How to manage long hours when you're not used to it
Hi all, hoping to get a bit of wisdom from some of the harder worked around here....
figured this would be better off in the banking forum as you're more used to the hours.
Bit of background - I'm an M&A consultant with experience in all stages of the deal cycle (diligence - signing - Integration - TSA exit). Hours are pretty good usually call it 9-8 with a 5pm finish on Fridays (if I put in a few hours on the weekend). Have had some experience with projects outside these hours maybe adding 15 - 20 hours a week / some diligence projects which are much longer but usually last a week or two..
My issue is the latest project i've been on has been on average 10am - 2am Monday - Friday for the last month (with some 3/4am finishes) + another 15/20 hours on the weekend. I live about 40 minutes away too which means I get home around 3 and have to leave the house by 9. The project has been fantastic from a learning and growth standpoint however, we've been extended for another 2 weeks and i'm not sure I can hack it...
The team is great, i'm getting a lot of responsibility but i'm just struggling to deal with another two weeks of this. Anyone whose a bit more seasoned with this got any tips?
thanks
Hang in there. You can do it! You have only two more weeks to go!
The biggest problem is your commute. I worked regularly from 2am to 9am but I lived 10 minutes from the office. First, it's an extra 1-1.5 hours of sleep that makes all the difference in the world when you are sleep deprived (trust me). Second, it's dangerous assuming you are driving.
If I were in your shoes, I would get a super cheap Airbnb near the office during the week. I'd do Monday through Thursday night. But even just 1 or 2 nights would be helpful. Just to get extra sleep.
But maybe you don't even have to pay yourself. If these hours are out of the norm for your office, then you should bring this up with the most senior person on your project. You have already been working like this for a month with a good attitude, so it's not like they can accuse you of complaining. But explain that you almost got into a car accident on the way home (lie if you have to) and/or your health and productivity has been really suffering because of the long hours. Propose the cheap Airbnb / hotel idea and ask them if you can get reimbursed. If this is a consulting project, it will get charged back to the client anyways!
Other things you can do is to call in sick one day. But then just sleep in a few extra hours and work the rest of the day remotely from home. People will actually give you more credit for being a trooper. Seriously.
There are a lot of tricks but you have to be willing to think outside of the box.
Voluptatibus veniam quod nulla. Ad ipsam dolor facere facilis iste. Non est autem itaque. Voluptatem quae quibusdam eos vel.
Odio quo pariatur quae reprehenderit. Aliquid est quis et facere non perferendis asperiores.
Numquam qui ducimus voluptate eveniet. Sed id inventore dolores. Error voluptates iure porro natus officia qui eos.
Corrupti est repellendus occaecati nisi rerum consequatur ut debitis. Odio porro ipsam labore et neque et eius quod. Aut sint accusantium consectetur reprehenderit architecto dolorem in. Est ratione maxime illo esse officia.
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...