, non-stimulating environment to an environment that resembles a newsroom, a cubicle city that takes up the entire floor of a commercial building in midtown Manhattan.

I was utterly overstimulated—from commuting on the subway, to first responder sirens, to endless construction noise, to the constant movement of an office environment, to that one person who sneezes without covering their mouth, to the one person in the office who always speaks extraordinarily loud.

All. The. Time.

Image by Roberto Lee Cortes

On top of that, there was the pressure which came with my daily responsibilities which can, at times, be stressful. Mind you, I was not and am not transplanting hearts, and I certainly am not a stranger to stress. However, I went home from the office every day absolutely exhausted. I thought it was just me until I asked a few colleagues if they felt the same. Everyone I asked felt the same.

What really bothered me was the fact I did not have an option. I didn’t have a choice. My choices were to work from the office or quit my job. A job which I have been working for the past 11 years.

I was not prepared to quit.

Don’t get me wrong, I could have easily quit and looked for something more conducive to my overall well-being. Life is definitely too short. However, I have a good life. My job is unique in that I am afforded an outstanding work-life balance. I get paid a 12-month, six-figure salary to work, what is essentially, a 9-month position. I have a lot of time off, which includes the summer months. I work from 8:00am to 4:00pm. My benefits are extraordinary, which include a pension. I can retire with full benefits in 12 years. However, this past summer, my thinking shifted, and I decided:

I am going to retire in 5 years.

Additionally, in order for me to comfortably retire in 5 years, I established these goals for myself:

I want to save one-year of my salary in my savings account as an emergency fund.
I want to have at least $1 million in assets
I want to own real estate both within and outside of New York City