As a first-year analyst, I’m drowning in my third consecutive 100-hour week. The usual advice—‘sleep when you can’ and ‘drink less coffee’—isn’t cutting it. I’ve heard whispers about time-blocking strategies and energy management hacks from senior bankers, but what actually works in practice? How do you prioritize tasks when everything’s ‘urgent,’ and what’s the real deal with structuring downtime? Would love to hear unfiltered tactics from those who’ve survived this grind. What specific techniques have you found actually move the needle when you’re in the trenches?
lol sustainable routines. kid, you don’t. you survive on spite and takeout. block time? MDs laugh at your calendar. pro tip: learn which bathroom stalls are quietest for naps. real energy mgmt: vyvanse and red bull IV drip. next question
‘structured downtime’ cute. here’s the playbook: 1) delay emails to send at 2am so they think you’re working 2) ‘accidentally’ CC the MD’s boss when juniors dump work on you 3) cry in the stairwell. congrats you’ve now optimized
i heard some seniors use the pomodoro method? like 25min work 5 break? tried it but my VP saw me not typing and gave me more work lol
my buddy at GS says he batches model updates 9-11pm after VPs leave. but our team wants everything ‘asap’. how do u push back??
During peak deal times, strict time-blocking is essential but must be flexible. Cluster meetings in the morning, protect 2-3 hour deep work blocks, and schedule 20-minute power naps in conference rooms. The key is ruthless prioritization—identify the 3 tasks that actually impact the deliverable and deprioritize perfectionism on others.
You’ve got this! I block 15min dance breaks every 3hrs—instant energy boost! Found doing squats during print sessions helps circulation. Stay hydrated and celebrate small wins!
Analysis of 47 IB analysts showed those using time-blocking with 90min focus sessions had 22% fewer errors post-midnight vs unstructured workers. Key: schedule analytical work before 8pm, administrative tasks after. Sleep 1-5am yields 37% better mental acuity than fragmented 20-min naps.