Any advice on how to stay in shape when working 80 + hours?
3 months in to my analyst job and I haven't had time to go to the gym in over 7 weeks. Working till at least 11PM 6 days a week, 7 hours on Sunday. I'm super grateful for the experience, and I know what I signed up for, but I do feel like my physical health is really taking a hit. How do you guys stay in reasonable shape while still putting out at work?
Get up early and hit the gym in the morning. Even if I get a bit less sleep, I still feel better. Even if you can't go beast mode, at least get something in, even if for just 30 min.
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If you get back home before midnight you still have time to work out ~1 hour and still get over 6-7h sleep
Couldn’t you go in the Morning or Lunch? Orrrr in the afternoon when you’re waiting for comments?
Staying in shape while working long hours can indeed be a challenge, but it's not impossible. Here are some tips from the WSO community:
Try to get up early and hit the gym in the morning. Even if it means getting a bit less sleep, you might still feel better. Even a short 30-minute workout can make a difference.
Incorporate 30 minutes of cardio a few times a week to improve your metabolism. This could be as simple as biking to work.
Consider getting an apartment pull-up bar and spend 15 minutes in the morning doing sets.
Make the most of your weekends. Try to work out religiously on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
If possible, move to a building with a gym. This can make it easier to fit in workouts.
Pay attention to your diet. Try to reduce your intake of processed food. Some people find that consuming nicotine and caffeine can help curb appetite.
Consider doing 36-hour fasts every once in a while to accumulate a massive caloric deficit over a quick period. This won't catabolize muscle if done every couple of weeks.
If you get back home before midnight, you might still have time to work out for about an hour and still get over 6-7 hours of sleep.
If possible, try to fit in workouts during the day. Could you go in the morning or at lunch? Or perhaps in the afternoon when you're waiting for comments?
Remember, the key is to find a routine that works for you and stick to it. It might take some trial and error, but it's definitely possible to stay in shape while working long hours.
Sources: How the hell do you stay healthy in sweat shop groups?, How do you stay sharp while working long hours
Go to gym twice a week and do something. Even if it’s 10 minutes do something.
It feels silly to go for 10 minutes sometimes, but half of the issue is lack of time and the other half is lack of a routine.
Make going a part of your routine. Having the time to stay will depend, but you’ll be on track if you do that.
When I was waiting around for comments at odd hours I used to rip push ups in the office. People will roast you and look at you weird but it's better than not going to the gym at all.
Yeah the shake weight is good as well.
The simple fact is staying in shape is 80% diet. If you can cut down on snack food, skip breakfast, and try to eat more salad (without super fatty dressing), that will help.
I try to get a run in every day. Only takes 10ish min to go to my apartment gym and run a mile so it’s easy to do even at midnight.
Also 15 min of yoga is super helpful given we sit so much. You can try Yin yoga which is relaxing and slow and all about stretching. You hold the poses for up to 2 minutes and stretching one pose for that long feels weird at first but really good.
Couple that with limiting excess sugar and unhealthy foods and I think it’s very achievable to at least maintain what you’re at during analyst years.
I typically go to the gym 5-6x a week, even if just for a quick 20 minute workout, it’s worth it for health. Everyone can probably allocate a small amount of time to exercise
just eat less. an hour at the gym will burn like 400 cal, which is how much you'll avoid if you just skip dessert.
Find a staple workout that requires no thinking / minimal resistance to do. Weightlifting is nice but you have to take the extra step of designing your workout (or using an AI tool to do it) + need specific equipment to get going. Workout classes eliminate this but then you have to configure your schedule around start times. I think this is why people in the industry favor cardio. It’s so easy to just throw on running shoes and get moving. You could also just hit a rowing machine, indoor bike, or assault bike for a similar low thinking workout that will keep you entertained.
Working out in the morning is usually ideal (although requires discipline) as our bodies have a tough time shutting off for sleep immediately after working out. Hope this helps
I used to go through phases - in shape and then out of shape. Best advice I have is below:
- Prioritize it through everything you do. Diet, sleep, stress reduction, working out. Figure out the things that work the most, and then do them. I firmly believe as I've gotten older that being in shape mentally is as, if not more, important than physically. They are connected but if one goes, the other will follow.
- I changed my entire mentality to working out a few years ago during COVID, partially because I simply couldn't do what I had done before. My focus is on consistency and efficiency - although I'm not great at the latter one. To do that, I removed as many barriers as I could - scheduled time for it, even if it's 20 minutes. Planned what I'd do. Then do it again. Admittedly I really like just a quick 20 ish minute run nowadays if I'm pressed for time - I've even done it in between meetings when in a pinch. Goes to the below, but buy back time if you can. I realized that I can get a workout done in 30 minutes - or walk to the gym (15 there, 15 back). Easy decision IMO to lower that barrier.
- Pay up for equipment in your house, near your office, or on the way between the two. Don't skimp on this. I have a bike in my apartment, a weight set (the Bowflex ones that adjust) all within a tiny footprint. Will I be an Olympic lifter? Doubtful. But I can do virtually anything I want to. You can even get a weight bench that folds up small enough to go into a closet. Even the smallest spaces can work for this.
- Last thing that might help you, is to audit your time. Time management is an underrated skill. It's really hard to manage it effectively, especially when you are entry level and at least at the office you may not be able to do too much. At the very least take a look, be honest with yourself, and see what you can do.
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