Young Singaporean new to full-time work: ‘How did you accept working five days a week?’

SINGAPORE: A young employee new to the workforce took to an online forum on Tuesday (March 11) to ask more seasoned Singaporeans how they came to accept working five days a week. “Currently started my first full-time job, a bit more than two months ago now,” he wrote. “I wake up feeling sian every time. Sometimes after coming back home, I feel like falling asleep around 7 p.m. How do you survive with only two free days on the weekend and four to five hours after work for the rest of your life?”

In an overwhelming response, many took to the comments section of the newbie’s post to share their two cents on the matter. A common answer was a message along the lines of there being no choice, given the demands and responsibilities of adulthood.

“Your bills, debts, and loans will help you accept it,” was the top-rated response, offering a blunt reality check.

Others provided the writer with a different perspective to see things from. “Not gonna lie, everybody will say it’s adulting and it is true to a certain extent. But I think you can take this as a learning period. Either find meaning in your job or start something that can support the life you want. Life honestly is too short and precious to spend doing things you feel that suck the life out of you. I’m currently 30 and I’ve been working since I was 15. Trust me, don’t fall into the trap of ‘it’s just adulting’. Build something and get out of that race.”

“The type of people I meet in my work helps me get through the workday,” shared another user, highlighting the importance of workplace connections.

According to Indeed, many recent college graduates face a gap between finishing school and securing their first job. While this transition can be difficult, there are strategies to navigate it successfully. A key is to recognise that you are going through a transition. Recognition makes it much easier to be patient and kind towards yourself. It can also help cultivate your professional relationships and build your network. Coming up with a schedule and a backup plan, journaling for self-awareness, and developing both hard and soft skills are other key tips for transitioning from being a full-time student to a full-time working adult.

See also: Burn out, unpaid overtime, nightmares of work: Corporate workers of 1.5 years thinks of quitting

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