Student Question: Master Chi, work has consumed so much of my time and energy that it’s started to affect my life. From the moment I open my eyes each morning, I’m already dealing with work — and it goes on until late at night. My time is extremely fragmented, with no complete rest days. The one upside is that I don’t have to sit in an office all day; I can move around and work from different places.
In this kind of situation, how should I balance work, life, and building my own career?
Master Chi’s Response: Let me be direct about overtime.
If you have career ambitions — or simply want to make money — working beyond the standard hours is inevitable. I don’t mean you must grind through 996 (9am to 9pm, six days a week). What I mean is: you cannot stand out from the crowd by relying on an eight-hour workday alone.
I’m not trying to sell you anxiety — the kind that says if you don’t overwork, you’ll fall behind and be left behind. What I am saying is this: if you want more, if you want to become exceptional, you have to put in more time and energy.
That said, don’t give extra hours to a mediocre boss or a dead-end company. Overtime that doesn’t sharpen your skills is simply wasted time. A wise bird chooses its tree — build up solid achievements, then move on to a better organization.
When you have the opportunity to learn, seize it early. As you get older, absorbing new things genuinely becomes harder.
And one more thing: guard your health. If your body breaks down while the work demands keep rising, you won’t be able to sustain the pace. Make physical exercise non-negotiable.