Working without working hours

Living as a poet and songwriter has many benefits, and one of the best is working without set working hours. This means that I don’t have to wake myself up in the early mornings and make use of my time at night. At night, when everyone else is asleep, I let my emotions flow like stars falling from the sky, translating them into poems or songs or watching inspiring creations. These are precious hours.

However, this doesn’t mean that everything is good all the time. No commuting hours means that there is no cut-off time either. Unlike others who leave their thoughts and stress at the office when they go home, I spend 24/7 thinking about my work and creations. Even on occasions when I should not, I keep linking everything with work. I wonder if past relationship with a lover, the death of friends, or struggles with family members could be inspirations to my work when I should have spent more time putting my emotions together or working on the relationship itself. Sometimes I work in my dreams and put off sleeping because I don’t want to lose a train of thought that happens to appear in my dreams.

While becoming lethargic about my lifestyle, I took out my copy of a comic on boxing titled “The Hwaiting.” The gym director tells the training members aspiring to become champions that they should live with the awareness that they are boxers 24 hours a day. Yes, some jobs are not simply to make a living; they become part of your identity. It seemed as if the director’s words were directed at me. Nothing in this world comes for free. Living the luxury of working without working hours means I need to accept the lifestyle of working ceaselessly on my own.