What is China ? Seizing small moments in a 72 hour work week

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It’s called the Nine-Nine-Six Life. That’s working from 9 AM until 9 PM, six days a week. Here in Beijing, it’s a pretty common lifestyle. People are trying to work their way up the career ladder, while saving enough to put down payments on some of the most expensive apartments in the world. So is this pressure making Beijingers miserable?

Wang Wei is more than a nine-nine-six worker- he works pretty much for seven days a week. Leaving his small apartment at 6 a.m. – riding the subway to work for over an hour - on the way he tries to cram for the MBA he is studying - that of course depends on him getting a seat, which is rare.

Arriving at his job as software engineer for a medical devices company, he puts in a ten to twelve-hour day.

He rarely sees his five-year-old son Joy - picking him up from kindergarten for only the second time this year the day we followed him.

Then it’s back to his small apartment, which he shares with his wife, and in-laws who are necessary, live-in childcare.

Eating, then chores, and a quick game before bed, and then it’s the same again tomorrow.

“Whenever I go home, I see that my hard work is making our life better - I think that’s worth it. It’s where my value lies. The pressure becomes an engine that drives me forward,” he added.

Wang Wei, like many others in Beijing, do see life getting better, but it's hard work- but if buying an apartment nearer his job can mean more time with his son, well, that would be priceless.