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.
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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.
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