Some Chinese youth spurn corporate jobs for ‘me time’

Faced with diminishing job prospects as the economy slows, Chu Yi is choosing to “lie flat,” a Chinese term used to describe people who work just enough to afford to spend their time on what they enjoy.

The Shanghai-based 23-year-old used to work at a fashion company, but said she quit her job two years ago because she had to frequently work overtime and she hated her boss.

Chu now works from home just one day a week for a travel company, which gives her ample time to practice tattooing as part of a six-month apprenticeship towards becoming a full-time tattoo artist.