The Tail End theory

Topic

Productivity

Type

Quick take

Actually this is not a productivity article but it is still useful. A few years ago, I was part of the Marketing team. Now, I find myself in the Product department. From my perspective, I've had the opportunity to work with some of the most limited resources in a company:

Technical capacity
Marketing budget

However, this post touches on what I believe to be the most significant constraint: Time.

There is an intriguing theory named "The Tail End" which dives deep into this very concept. I came across a fascinating article about it on a blog called "Wait But Why" (I'll share the link at the end).

Here's a brief overview of "The Tail End":

Imagine you're 35 years old, just like me.
• Your father is 60, as is mine.

Having relocated to another city or perhaps even a different country, your meetings with him are limited. You manage to spend only around 30 days with him each year. These are distributed as 8 days during Christmas, 8 days over Easter, 8 days in summer, and the remaining days scattered throughout the year for occasions like birthdays or adhoc visits.

The average life expectancy in Greece for men stands at 79.8 years. To make calculations easier let’s make it 80.

By this logic, you'd have 600 days left (30 days annually plus the 20 years he has from the age of 60 to 80) with your father. And it's essential to remember, once a day goes by, it doesn't return.

600 days are less than 2 years. We’re in the tail end.

The article shared some startling insights:

By the time we finish high school, we’ve already used up about 93% of our face-to-face time with our father. Presently, we're relishing the last 7%. We’re in the tail end.

It might come across as slightly grim, but it’s an undeniable truth. The central message of the article is the following:

Life's brevity means that setting priorities and valuing quality time is of utmost importance.

You can read it here:

The Tail End — Wait But Why

No matter what your age, you may, without realizing it, be enjoying the very last chapter of the relationships that matter most to you. Make it count.