How To Have Two Successful Careers At One Time

Is it impossible to take on two jobs and be good at both? Lawyer Wena Poon is also a respected writer. She tells Melanie Lee how to have your cake and eat it.

US-based Singaporean author Wena Poon, 35, has a lot on her plate. Besides being a partner in VLP, a legal firm in California where she does corporate and securities law, she is presently working on multiple book projects — whether it is writing her new novella or promoting her published works. She is the author of three books Lions In Winter (2007), The Proper Care Of Foxes (2009), and The Biophilia Omnibus (2009). Her first book, Lions In Winter was shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize and longlisted for the Frank O’ Connor International Short Story Award.

Why do you choose to do so many things all at once?
I really believe I was put on the planet to do more. I say that every day.

What are you working on now?
I have just completed a new novella, Alex y Robert, set in Spain. It’s about an American college girl who wants to become a matador, and a young Spanish matador who hates his job and would rather trade places with her. I’m pitching to get this story published and made into a film or theatrical production. I’ve already “cast” the female lead: Michelle Rodriguez!

Describe a typical Wena Poon day at work.
I’m welded to my MacBook Air and my iPhone. The laptop is my entire universe — my law firm stuff and legal work and emails are in there, as well as all my novels, poems, plays and stories. On top of my day job, I spend an incredible amount of time dealing with publishers, literary festival organizers, magazines and newspapers doing interviews, arranging my book tour schedule and proofing the advance proofs of my books. I typically sleep for six hours each day. This means I can work 18 hours a day, nine of those as a lawyer, nine of those as a writer.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?
I swim nearly everyday. I’m very fortunate as I live in a building with very few people and the swimming pool is always empty. It’s an easy and quick way to pretend you’re on a vacation.

What advice would you give to women who are hesitant to pursue their dreams whilst juggling a “proper” job?
There are two main factors that stop women from realizing their dreams. Firstly, Time. Practically everyday someone tells me, “I can’t believe you do all this, how do you find the time?” The truth is, if you want something badly enough, you will make time, even if you work a full-time job, even if you have two screaming kids at home. It’s true that you can’t have it all. But if you have a real dream or a real skill, do yourself a favor and take yourself seriously. Nobody will believe there’s more in you until you believe it yourself.
The second factor is People. This can be an even more significant hurdle than Time, because it’s an external factor that may be beyond your control. Some people may tell you that you shouldn’t even try with remarks like “Who do you think you are?”, “You’ll fall flat on your face” or the standard Singaporean saying: “You’ll just be wasting your time”. Stay away from naysayers and dreamkillers. Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you. If you don’t know any, go look for them. It’s your job to make friends and find positive mentors. Ladies, I do not want to hear any more lame excuses. Hurry up, life is short. Get on with it!

Wena Poon’s books are available online on Amazon and in select bookstores.