How I Work

Mod Note (Andy): This post originally went up last year but has been getting some new "How I Work" entries (see bottom of comments), feel free to add to the discussion!

The website/blog www.LifeHacker.com has a very interesting series of interviews called “How I Work.” I first stumbled upon this a while back and always enjoy reading them for insights into how some of the more accomplished people out there live their lives. Some of my personal favorites include James Altucher and Matthew Berry which you can find James here and Matthew here.

Well, I thought it might be fun to plagiarize their questions and have some of the more popular writers on this site answer them. Sure, we’ve all seen the interview series of a bunch of writers and contributors on here but these questions are a little bit different and might be helpful to all of us looking for a new way to approach things, not just through technology but daily routine stuff. Without further ado, I’ll be the first guinea pig and give it a shot.

Current gig: M&A and master omelette maker
Location: East Coast
Current mobile device: iPhone 5
Current computer: Lenovo with Windows 7, office 2007
One word that describes how you work: Frantically

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

Aside from the obvious outlook and excel, I'm a big fan of Evernote but mostly for list of restaurants I haven't been to or those I really enjoy in other cities. Not sure if it counts as an app but theChive.com is a great site and they have a mobile version. Fantastic way to kill time when you want/need to.

What's your workspace setup like?

Just one laptop, no additional screens, one desk phone, no mouse, at least 2 dozen pens, sticky notes and pitchbook drafts spread all over the place. I don’t keep much in the way of personal stuff around either. I just never got around to bringing stuff into my office from home purely for decorative purposes. I have a few stress balls I picked up from conferences which are helpful when needed.

What do you listen to while you work?

Not much music unless I have some writing and editing to crank through. Then I might put on a Frank Sinatra playlist or something like a classical music playlist on Pandora. I got hooked on both of those when studying in college and just stuck with it.

What's your best time-saving trick?

Tough one here, but I might say prioritizing immediate need versus "important but not urgent" tasks. I tend to schedule brainstorming calls or meetings for earlier in the day or later so I can use the middle of the day for more pressing tasks. I also tend to use my calendar a whole lot for reminders throughout the day as well as normal scheduled meetings. I really live by that thing and if I don’t make a note of something I’ll probably forget it immediately. Keyboard shortcuts are lifesavers to me. Just using the Ctrl + 1, 2 or 3 in Outlook saves immeasurable time since I toggle between email, calendar and contacts throughout the day. I saw a post on LH where the interviewee said anytime they found themselves typing a repeated response to something more than a few times, they automatically saved is as a “quick text” and set up a macro to use a shortcut key + tab to insert it. Genius, and I would have never thought of that. Just learning every shortcut imaginable for repeatable tasks instantly saves you hours if not days per year in my slightly educated guess. Sites like www.howtogeek.com are also quite helpful.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

I've tried a bunch, both analog form and digital. Lately I'm on a kick of using a moleskine notebook for note taking during internal meetings, sticky notes for to-do lists since it forces you to be concise, and I use new Word docs for notes on calls that I’ll save for review later. We track a ton of information in our CRM as well. Also, I don’t delete emails (except newsletter junk) ever. I have easily over 100,000 in my inbox alone.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

I have a Plantronics wireless headset that I could never do without. I don't know how people use a traditional headset and are fine with it knowing there are other options out there. I tend to get up and walk around if I'm not taking notes on a call and having to be wired to a phone dock would be pretty frustrating.

These don't count as gadgets per sé but I'm a huge fan of whiskey rocks since they don't dilute your drink but chill it just enough for my liking.

Also, I tend to use Google drive a lot for writing drafts for this site among other things like content for my firm’s marketing efforts when needed.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Coming up with awful jokes and sticking my foot in my mouth at social gatherings.

What's your sleep routine like?

I probably get 5 hours a night. Even when I don't have calls or meetings planned I still like to get to work early before most people arrive. That first hour might be my most productive time of the morning. That also means I set the same alarm at 545-6am every day regardless of the previous nights activities.

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.

Eddie Braverman would probably be a popular one. Andy and Patrick for sure and some of the more frequent writers here that still work in their respective industries. Steve Schwartzman and Henry Kravis would probably be really interesting as well. Then a wild card like Steve Ballmer or Jim Cramer.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

I don't think there's been one piece of advice but rather periodic eye-opening thoughts I needed to hear at a particular time in my life. One good one is make sure you love your work. It might sound stupid but after watching the movie "Office Space" I made it a priority to never stay in a job or situation I hated if I had the wherewithal to change it. So, thanks Peter man.

Another good one I came across was “acora imparo” which is Latin for “I am still learning” and was allegedly uttered by Michelangelo on his deathbed. Pretty powerful statement in your final hours if you ask me, but a good way to go about life.

Lastly, my brother told me that when I first start dating a girl, and the first time you go back to her house, check out her bookshelf. If she doesn't read, then run. There’s a lot of truth in there in my experience.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Not really. I hope some of you readers take this and run with it since I think it could be a really insightful series on this site.

 

Can't believe you only use your laptop screen given your emphasis on finding shortcuts and being efficient. Two monitors spoiled me quick. Good stuff though otherwise - I've only been linked to specific articles on lifehacker so I hadn't heard of the series.

 

I've tried two monitors in the past and for a while I really liked it but I switched back when I found myself toggling between so many open applications and screens that it somehow became less productive so I decided to switch back. To each their own on that one though since there are definitely times I do miss it.

 
skylinegtr94:

I've tried two monitors in the past and for a while I really liked it but I switched back when I found myself toggling between so many open applications and screens that it somehow became less productive so I decided to switch back. To each their own on that one though since there are definitely times I do miss it.

I agree. I also find myself straining my neck with two monitors. Windows 7 and windows key + arrow key is a godsend for single monitor setups. LR dual monitor gets trumped by top bottom dual monitor setups. My buddy mounted a flat screen above his computer and its the most intuitive setup I've ever used. I hope this dual monitor setup becomes the norm and the LR monitor setup dies off.

 

I have this laptop: http://tinyurl.com/lsrsd6d

The picture doesn't do it justice; the widescreen is seriously something to get used to. Now that I'm used to it though, I love it. With the Windows 7 split-screen the windows are basically squares when halved. Much better that the portrait like view when splitting with a traditional monitor.

Sometimes I connect with laptop with my tv, but I'll be in the market soon for a dedicated second screen.

EDIT: The one linked actually appears to be the next generation, mine has slight aesthetic differences with Windows 7 instead of Windows 8.

When a plumber from Hoboken tells you he has a good feeling about a reverse iron condor spread on the Japanese Yen, you really have no choice. If you don’t do it to him, somebody else surely will. -Eddie B.
 
Best Response

Current gig: Commercial Real Estate Broker Location: East Coast - Mid Market City
Current mobile device: iPhone 5
Current computer: Dell with Windows 7, office 2007 at work, MacBook Air at home
One word that describes how you work: Aggressively

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

Outlook and Excel like the OP, CoStar (unfortunately), Lexis, twitter & LinkedIn, HBOgo, the iPhone alarm app

What's your workspace setup like?

Desktop, iPad, tons of files, picture of my mom & I at her graduation, property fliers hung up, tie collection that grew from me taking them off and forgetting to take them home

What do you listen to while you work?

A lot of times I'm on the phone so nothing. If it's a research-type day where I just have to plow through Excel, I'll put on whatever I'm feeling at the time. I have my iTunes linked from home and Pandora so rap, classical, 80's rock, etc. Been on a Zac Brown Band streak for a bit. I'm not generally a fan of country but damn are they good.

What's your best time-saving trick?

Oh Jesus. It's definitely doing things myself instead of relying on the admins. It's so counter-intuitive, inefficient, and annoying, but it would inevitably take more time for me to explain to the admin what I want, have her question me, have her check with three different bosses behind my back, have her check with one boss and cc me on the email, and then have to correct her mistakes anyhow.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

Outlook calendar and hand-written note taking. Generally I know what I have to get done though.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

I'd say iPad but honestly I can do everything on that with my phone so I suppose I could. I use my desk phone an incredible amount too but again, my cell could cover it. I'm going to go with my downtown parking pass and say that it counts because it's electronic. No way I could afford to drop an extra $350-$400 a month, every month, myself. Oh, and definitely my car's GPS too. Saves so much time.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Being sure of myself and self-confident. It works wonders when talking to CEO's and CFO's who could be or are clients. I'm pretty sure my one boss hates me for it though.

What's your sleep routine like?

In an ideal world I sleep 10pm-6am. I generally don't get to bed until 12 though and end up sleeping in until 6:30.

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.

Jonathan Gray, Bill Ackman, Elon Musk, Simon Ziff, Jordan Belfort, George Steinbrenner when he was alive

What's the best advice you've ever received?

It's better to ask for forgiveness than to wait for permission? Hah, nah it's probably "Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.” -Machiavelli, "The Prince" or "Memento Mori" - allegedly muttered by a slave or junior person in the ear of a triumphant Roman general as he paraded through the streets in a victory celebration, meaning "Remember, you are mortal"

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I too would like to see this pick up. There are so many interesting people here who could add to it.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Current gig: Middle management, large firm Location: NY
Current mobile device: iPhone and Blackberry
Current computer:Desktop
One word that describes how you work: Effectively

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

Outlook

What's your workspace setup like?

Messy (but I know where everything is)

What do you listen to while you work?

Inane drivel of colleagues

What's your best time-saving trick?

Get highly competent people to do work for you.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

My secretary (oops, I mean assistant)

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

A bottle opener

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Better than anyone else in the world? Probably nothing if we're really being honest. There are a lot of people living on this planet. What am I substantially better at than most people?..... cutting through bullshit.

What's your sleep routine like?

Go to sleep between 11:00 and 1:00 on most days and wake up between 5:30 and 6:00. I try to take one nap on the weekend.

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.

A prison guard. I feel like that would be pretty different from most WSO user responses.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Never let your network go stale.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

No

 

Current gig: Mid market PE Associate Location: Chicago Current mobile device: iPhone 5 Current computer: Lenovo work, Gateway home One word that describes how you work: In bursts

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

besides obvious excel, word and powerpoint, Mircosoft OneNote. It's a lifesaver and i've really gotten used to it for notetaking and to-do lists

What's your workspace setup like?

one widescreen screen at work. though it took getting used to, i think i can work nearly as efficiently on one large screen as two smaller ones

What do you listen to while you work?

Nothing really while Partners are in the office. If i'm there and it's late, i'll usually listen to rando assorment of top 40, edm, country, and 90s / 2000s hits

What's your best time-saving trick?

prioritizing what needs to get done today vs what can wait a bit. in addition, i'll usually log in and work for an hour or so each saturday and sunday even if dont have anything pressing to make sure nothing sneaks up on me. Also, sometimes work well to get a few of the small annoying tasks out of the way.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

OneNote, hands down

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Booze. sweet, sweet booze

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

not work related but i'm pretty good at eating fairly healthy most of the time. I do make sure to counter this with many, many burgers and beers on the weekend, though.

What's your sleep routine like?

Ideally in bed 11pm-12am and wake up at 8am

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.

not really finance related, but definitely would love to see messi or ronaldo play this upcoming world cup or in a champion's league match

What's the best advice you've ever received?

actually came from wso, but: disassociate the work you're doing from who it came from.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

hopefully more people add to it!

 
sick_willy:

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.

not really finance related, but definitely would love to see messi or ronaldo play this upcoming world cup or in a champion's league match

Yes!

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 
sick_willy:

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Booze. sweet, sweet booze

Haha. Best quote so far. And really like people took the time to write these out. Keep 'em coming since I think this could be a great series for this site. Also, goes well in hand with my whiskey rocks comment. Obviously need something for the rocks to keep cool.

(hope i quoted that correctly)

 

[quote=CRE]What's the best advice you've ever received?

It's better to ask for forgiveness than to wait for permission? Hah, nah it's probably "Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.” -Machiavelli, "The Prince" or "Memento Mori" - allegedly muttered by a slave or junior person in the ear of a triumphant Roman general as he paraded through the streets in a victory celebration, meaning "Remember, you are mortal"

Great quotes here. Another one I former colleague had posted at his desk:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Pretty relevant for most professions on this site if you ask me.

 

Current gig: BB M&A analyst Location: London Current mobile device: iPhone 5 Current computer: MacBook Pro at home One word that describes how you work: Bursts

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

(Other than the usual MS Office suite), FactSet modelling plug-in, Twitter, Whatsapp, Apple Remote, Tinder. Ok, I could probably live without Tinder.

What's your workspace setup like?

L-R dual-screen. Don't think I could work with less than 2 screens, since 1 is usually dedicated to mid-week Champions League football when it's on. Wireless headset. Stacks and stacks of paper.

What do you listen to while you work?

Typically a mix of indie, folk, blues, rock. If I have incredibly tedious tasks to do, then something disgustingly cheesy like Katy Perry or Ke$ha to take my mind off the task at hand. If there's a firing round going on, then Never Gonna Give You Up on repeat, just because I don't think my fate is to get fired whilst I Rickroll myself.

What's your best time-saving trick?

Working in really intense bursts. I'll get a strong coffee, and only work on whatever key tasks I have for 2-3 hours, e.g. building a new model. Then after that, I'll chill out and work on the little things e.g. replying to non-urgent emails, returning phone calls, updating models, tidying up presentations etc.

Another huge time-saver is building my own templates for all the analysis that gets repeated a lot / upgrading our own company templates to suit my needs.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

Wunderlist since it syncs across my iPhone / iPad / MacBook Pro (I suppose every app does that now, but it's still a great app). Tend to write a lot of lists in my notebooks as well.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Could probably just about live without my iPad, so I'm going to go with cocktail shaker. Gives you a huge increase in drinks options, and great for parties, even though I typically stick to whisky.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Making (usually terrible) jokes at the office.

What's your sleep routine like?

Unpredictable, but I try to get to bed by 2am, and wake up between 7-8am. In an ideal world, I'd go to bed before 12, and wake up between 5-6.

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.

Warren Buffett, Howard Marks, Seth Klarman, David Einhorn, Dan Loeb... you get the gist

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Don't over-think about things that are beyond your control.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Just hope that more people on WSO get involved with this

 

Current gig: BB Credit Risk Associate Location: NY Current mobile device: Galaxy S4 Current computer: Dell laptop at work, Dell laptop (running Linux Mint) and custom-built PC (running Windows 7) at home One word that describes how you work: Frantic

What apps/software/tools can't you live without? Office (obviously), Twitter, SNL (I'm FIG)

What's your workspace setup like? Dual monitors (I don't think I can ever go back to less than 2), phone, calculator, pen, sticky notes, mountains of paper (I print a ton of financial statements b/c I like writing on them)

What do you listen to while you work? Typically classical/orchestra music in the morning while I'm getting going, then usually edm by the afternoon

What's your best time-saving trick? I use sticky notes aggressively. If I need to do anything that I'm not going to do immediately (all assignments, emails I'm going to write, calls I need to make, etc), I'll sticky it to my monitor or somewhere near me and will always include email time stamps (when applicable) in them, so I don't have to search through my Outlook to find things. I think this also saves time because I don't have to go searching/keep thinking about what I'm going to do next after one task, because it's right in front of me. I also make templates/checklists for anything I do that's repetitive.

What's your favorite to-do list manager? Sticky notes and my Outlook calendar

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without? A few months ago I would have said my Kindle, but that broke and I've been using the phone app, and it's not too bad, so I'm not really sure any more. Maybe my calculator, I still prefer it over computer-based options for some reason.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else? I read much faster than most people. The trick is that almost everyone as they read says the words to themselves in their heads. This is unnecessary and slows you down immensely. I taught myself to stop doing this and it sped up my reading probably 2-3 fold.

What's your sleep routine like? I try to go to sleep around 12 and wake up at 630 or 7.

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions. Buffet, Munger, Tepper, Obama

What's the best advice you've ever received? Understand what is in your control and what is outside of it, and act accordingly.

Is there anything else you'd like to add? Would be interested to see more of these

 

Okay, I'll bite thanks to lack of other things to do:

Current gig: MBA Student (previously in MM PE and IB) Location: Chicago Current mobile device: iPhone 5 Current computer: I use two. A Sony VAIO laptop and an HP Envy laptop. One word that describes how you work:Efficiently

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

I don't have a bunch of nifty apps/software to increase my productivity. Just personal stuff really. 1) WhatsApp is amazing for texting internationally at no cost. 2) I recently discovered Venmo which pretty much every b-school student uses to pay to each other for small things such as sharing a meal or a taxi. Definitely check out Venmo if you haven't heard of it yet.
3) Also Kayak's app is fantastic for quickly pricing out a flight or making changes to last minute travel plans -- same goes with United Airline's app.

What's your workspace setup like?

My desk is against a window that overlooks Lake Michigan. Both of my laptops are attached to their own 23" monitors, so I effectively work with four screens. On one computer I primarily keep up my email, important documents I need to read, or the WSJ. The other is for "active" working such as excel/word/ppt and internet browsing (WSO, campus portal). I'm a huge nerd -- my entire apartment is networked. My laptops are connected to a wireless printer and a wireless external hard drive that houses all my music, movies, and files. I stream my media files to either laptop or my TV which has a speaker system hooked up. I can also control my music from my iPad or a remote control device that I keep in my bedroom.

Beside my desk is a small table where I keep my "high use" folders handy and cork board that I use to pin up important documents such as my class schedule, upcoming flights, wedding invitations, and the like.

What do you listen to while you work?

I tend to zone out background noise when I work. Usually I just let me entire music library play and I quickly forget that it is even on. If my phone rings I just hit the mute button.

What's your best time-saving trick?

I save most of my time through three major strategies. The first is organization. There is really no excused to be disorganized. The first day I start a new job I go to the supply closet and grab folders of every color. I label them based on the portfolio companies I cover. When I get a new deal that moves past IOI stage, it gets its own folder as well. Same holds true for my Outlook --- it has folders upon folders. It takes the same amount of time to move a piece of paper off your desk as it does to place it in the appropriate folder. If you put in the work up front, it will pay dividends when you're trying to find info later.

The second is knowing when to go the extra mile and when it doesn't matter. Very frequently in PE I'm faced with situations where it will take a short amount of time to get approximate data and a lot of time to get specific data. I may have two conflicting debt numbers and don't know which is right. Rather than combing through emails and old files to try to do a reconciliation, I make a judgment call about important it is to be precise. If the analysis is going to a limited partner, it needs to be triple checked. However, often times it is just going to the partner and he couldn't care less whether the number is exactly -- he just wants an approximate so he can do a quick returns estimate.

The last is memorization. I'm not talking about straight memorization of data. I'm talking about memorizing key data points that enable you to do approximate analyses in your head and avoid having to run back to your desk to answer questions. For example, if you're selling a company the Partners will ask over and over again what ROIC multiple results from various purchase prices, debt levels, etc. I almost always see Associates rely on models to answer these questions. Rather than rely on the model, all you need to know is the equity invested and your percentage ownership. If you've invested $75mm and own 75% of the company, every $1mm change in purchase price results in a $750k change in your equity value or a 0.01x change in the ROIC multiple. Establish a baseline (such as $300mm exit results in a 3.10x multiple) and you'll always be able to work off of that. Then you'll have an answer on the spot every time you're asked and you'll save yourself from having the re-run the model every single day, not to mention you'll appear to be "all over the numbers." This strategy works outside the PE world.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

None. I try to write down all my to-dos at least once (sticky notes work great), which then makes them hard to forget. I used to sometimes write to-dos on my office white board that way I would get sick of looking at them and accomplish them faster.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Kindle. I'd never read a book if it weren't for my kindle. Too many distractions. I know I can read the kindle books on my iPad too, but it is just too easy to close the app and check my email or surf the web. Yes, I have paper books, but they are a nuisance to carry around when traveling or outside of my apartment.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Multi-tasking, though our whole generation is very accustomed to it. When I'm on a conference call I'll be reading the news or reviewing a document. I don't like concentrating on just one thing. Even when I watch a movie I'm not satisfied unless I'm also on WSO, cleaning my apartment, exercising, or doing some other activity.

What's your sleep routine like?

My biggest weakness. I need seven hours of sleep to be productive, optimally eight hours, and I'm a horrible sleeper. When I was working I'd try to go to bed at midnight and wake up at 8:00am. I don't know how all these other people survive on six or less. I was able to do it in banking, but not since then.

Fill in the blank. I'd like to see _________ answer these same questions.

I'd like to see Tim Ferriss answer these questions 100% honestly. I have a feeling he exaggerates a lot in his book.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

One of the best was to never attempt to "one-up" others, no matter how minor their struggles or accomplishments seem in relation to yours. Hard to pick a favorite though, I've had many great mentors that have taught me what I needed to learn at different stages in my career.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

thewaterpiper has a completely different strategy than me (bursts of productivity) and it works great for him. I'm confident I'd crash and burn if I tried that. Don't try to imitate the working "style" of successful people. Everyone has their own style that plays to their strengths and weaknesses. Observe others, take the elements you like, discard the rest, and develop your own routine.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

I would also like to see Tim Ferriss give honest answers to these questions. I don't doubt his honesty per se, but I know he loves to be a human guinea pig and he is a true life hack wiz. I wish my mental process was closer by nature to his with respect to how he deconstructs projects / problems and then engineers solutions / lifestyle designs to achieve them.

Can't deny the dude's tenacity, whatever people think about his self promotion.

 
CompBanker:

Okay, I'll bite thanks to lack of other things to do:

Current gig: MBA Student (previously in MM PE and IB)
Location: Chicago
Current mobile device: iPhone 5
Current computer: I use two. A Sony VAIO laptop and an HP Envy laptop.
One word that describes how you work:Efficiently

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

I don't have a bunch of nifty apps/software to increase my productivity. Just personal stuff really.
1) WhatsApp is amazing for texting internationally at no cost.
2) I recently discovered Venmo which pretty much every b-school student uses to pay to each other for small things such as sharing a meal or a taxi. Definitely check out Venmo if you haven't heard of it yet.
3) Also Kayak's app is fantastic for quickly pricing out a flight or making changes to last minute travel plans -- same goes with United Airline's app.

What's your workspace setup like?

My desk is against a window that overlooks Lake Michigan. Both of my laptops are attached to their own 23" monitors, so I effectively work with four screens. On one computer I primarily keep up my email, important documents I need to read, or the WSJ. The other is for "active" working such as excel/word/ppt and internet browsing (WSO, campus portal). I'm a huge nerd -- my entire apartment is networked. My laptops are connected to a wireless printer and a wireless external hard drive that houses all my music, movies, and files. I stream my media files to either laptop or my TV which has a speaker system hooked up. I can also control my music from my iPad or a remote control device that I keep in my bedroom.

Beside my desk is a small table where I keep my "high use" folders handy and cork board that I use to pin up important documents such as my class schedule, upcoming flights, wedding invitations, and the like.

What do you listen to while you work?

I tend to zone out background noise when I work. Usually I just let me entire music library play and I quickly forget that it is even on. If my phone rings I just hit the mute button.

What's your best time-saving trick?

I save most of my time through three major strategies. The first is organization. There is really no excused to be disorganized. The first day I start a new job I go to the supply closet and grab folders of every color. I label them based on the portfolio companies I cover. When I get a new deal that moves past IOI stage, it gets its own folder as well. Same holds true for my Outlook --- it has folders upon folders. It takes the same amount of time to move a piece of paper off your desk as it does to place it in the appropriate folder. If you put in the work up front, it will pay dividends when you're trying to find info later.

The second is knowing when to go the extra mile and when it doesn't matter. Very frequently in PE I'm faced with situations where it will take a short amount of time to get approximate data and a lot of time to get specific data. I may have two conflicting debt numbers and don't know which is right. Rather than combing through emails and old files to try to do a reconciliation, I make a judgment call about important it is to be precise. If the analysis is going to a limited partner, it needs to be triple checked. However, often times it is just going to the partner and he couldn't care less whether the number is exactly -- he just wants an approximate so he can do a quick returns estimate.

The last is memorization. I'm not talking about straight memorization of data. I'm talking about memorizing key data points that enable you to do approximate analyses in your head and avoid having to run back to your desk to answer questions. For example, if you're selling a company the Partners will ask over and over again what ROIC multiple results from various purchase prices, debt levels, etc. I almost always see Associates rely on models to answer these questions. Rather than rely on the model, all you need to know is the equity invested and your percentage ownership. If you've invested $75mm and own 75% of the company, every $1mm change in purchase price results in a $750k change in your equity value or a 0.01x change in the ROIC multiple. Establish a baseline (such as $300mm exit results in a 3.10x multiple) and you'll always be able to work off of that. Then you'll have an answer on the spot every time you're asked and you'll save yourself from having the re-run the model every single day, not to mention you'll appear to be "all over the numbers." This strategy works outside the PE world.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

None. I try to write down all my to-dos at least once (sticky notes work great), which then makes them hard to forget. I used to sometimes write to-dos on my office white board that way I would get sick of looking at them and accomplish them faster.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

Kindle. I'd never read a book if it weren't for my kindle. Too many distractions. I know I can read the kindle books on my iPad too, but it is just too easy to close the app and check my email or surf the web. Yes, I have paper books, but they are a nuisance to carry around when traveling or outside of my apartment.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Multi-tasking, though our whole generation is very accustomed to it. When I'm on a conference call I'll be reading the news or reviewing a document. I don't like concentrating on just one thing. Even when I watch a movie I'm not satisfied unless I'm also on WSO, cleaning my apartment, exercising, or doing some other activity.

What's your sleep routine like?

My biggest weakness. I need seven hours of sleep to be productive, optimally eight hours, and I'm a horrible sleeper. When I was working I'd try to go to bed at midnight and wake up at 8:00am. I don't know how all these other people survive on six or less. I was able to do it in banking, but not since then.

Fill in the blank. I'd like to see _________ answer these same questions.

I'd like to see Tim Ferriss answer these questions 100% honestly. I have a feeling he exaggerates a lot in his book.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

One of the best was to never attempt to "one-up" others, no matter how minor their struggles or accomplishments seem in relation to yours. Hard to pick a favorite though, I've had many great mentors that have taught me what I needed to learn at different stages in my career.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

thewaterpiper has a completely different strategy than me (bursts of productivity) and it works great for him. I'm confident I'd crash and burn if I tried that. Don't try to imitate the working "style" of successful people. Everyone has their own style that plays to their strengths and weaknesses. Observe others, take the elements you like, discard the rest, and develop your own routine.

Very well said. Appreciate the write-up; SB and kudos to you. Love your home office setup. The view of Lake Michigan must be lovely right now with the sun and blue sky. Too bad Chicago is so gloomy and gray most of the year.

"Very frequently in PE I'm faced with situations where it will take a short amount of time to get approximate data and a lot of time to get specific data." This is gold and a key aspect of efficient time and resources management.

Too late for second-guessing Too late to go back to sleep.
 

Really good stuff guys.

Can't agree more with people regarding monitors. Currently on one and am thinking about asking for a second. Even though I'm in research, Alt+Tab get annoying when I have fifteen different windows up.

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for freedom of thought which they seldom use.
 

Bored and it's raining so here it goes...

Current gig: BB Compliance Analyst for Global Markets Location: NYC Current mobile device: iPhone 4S (personal) & Blackberry Curve (work) Current computer: Macbook Pro (personal) & HP Laptop (work) One word that describes how you work: Efficient What apps/software/tools can't you live without? Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for work

What's your workspace setup like? It is cube shaped. Two monitors, plantronics headset, cisco phone, so much paperwork you can't see the desk. Regulator rulebook printouts stacked high, it is dreadful. Nothing personal except some supplements, golf mags, and a stack of business cards.

What do you listen to while you work? I don't listen to anything but cube neighbor phone calls and the Control Room cursing and screaming at people all day.

What's your best time-saving trick? I write everything down, and at the end of the day make sure I have a checklist going into the next day of what needs to get done. I also utilize categories I customized in Outlook and priority flags to keep things in my Inbox under control.

What's your favorite to-do list manager? Outlook and the notepads I take from the supply closet.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without? Probably my Xbox because I watch all my TV shows and movies through it using the USB drive after I download the files online. I love my TV shows and movies, see almost every movie that comes out.

Now if the weightroom counted as a gadget, that would be #1..

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else? Commanding a presence and an ability to interact with confidence. Better than most... What's your sleep routine like? Go to bed 12PM - 1AM and usually up by 7:30 AM, plenty of sleep for me.

Fill in the blank. I'd like to see _________ answer these same questions. Obama, Bush (now), our very own Patrick @Wallstreetoasis.com

What's the best advice you've ever received? Follow the money for work, find happiness outside of work.

Is there anything else you'd like to add? Interested to see more as well.

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 

Have a few minutes to kill at the airport:

Current gig: HF Analyst

Location: Non-traditional. If I said it would give me away

Current mobile device: iPhone 4s (personal), iPhone 5 (work)

Current computer: Lenovo Thinkpad connected to three 19.5" monitors at the office and Macbook Pro at home.

One word that describes how you work: Perpetually

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

Factset, Microsoft Office, Box, Dropbox, TWITTER, American Express App, Feedly, Todoist, Notes app on iPhone, Amazon App, GMail, Outlook, and many others that are so ingrained in to my life that I can't even think of them to make this list.

What's your workspace setup like?

Laptop and three monitors. Stacks upon stacks upon stacks of paper (read: Ks, Qs, proxies, sell-side reports, transcripts, etc). Currently about five empty bottles of Naked Juice in my trash can. Loads of post its and a quick count of 8 legal pads (I'm old school and prefer to take notes on actual paper). A hard cover edition of Valuation by McKinsey. An hp 12c. My Kindle. About two weeks worth of Wall Street Journals. My iPad. A stack of trade magazines/periodicals.

Very few personal things. I am pretty new at this fund and haven't really had the time to "permanently" decorate. Although I doubt I will until I get quite a bit higher up the food chain. Reality is that I am pretty much always one bad call away from getting my walking papers and probably always will be. Therefore, I want to be prepared to leave and never come back at a moment's notice. Personally, I don't mind the constant reality that I am one bad day from being jobless. It keeps me sharp, motivated, and humble; All of which are important traits in the capital markets and life I have come to find out (often the hard way).

What do you listen to while you work?

I guess it isn't unimportant to note that I use either Pandora, Spotify or just plain iTunes. My music choices range from classical to Jazz to old school crooners to 80s/90s rock/pop to straight up gangster rap depending on my mood. Specifics include Jay Z, Guns n Roses, Mozart, Sinatra, Elvis, Mellencamp, Springsteen, DJ Screw and his SUC brethren for those familiar with old school Houston Rap. In short, I listen to just about anything and everything.

What's your best time-saving trick?

Adderall. Seriously, though. I'm a huge nerd that enjoys what I do for a living way too much, so I can sometimes get lost in the details, go off on a tangent, or start something that should just take me an hour and next I look up and three hours have gone by and I have three new scenarios to research, which often makes it difficult to get things done. To combat this, I start every morning at the office by planning out my day the best I can. I make a list of things that need to be done and organize them into a calendar. Then I break down each task in to smaller tasks and check them off as I go. It sounds like a lot of work, but really isn't and has helped me immensely.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

A good old legal pad, Todoist, and my Outlook calendar. Without these things I'd be in a downward spiral like Frank the Tank in Old School.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

beers.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Honestly-- nothing. I'd like to think I'm pretty good at being an asshole and sarcasm, though.

What's your sleep routine like?

Bed at 12. Up at 6. In the office by 7am.

Fill in the blank. I'd like to see _________ answer these same questions.

Anybody smarter than me. Which is a whole lot of people.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

If you know how dumb you are, you know how smart you are.

The right woman will make you 10x the man you ever thought you could be and the wrong woman will tear you down 10x quicker than you ever thought possible. Learn how to tell the difference early.

There is no substitute for hard work.

Network. Network. Network.

Don't act like you're better than anyone else, because you're not.

Don't take anything at face value. Listen, research, become informed and make a decision for yourself.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

This was touched on in another thread recently, I think by BH, but today it seems that no one wants to start at the bottom and grind things out. It's either the start-up culture or the consequences of parents/teachers/coaches telling kids that they are "one of a kind" or "special, but in a good way" and the whole "everyone gets a trophy because you tried hard" BS. One of the greatest things my parents ever did for me, other than giving me the necessary things in life, unconditional love when I screwed up (which was early and often) and the privilege of a private school education my entire life was teach me that I am NOT special, NOT the greatest child ever, and that if I wanted something I needed to work hard until I got it or I realized it wasn't possible. In my short life I've realized the best things really do come hard. It's been a long, winding road filled with successes, failures, happiness, and sadness for me to get to a job that I truly enjoy (and I've been pretty lucky on the job front up until now too) and I wouldn't change a damn thing. Even better, I'm no where near where I want to be in life, professionally or personally. To be honest, that excites the hell out of me. In short, as the Marines say, "Embrace the Suck" and keep hustling until you make it. As Hunter S Thompson said, "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" As always, check my final favorite words of wisdom listed above.

[quote=patternfinder]Of course, I would just buy in scales. [/quote] See my WSO Blog | my AMA
 
Simple As...:

What's the best advice you've ever received?

If you know how dumb you are, you know how smart you are.

The right woman will make you 10x the man you ever thought you could be and the wrong woman will tear you down 10x quicker than you ever thought possible. Learn how to tell the difference early.

There is no substitute for hard work.

Network. Network. Network.

Don't act like you're better than anyone else, because you're not.

Don't take anything at face value. Listen, research, become informed and make a decision for yourself.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

This was touched on in another thread recently, I think by BH, but today it seems that no one wants to start at the bottom and grind things out. It's either the start-up culture or the consequences of parents/teachers/coaches telling kids that they are "one of a kind" or "special, but in a good way" and the whole "everyone gets a trophy because you tried hard" BS. One of the greatest things my parents ever did for me, other than giving me the necessary things in life, unconditional love when I screwed up (which was early and often) and the privilege of a private school education my entire life was teach me that I am NOT special, NOT the greatest child ever, and that if I wanted something I needed to work hard until I got it or I realized it wasn't possible. In my short life I've realized the best things really do come hard. It's been a long, winding road filled with successes, failures, happiness, and sadness for me to get to a job that I truly enjoy (and I've been pretty lucky on the job front up until now too) and I wouldn't change a damn thing. Even better, I'm no where near where I want to be in life, professionally or personally. To be honest, that excites the hell out of me. In short, as the Marines say, "Embrace the Suck" and keep hustling until you make it. As Hunter S Thompson said, "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" As always, check my final favorite words of wisdom listed above.

Not that the rest of your piece was bad, but lawd did you kill it here. Great read

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Current gig: Noise Maker and Senior Stock Picker Location: Left Coast Current mobile device: iPhone 4 Current computer: Some piece of shit HP One word that describes how you work: RainMan

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?

StreetEvents, Twitter, and Crestron

What's your workspace setup like?

Four monitors, one has only iTunes or Playlist.com up for music or some movie, one Excel, one FactSet, and the last for surfing/whatever.

What do you listen to while you work?

Rap and country. Tech N9ne and Eric Church.

What's your best time-saving trick?

Brushing my teeth in the shower... weird and possibly unsanitary, I know.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?

Post-It notes...

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?

There are no other gadgets. The remote control maybe?

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?

Typing, by far

What's your sleep routine like?

4 hours on a good day. Usually asleep by midnight, up around 4.

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.

Bashar Al-Assad, Carl Icahn, Johnny Manziel

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Keep your words soft and sweet, because one day you'll have to eat them.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I hate victims who respect their executioners
 

Current gig:
Credit analyst

Location:
New York

Current mobile device:
Samsung Galaxy s4 for calls/data, Blackberry Bold for e-mail, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.1 for note taking/calculator, Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.1 for watching lectures and taking notes

Current computer:
Dell Latitude running Windows 7 and Office 2007 at work, Asus Zen running Windows 8 and Office 2010 at home

One word that describes how you work: Arete

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?
Microsoft Office apps, Blackberry, Acrobat, Chrome, Paint, Citrix remote access, LectureNotes app, VLC

What's your workspace setup like?
6’ x 3’ desk in open plan office. Two 27” monitors above the laptop screen. I built a shelf that the monitors sit on top of that runs the width of my desk. I built a second shelf that runs the depth of the desk that sits to my right. I can slides notes/docs for individual deals under the shelf with post it notes above them identifying the deal name. Assorted stuff (pen cup, post-it notes, change jar) sit on the shelf under the monitors. Rest of desk has phone, devices on chargers, mouse and keyboard and whatever I’m looking at right now on it. A drawer unit containing ties, stationary and forgotten stuff beside me. A few hardcover books on various business topics on top of the drawers so that people think I’m smart and knowledgeable.

What do you listen to while you work?
People around me talking.

What's your best time-saving trick?
Answer 1: Doing first whatever I want to do least.
Answer 2: Not having children.

What's your favorite to-do list manager? I use Windows Sticky Notes (C:\Windows\System32\StikyNot.exe) but it’s not the greatest.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?
Blackberry

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?
Not taking things seriously.

What's your sleep routine like?
Fall asleep between 12 – 1. Get up at 7. 1 – 2 hours afternoon nap on Saturdays.

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.
My wife.

What's the best advice you've ever received? Too much is always better than not enough.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
A witty comment.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, post threads about how to do it on WSO.
 

Current gig:
Fixed Income PM

Location:
London

Current mobile device:
Blackberry Q5, I think... I've just been "upgraded" and I am finding it a little alien at the mom.

Current computer:
Dell Precision workstation with a whole bunch of processors, I think

One word that describes how you work:
Patiently

What apps/software/tools can't you live without?
Excel and Bloomberg, obviously... Other than that, just Feedly

What's your workspace setup like?
I sit on the trading floor, next to my deskmates. 5 monitors for all sorts of sheets, execution tools, etc. I got a dealerboard, which I use only occasionally. Other than that, it's pretty standard, e.g. books, pens, a red stapler, a jar for loose change, etc.

What do you listen to while you work?
During mkt hours, I listen to the desk "chatter". Otherwise, I love SomaFM and listen to either Secret Agent or Suburbs of Goa.

What's your best time-saving trick?
Firstly, hiring a junior to do the grunt work. Secondly, ignoring the overwhelming majority of the drivel produced by the sell side, especially dealers.

What's your favorite to-do list manager?
A combination of Post It notes and notepads, like others here have mentioned

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can't you live without?
iPad, I guess... I use it for everything, including reading.

What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?
Nothing... I am slightly better than many people at some things, such as remembering irrelevant stuff and context-switching, but that's about it.

What's your sleep routine like?
Sleep arnd 10 - 11PM, wake up arnd 5 - 6AM

Fill in the blank. I'd kill to see _________ answer these same questions.
People who are not doing God's work... Stephen Hawking, Sir Andrew Wiles and those sorts of people, maybe?

What's the best advice you've ever received?
There is nothing new under the sun.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Carthage must be destroyed... There you go, that was pretty witty, even though I say so myself.

 

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Fortes fortuna adiuvat.
 

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Odio ullam soluta et. Harum qui et quis temporibus quisquam. Aliquam ea alias id. Ab eius et dolorem accusamus velit doloribus est. Tempore voluptatem aut eum non eum consequatur et.

There have been many great comebacks throughout history. Jesus was dead but then came back as an all-powerful God-Zombie.
 

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Dolorem omnis ratione eius debitis. Beatae aliquid dolor odio doloribus. Est cum perspiciatis corrupti quia. Magnam omnis similique et est cupiditate architecto et qui. Quod aut ullam eveniet. Ex debitis et laborum est. Sint et excepturi vero eligendi.

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