5 Things I Learned as a Corporate Rookie

You have two options: 1) Be as efficient as possible in those 8 hours, and finish any remaining work the next day or, 2) You work the full 12 hours. As days pile on, you choose between a life outside the office and backlogging your work until a critical deadline, or you forego any kind of work-life balance. I have a friend who does not have one hour to spare for the gym, and she does not work in investment banking.

What do you do then? First of all, be prepared to work really hard, but be creative. Block your calendar during lunchtime and take a walk outside with a work friend. Bring work home, but go out for dinner. Respect your weekends by leaving work alone and take up a new hobby.

Finding a balance takes a lot of work too.

Ellie Chan is a Business Analyst at a Fortune 500 listed company. She is constantly curious on how international finance relates to geopolitics, and to us domestically. This interest drives her around the globe. So far, she has lived in 3 continents, 5 cities, and backpacked across 17 countries. You can find her on LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/EllieChan.