Zhang Qian

    zhqcindy@163.com

    “HOW do you manage to attend so many activities in just one day?” “How did you make yourself such a powerhouse that you never get tired?” “Do you ever sleep?” People around Zhang Yi, a DJ at local broadcasting station FM106.2, always pose these sorts of questions to him. Zhang’s answer is simple: “I choose to live my life to the fullest.”

    Zhang is better known as “Lao Tie” to most of his friends since the character “yi” in his name is easily mixed up with the character “tie,” which means iron in Chinese. He considers himself a LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) and spares not even one day enjoying life.

    The 35-year-old sees no limits in his life. Apart from hosting two programs on a daily basis on the Shenzhen radio station, Zhang participates in various activities such as playing the ukulele, drums, the accordion, shooting aerial photography as well as cycling, jogging, rock-climbing, swimming, playing archery and squashing; you name it, he probably does it. He does not leave a single instrument untouched for one week or stop exercising for more than two days. Yes, he is that crazy.

    Zhang has been a broadcaster for almost 14 years, ever since he first entered the industry in his hometown, Chongqing, in 2001. He came to Shenzhen seven years ago and has worked at the local radio station since then. To him, working hard is important because it gives him the free time and financial support to enjoy his hobbies.

    To him, doing only one thing a day in addition to work is a waste of time. While many young people in the city are struggling to squeeze in some time to rest after work, Zhang uses every minute of his life to have fun.

    Efficiency is the key

    Here is Zhang’s daily routine. He gets up at 6:30 a.m. and arrives at his office at around 7. For one to two hours, he prepares for his first program that broadcasts the latest car news as well as technical advice and car-buying tips. Zhang takes a 20-minute nap before the broadcast. In his words, he needs the 20 minutes to give him a power boost before getting fired up during the program. After the morning program, Zhang gets ready for his afternoon program about high-end technology. He finishes browsing the Internet for the latest news and edits his speech at around 11:30 a.m., then comes to his unusual “noon of entertainment.”

    “Most of my colleges take the lunch break to have a walk around before taking a one-hour nap, but I cannot waste such prime time doing nothing,” said Zhang.

    Zhang has plans for every noonday break, except on Wednesdays when he has a weekly work meeting. He practices painting on Mondays, drives from Futian to Nanshan to practice archery on Tuesdays, rests on Thursdays so he can go rock climbing Thursday nights and jogs on Fridays. He gets back to his office around 3:30 p.m. and calms himself down by taking another 20-minute nap. Then his second program is on the air at 4:30 p.m.

    Zhang would never stay at home doing nothing or curling up in front of the TV for hours during the evenings and weekends. He goes out with friends and enjoys food, sports and music.

    When asked about the secret of “mastering time,” Zhang said that efficiency is the key. Ever since all sorts of electronic devices have sprung up, people easily get distracted. One thing at a time is important for efficient work.

    Getting up early is also a significant factor for good time-management. “Don’t complain about running out of time for work and fun if you spend too much time sleeping in a warm bed,” said Zhang.

    No expert, fun only

    Zhang said he does not expect himself to be an expert in an array of different things he spends most of his time learning. For him, the process matters the most. But counter-intuitively, the DJ seems to have achieved much in many fields.

    Take the ukulele as an example. He started playing the accordion when he was little. He decided to learn playing the ukulele only two years ago when he traveled to Hawaii. “It was really amusing when I saw big Hawaiian guys holding the little guitars and playing such allegro melodies. It fascinated me,” said Zhang. He bought a ukulele and was determined to learn.

    With the determination to learn every bit and piece from the beginning, Zhang leapt from beginner to ukulele tutor. He organizes meetings every weekend for other ukulele players to practice together and tutor some players who need help. He also teaches ukulele every Tuesday night at Shenzhen Book City in Futian CBD.

    Interestingly, all of Zhang’s choices for hobbies are activities he can do by himself. That way he can have no excuse not to engage in his hobbies such as not having a partner. It is also more flexible for him to plan what to do next. But whatever he does, there is also a group of friends enjoying the same kind of music or doing the same sport alongside him. He seems to live in his own world, but, in fact, he is surrounded by different groups of friends.

    Enjoy being alone

    Zhang told Shenzhen Daily that he was not always so organized, but he always wanted to live a life like this. When he was a kid, Zhang’s parents were quite strict about his studies. He was required to learn the accordion and do well in school. While others were playing around, Zhang had to stay indoors to practice and study. But the little boy never stopped dreaming about his life and thinking beyond the limits.

    “Maybe it’s because I spent too much time alone as a child, I can always find pleasure even I was all by myself. That’s why I like swimming, cycling, squashing and other sports that I can do on my own. I enjoy myself a lot and don’t have to depend on others’ schedules,” answered Zhang.

    Zhang’s lifestyle as a LOHAS is admired by many people. Some of his friends even joke about sending their kids to live with Zhang so they can cultivate such an organized, meaningful and healthy way of living. But to Zhang, it all comes naturally. Once he gets interested in learning something, he persists in practicing from the beginning, day by day, year by year.

    In a society that pushes everyone to be quick, life can be fast and chaotic, but people like Zhang are exploring the world with endless curiosity and persistence. Just like Zhang said in his WeChat: “It’s never too late to learn, especially when you are still young.”

    “Don’t complain about running out of time for work and fun if you spend too much time sleeping in a warm bed.” — Zhang Yi