Tips to survive? (IB, AN)

Anyone please share tips or personal experience on how to survive the mental stress of getting staffed a lot unexpectedly everyday and not getting to have a say on my own timeline? No protected weekends and ~5hours sleep daily. Skipped way too many meals and had to take a lot of drugs for my sickness. I am 3 months into the job and transitioning from the buyside where I had plenty of flexibility on what I wanted to do. I am intrigued by the job but still have not found the hack to be mentally calm and not having anxiety everytime I am getting staffed into a project and/or an to-do from seniors. Not to mention some seniors are very hostile when giving comments and treat juniors like crap. Please share if this is just a phase for X timeline or if I am not suited for the job?

6 Comments
 

Part of the stress is you have so much to do and partly you are still learning and not sure how to do it or you are slow and takes a lot of time to do it…

the latter will resolve itself with time….. the former is a function of market dynamics ..

If you are good and efficient at what you do.. after a while you have earned the right to push back on crap assignments or pass it down or outsource it…

Just get efficient… finish it fast.. check it but send it nly when they ask.. that ways you have time and your work product is good

 

Oh, you're in the thick of it, aren't you? I've seen this scenario play out many times on Wall Street. Here's some advice based on the most helpful WSO content:

  1. Prioritize Sleep: Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends if possible. This will help your body establish a routine and improve your overall health and mood.

  2. Manage Your Workload: When you're full up, ask what the priorities are and then drop the lower priority tasks off your schedule. Make sure people know you're doing this. When they ask, list what you have currently on your plate and ask specifically what they want you to drop to do the work.

  3. Maintain Perspective: Remember, this is a job, not your life. If your daily life is this stressful, could it even be happier/more fulfilling if you didn’t have this job? It's okay to ask for help and have an honest conversation that you’ve got too much on your plate.

  4. Mental Health Matters: Consider seeing a therapist. Mental health is still highly underrated in society and everyone could use a thoughtful ear /someone neutral to work through some issues.

  5. Control What You Can: There are certain realities that are beyond control but one reality that you are in control of is YOU. Maintain a positive attitude and do not showcase your true emotions. If a manager or another higher up senses that you are not willing to be flexible it can increase your chances of ending up on the chopping block.

Remember, it's okay to feel overwhelmed and it's okay to ask for help. You're not alone in this. And hey, if a monkey like me can navigate the jungle of Wall Street, so can you!

Sources: What do you do when you're overworked? My anxiety is up the roof, Staying Alive: 4 Tips for Surviving Corporate Layoffs, Maintaining perspective as a 1st year analyst

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

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