The New York Times > Science > Will Compasses Point South?: "No matter what the new findings, the public has no reason to panic, scientists say. Even if a flip is imminent, it might take 2,000 years to mature. The last one took place 780,000 years ago, when Homo erectus was still learning how to make stone tools"
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Hmm, let's see now. That means I have a bit of time to plan. My count is, assuming that all things will continue as they have from the foundation of the world [a dubious assumption, taking account of Scripture], I will be 780,070 years old when the next one occurs, again assuming that nothing catastrophic appears. I think I will not worry about it for the next 280,070 years. A cool half million years should give me enough time. [Side note: This Homo erectus fellow must have been something of a dolt. Imagine taking 780,000 years to develp stone tools into atomic bombs. We went from Model T's to Space Shuttles in less than a century.]