SINGAPORE: Burnt out after about a decade of grinding, a 32-year-old marketing professional went on Reddit to ask if he should take “a short-term break” to reset and get his life back on track.
In a post on the r/AskSingapore forum on Wednesday (Oct 22), he wrote, “I’m taking a short-term break in life… to do or not to do? I just feel so exhausted, not because it’s tough but because of the endless stream of menial tasks that I feel are not really relevant to my job position.”
“And when a task relevant to my job finally comes my way, I’m already too drained to do it. I’m dealing with all kinds of possible crap—corporate orders, graphics, customer service, e-commerce, administrative work, etc.”
The man also said he feels he has earned the right to take a break because over the past decade he has reached several major milestones. During this time, he completed a part-time degree while working full-time, got married, and moved into a new BTO flat with his wife. Looking back, he said he has been in constant motion for years, always chasing the next goal, and now that things have settled, he wants a chance to rest.
Financially, he said he is in a fairly secure position. If he resigns by the end of the month, he expects to have around S$30,000 in savings, which he believes could last nearly a year if he cuts back on extra spending.
At the end of his post, he asked Redditors for some guidance, writing, “I really need some advice. If I quit, I would want to take at least a month-long break and also attend some short courses. After that, I will start looking for a new job.”
“The job market is really quite bad these days.”
The man’s post received mixed reactions on Reddit. While some completely supported his plan to take a short-term break, others dissuaded him, saying that his S$30,000 savings is not enough to sustain him for a year.
A few also advised him to think about the current job market and consider his wife’s circumstances. One wrote, “If you take a break, your partner will be the sole breadwinner? Are you sure you want that?”
Another said, “I’m all for quitting for mental health, but you have to be prepared to face either long-term unemployment or the same toxic type of workplace again. It’s also better to work part-time to cover some expenses if S$30,000 is all you have. At 32, retirement planning should be on the table too, and you have to consider it carefully.”
A third pointed out, “The job market is really quite bad these days. I’m in marketing too, and things are moving super quickly, especially with AI. Now it’s also an employer’s market, and we see so many candidates competing for one position.”
A fourth added, “Mental health is important. But my take is, if it’s still bearable, just continue for now while coming up with a more viable plan.”
In other news, a fresh grad nearing his three-month mark at his first job took to social media to share that he’s already on the verge of quitting because of his arrogant and elitist supervisor.
Posting on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit on Monday (Oct 5), the fresh grad vented that his supervisor (or tech lead) “constantly scoffs” whenever he asks questions and treats him like he’s completely “clueless.”
Read more: Fresh grad says elitist supervisor belittles him and ‘scoffs’ at his questions, considers quitting
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