7 to 10. Not 9 to 5. I learned a new concept this week. 996.

In China it means working 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. It's not a complaint. For a lot of people here, it's just the standard.

And honestly, being on the ground in Shanghai, I get it.

My days here have looked something like that. Up early, out all day, getting back after dark. But here's the thing I didn't expect.

I'm actually enjoying it.

When you structure your day properly, take real breaks, stay present in what you're doing, longer hours don't feel like a grind. They feel like momentum.

China has this energy that pulls you forward. The city doesn't slow down and somehow that makes you not want to either.

And this matters for any international company operating here or thinking about entering this market.

The pace your team works at back home and the pace expected here are not the same thing.

Responsiveness matters. Consistency matters. Showing up every day, not just when it suits your schedule, matters.

I came here to learn. And every single day China is teaching me something I didn't know before.