If you’ve ever wondered what the day-to-day life of a portfolio manager looks like, you’re in for a treat. Today, I’m opening up the curtain and sharing a glimpse into my life in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico. My name is Jason, and I have a somewhat unconventional routine that suits my lifestyle and helps me stay at the top of my game.
My day kicks off when I hear birds starting to sing in the morning. The first thing I reach for isn’t my phone or laptop, but my coffee maker. A strong, hot cup of coffee is my preferred jolt of wakefulness and focus. The smell of the brew, the quiet of the early morning, it’s a ritual that centers me and readies my mind for the day ahead.
Shortly afterwards, I’m at my desk, which is no ordinary workspace. It used to belong to a platinum-award-winning nouveau flamenco guitarist. The room retains its aura of creative energy and tranquility, reinforced by its sound-proofing that ensures absolute focus. Through my windows, I can see a serene farm, where horses gently gallop – a sight that makes for a calming distraction when I need a break.
Once settled in, my day revolves around placing trades, and running simulations. In my office, a suite of servers hums and flashes, each performing thousands of calculations per minute. These simulations provide the insights I use to guide my investment strategies, every decision anchored in data.
My work requires intense concentration, but it isn’t all silence and screens. Music plays a crucial role in my daily routine. Thanks to my Sonos system, there’s a constant stream of tunes from Spotify shaping the day’s soundtrack.
However, the most intriguing element in my audio setup is another Sonos, rigged to play sounds from a Buddha Machine. For those unfamiliar, a Buddha Machine is an ambient noise generator, typically used for meditation or as a musical instrument. My Buddha Machine is tuned to emit sounds of different timbres, each corresponding to the condition of my trades. It’s like a real-time, auditory market ticker that fills my office with a symphony of financial activity. Soothing drones signal steady markets, while more intense timbres indicate volatility. This setup allows me to sense the pulse of the market without being tethered to a screen all day.
As the afternoon sun begins to dip, I shift gears and move towards a different yet equally important part of my day – family time. Each day, I make it a point to spend quality time with my son. We often engage in games of Lego, stimulating both our creativity and problem-solving skills. It’s remarkable how much you can learn from building intricate structures out of small plastic bricks.
Our afternoons also involve an immersion in art, where we paint or draw, allowing our imaginations to run wild. But it’s not all play; I sneak in some education too. Our discussions often veer into the realms of set theory and the multiverse, sparking curiosity and fascination in his young mind. The joy of seeing him grasp these complex concepts is amazing.
After our play and learning session, we often head out for an early dinner or make our way to the community wellness center. Here, we splash around in the pool, letting the water wash away the day’s stress and trading tension.
The day finally draws to a close, and I find myself reflecting on the dance between the intense focus of my work and the joy and spontaneity of fatherhood. Being a portfolio manager is more than a job – it’s a pursuit that challenges and rewards in equal measure, requiring a balance between the analytical and the emotional, the strategic and the spontaneous.
And as the night sky takes over, I am reminded that it’s not just about navigating financial markets but also about charting a meaningful life journey. Amidst the structured melodies of the Buddha Machine and the complexity of strategic financial analysis, it’s these personal moments that truly define my day and bring an irreplaceable fulfillment to my life.