I strongly believe in having a healthy, balanced life. As an investment banker at 24 years old, I constantly feel exhausted and burned out. I work six days a week averaging 80 hours and those 3am nights never get easier. The idea of always being "on the clock" and not having separation between work and personal life means I am not able to give enough to my relationships - family, friends, and most importantly, my relationship with myself. The immense responsibility given to junior bankers is demanding and stressful to say the least. After two years in the Wall Street world, I've decided its time to give it a break and steer this train in a different direction.
So what have I learned and what am I going to do differently moving forward?
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I am an advocate for rest and spending time in nature as I have found more balance and gratitude in my life when I do these things. Society teaches us to always hustle and focus on the next thing, but the truth is we can't operate that way - it's not sustainable. We must take breaks and nurture our mind, body, and soul. Practicing mindful meditation and yoga have helped me achieve inner peace. For example, every night I go through a 20 minute yoga stretch routine to help me unwind before bed.
I am making a commitment to prioritize my physical and mental health. To do one thing a week that challenges and pushes me out of my comfort zone. I tried yoga paddle boarding for the first time a few weeks ago. Needless to say, I was not very good. In fact, I was the slowest in the class and fell in the water while trying to hold a tree pose (lol). Last week I tried pilates and next week I'm going to go rock climbing. These new experiences are what I've found help me keep life exciting and makes me realize what I'm capable of.
So keep going. Just one step at a time. And always stay true to yourself.
