If I count up my working hours in a day, it's over 16 hours. Breaking it down between full-time and part-time, it's roughly 11 hours full-time and 5 hours part-time. By "part-time," I don't mean going outside to work odd jobs, freelance, or work as a SOHO—rather, after my day job ends, I seriously manage my "second life."
I'm a lifestyle reporter at TVBS, and before that I worked as an online news editor. If I add up my news industry experience, it's about three years, just in different fields, which has given me even more opportunities to share my "career transition" experience and different "workplace perspectives."
Life as a TV reporter is extremely busy—writing reports daily, arranging interviews, brainstorming story ideas, hunting exclusives, and staying on call even on days off in case big news breaks. My senior colleagues in the same team might have to do emergency broadcasts and live reports, so they have even less downtime.
Although I haven't been assigned those tasks yet, the long work hours with disproportionate pay (I think this is a reality all young people face today) can genuinely be tiring sometimes. But after work, I don't spend time like most people do—binge-watching shows, gaming, or rushing to hangouts. Once I get home, I scroll my phone a bit and relax, then I open my computer and start living my other life.
Most of the time I invest my energy in managing my fan page or writing articles to update my blog. Sometimes I do research to supplement my reading, and sometimes different brands contact me to write product reviews or try products for some extra income. Especially since I've been running my fan page for over two years now, collaborations have become more diverse. For me, this is validation, and I know I have the ability to "create my own value."
Last month I went to Hualien to give a talk, and one student asked me "Don't you ever feel really tired?" I thought about it and answered, "As long as you treat these things as recreation and entertainment, you won't feel tired." For me, managing my fan page and blog is an alternative outlet for self-expression.
Although I'm a TV reporter, I was immersed in the internet from childhood and have become a heavy internet user. Combined with my personality, I find expressing myself through writing more suitable than verbal television communication. The bonus is that written records capture my life's moments and current feelings. An even bigger benefit is that I can anonymously rewrite things I dislike about people, events, and situations, and share them openly. (Laughs)
Everyone has different outlets for expression—it depends on what attitude you take toward them, just like how we handle everything in life. Some people hate forcing themselves to do "work-like" things after hours, but for me, I see the benefits. Even though it takes time and mental energy, with every moment, I feel myself growing. That's a form of expression and liberation.
I define myself as a workaholic because once I plan something or am given a plan, I never miss deadlines and keep up with progress—even doing extra when I can. Through my multi-career life, I've learned to understand my own personality and abilities, to pace myself accordingly, rather than demanding that every single thing be done perfectly. But once I commit, I follow through.
So when students ask if I'm tired, honestly I've never really thought about it. Being a TV reporter is my dream and I'm actively pursuing it. Running my fan page after work, having a second identity, is my leisure and hobby, and it creates additional income opportunities. As long as you find something you love and keep pushing forward, you can reach that state of treating work as your outlet for expression.
