How to deal with stress
How do you handle stress on this job - need advice please?
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There’s many more jobs and you’ll be better off somewhere else
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Heres my story. As an analyst, I was a top performer, but let the job consume nearly every waking thought in the desire to “be the best”. I found myself staying up till crazy hours to finish work (that could have waited to the next day), neglecting going to the gym, not neating healthy, etc. Needless to say, despite my solid performance the lack of attention to my physical and mental heath outside of work caught up to me and I started making (minor) mistakes. Being the overachiever I am, this spurred me to kick it I to overdrive to try and “make up” for the mistakes. Which started a death spiral from there. I completely forgot how to do tasks if done a million times over, took 30 minutes to send emails, and totally froze up when I had to make any decision. I was overthinking everything. Long story short, I took a week vacation where I totally reset. When I returned to work I prioritized going to the gym (even 30 minutes a day does wonders), eating better and sleeping better. I also quit nicotine and other extracurricular weekend activities.
Since making those lifestyle changes I’ve found my stress and anxiety levels have plummeted. I would ask you to take a step back and look at your life outside of work. How you treat your body physically and mentally has tremendous impacts that aren’t necessarily evident day to day and have a compounding impact on stress, anxiety, mental aptitude, etc.
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the guy above didnt get better because of the vacation it just gave him time to gain perspective
he changed his entire lifestyle so he could perform again -- not saying your fix needs to be as drastic but just a vacation isnt going to do anything for anyone if when you return you're back to the same destructive habits
If you're experiencing severe stress symptoms like heart palpitations, hair loss, vomiting from anxiety, and insomnia, it's a clear sign that your body is under extreme pressure. Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some actionable steps to consider:
Listen to Your Body: Many WSO users emphasize the importance of recognizing physical manifestations of stress. If your health is deteriorating, it's crucial to prioritize it. Chronic stress can lead to long-term health issues, and no job is worth sacrificing your well-being.
Take a Break: Several threads suggest taking a sabbatical or extended time off to recharge. For example, one user shared that a 6-month break helped them regain perspective and improve their health. This time can help you evaluate whether the job aligns with your long-term goals and well-being.
Reassess Your Environment: If the stress persists even when destaffed, it might indicate that the job's demands or culture are not a good fit for you. As one user pointed out, "If your daily life is this stressful, could it even be happier/more fulfilling if you didn’t have this job?"
Seek Professional Help: Therapy or counseling can be incredibly beneficial. A neutral professional can help you unpack the anxiety and develop coping mechanisms. Mental health is often underrated, but it's a critical investment in yourself.
Adopt Stress Management Techniques:
Evaluate Your Passion vs. Health: Loving your job is important, but if it's causing significant harm to your health, it might not be sustainable. As one user shared, "What good is all that money if you are losing your health and have no time to enjoy the money you earn?"
Consider a Career Adjustment: If the stress is unmanageable despite your efforts, it might be worth exploring roles with a better work-life balance. Some users found relief by transitioning to less demanding positions, such as consulting or corporate development roles.
Ultimately, your health should always come first. If the job is causing this level of distress, it might be time to step back, reassess, and make changes to protect your well-being.
Sources: What do you do when you're overworked? My anxiety is up the roof, Anxiety as an Analyst, Leaving the buyside, Leaving the buyside, Response to 'PE Associate Jumps to Death' -> Resources and Tips for those who may be struggling
Even though you work on things that are quantifiablely millions of dollars, you have to numb yourself to the dollar amounts. It’s like not looking down when in a tall building and thinking about how high you are. Just do your job.
Tbh IB probably isn’t a great fit for you if you’re suffering this much. Take a more chill job in corporate finance or something. Yeah, your salary will probably cut in half and that sucks, but the extra money from IB isn’t a luxury worth running the rest of your life over
I feel like I’d be so upset at myself over the comp cut if I did that I just don’t manage stress well though
Imagine how you'd feel if you put in your 2 weeks' notice. If you're a decent, ambitious person, you'd still probably get everything done to the best of your ability, maybe slightly less, but the little things wouldn't faze you since you know you'll be gone soon. That's the kind of mindset you should approach every day with.
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