SINGAPORE: A Reddit user who does shift work due to the nature of their job has gotten tired of doing so and is wondering if they should make the move to the corporate world and only work from 9 to 5 every day.
In a post on the Ask Singapore subreddit, u/Specific-Ad8953 wrote that being in the healthcare industry has been hard on them, especially since they’ve never liked working shifts.
“I’m just so jealous of those who are not working shifts,” the post author wrote, adding that shift work is hard on their sleep schedule, causing them to feel lethargic at work.
“Personally (like…actually to be very freaking honest) i feel healthcare jobs are the worst in terms of self-care, like how are we expected to take care of others when we’re not even taking care of ourselves properly + missing breaks & hardly sitting down at work.”
Dissatisfaction is causing them look at other jobs and now they’re wondering if the corporate world, which they’ve never tried, would be a better fit.
When commenters on the post suggested that u/Specific-Ad8953 could work at a clinic instead of a hospital, they answered that unfortunately, clinic work tends to pay less than hospital work, with a salary cap of around S$5,000.
Others pointed out that unlike for those who work in the corporate world, healthcare workers often don’t need to bring home their work. When they clock out, that’s pretty much it.
Some commenters, however, encouraged them to make the change.
“Corporate world is great if you know how to play it. Work hard for 5 years, elevate yourself into management and then aspire to be like all those aunties and uncles you see who you deem useless,” one wrote.
There are, however, studies that have shown that shift work can take a toll both physically and mentally. The issue has even been called “shift work disorder.”
Eric Zhou, an assistant professor in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in 2023, “People who work 9-to-5 shifts are typically awake when the sun is up, which is aligned with their body’s internal circadian clock. But for shift workers, their work hours and sleep hours are misaligned with the natural cues to be awake or asleep. They’re working against the universe’s natural inclinations — not just their body’s.”
There are a several things that people who do shift work can do to take care of themselves, including blocking out bright light to help them get better rest. Shift workers are also encouraged to prioritize sleep even on the days when they’d prefer to spend time with friends and family. /TISG