Hi all, I’m a rising sophomore and was wondering what the work-life balance really looks like during the day. Not some generic response about the shitty balance but specifically like do you have 30 min to lift/move around.
| +239 | Return Rates For Interns Are Falling? | 99 | 2h |
| +131 | UBS Americas IB: The Kids’ Table of Wall Street | 18 | 1h |
| +111 | I am a drunk MD AMA | 39 | 12h |
| +64 | VP Lifestyle at Top BB Coverage Groups | 40 | 1d |
| +57 | An Outsider’s View of RX Banking Out of College | 6 | 4d |
| +55 | UBS Offer Day | 23 | 1h |
| +49 | SharePoint makes IB hours HELL | 15 | 3d |
| +39 | WF Return offers | 26 | 2h |
| +34 | No return offer - feeling like a failure is an understatement | 14 | 3h |
| +31 | Article: Why UBS's Asian M&A bankers are thriving and UBS's American M&A bankers are not | 3 | 54m |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, the work-life balance in investment banking (IB) is challenging, but there are ways to carve out time for personal activities like lifting or moving around. Here are some insights:
Reclaiming Short Breaks: During the workweek, it's possible to reclaim 30-minute blocks for yourself. For example, after completing a deliverable, you can step away for half an hour to move or exercise. If your office has a gym or shower, you can use that time for a quick treadmill session, elliptical, or even a med ball complex.
Weekend Workouts: Many professionals prioritize their weekends for longer workouts. For instance, dedicating 90 minutes on both Saturday and Sunday for compound lifts or other exercises is a common strategy. This allows for a more comprehensive workout without sacrificing too much of the weekend.
Morning Routines: Some individuals prefer to work out early in the morning before heading to the office. A typical schedule might look like waking up at 5:45 AM, hitting the gym by 6:10 AM, and then getting ready for work by 8:00 AM.
Prioritizing Health: Maintaining stamina is crucial in IB. Regular exercise, even if it's just 2-4 days a week, helps build the endurance needed to handle the intellectual and physical demands of the job.
While the balance is tough, with proper planning and discipline, you can find time to stay active even in a demanding IB role.
Sources: How the hell do you stay healthy in sweat shop groups?, Looking for Perspectives on Unemployment, Work/Life Balance - Hours
I lived 4 min from the office and during lunch hour would sprint back to exercise. So many times you may have a reasonably free day and get slammed at 7pm.
It really depends on how well you can set your boundaries - also it's a lot about how you want to be perceived - partially sometimes there are super packed days where you actually barely leave the desk - but some days where there is a lot of waiting around for comments etc. it is also probably harder to do in the first 6 - 9 months but as you stat getting the hang of it you have a bit more control over your time. in my second year i d go to the gym around dinner time likee 8 - 9pm and then finish comments until early AM - so also depends on your discipline cause most of the time you ll be quite tired and sleep deprived
In first two years of IB, basically did not have 30 min to lift/move around ~90% of the time during the week but consistently got 1-2 days on the weekend.
Practically, you’re working until 3 am, the workout means you go to bed at 3:30 am and get 4.5 hours of sleep instead of 5.
There is a lot of dead time in IB, the problem is that it is super hard to use that time efficiently if you are an analyst since you are expected to be responsive and immediately available from approx 9am-9pm (depends on group). The ability for an analyst to go to the gym in the evening is very situational. Highly dependent on firm/group culture and who you are working with.
Ut eaque praesentium autem soluta similique quibusdam minus. Voluptatem eligendi fugit quam praesentium. Repellendus corrupti porro rerum doloremque consequuntur perspiciatis omnis. Ullam quis quam tenetur possimus. Ipsum praesentium repudiandae qui.
Qui iusto fuga impedit vero fugit beatae. Natus temporibus omnis eius at quae. Odit quae ratione consectetur minima sequi et impedit ad. Omnis voluptatibus veritatis neque inventore. Consequatur in sunt earum ut iure aut. Qui non occaecati non animi accusamus corrupti.
Dicta qui omnis est. Quisquam deserunt repudiandae consequuntur autem sed veritatis. Et illo mollitia quia numquam deserunt. Quos iusto laudantium consectetur velit. Minima autem aut ratione excepturi. Laboriosam ut facilis ea itaque aperiam doloremque.
Ullam et quisquam eum ratione. Quisquam consequatur omnis et ipsa dolore unde. Earum minus ut a consequatur fugiat. Iusto quaerat autem ut odit accusamus cum eum.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...