Singaporean says he can’t ‘wrap his head around’ working full-time for 40 years: ‘What’s the actual point?’

SINGAPORE: The debate over whether the traditional eight-hour workday still makes sense has resurfaced online after a Singaporean admitted he simply could not “wrap his head around how people put up with full-time work.”

In a post on the r/singaporejobs forum on Sunday (July 12), the currently unemployed man said the thought struck him after spending a day doing everything he genuinely enjoyed.

He shared that he woke up at 7 a.m. and, by 3 p.m., had already walked his dog, helped his parents with chores around the house, gone on a bike ride with a friend, gone swimming, watched television, run errands where he unexpectedly bumped into an old university friend, and even squeezed in an hour of video games.

Looking back on the day, he said it left him feeling genuinely “happy and fulfilled.”

“Honestly, I can’t wrap my head around how people put up with full-time work. A human lifespan feels far too long to spend 40+ years like that,” he wrote.

He added that he could not make peace with a lifestyle where work felt like “a necessary evil” just to earn a few hours of free time each evening, much of which is spent cooking, recovering from exhaustion, and preparing for the next workday.

“Weekends are just catch-up time for chores you didn’t have time for during the week. What’s the actual point? Damn sian, need to find a job.”

“I work only to get paid and put food on the table”

His post quickly resonated with other Singaporeans, many of whom admitted they had wrestled with the very same feelings.

One commenter wrote, “Believe me man, you are not alone in feeling this. Every time I wake up on a weekday and prepare breakfast, I look through the window thinking about my long working day ahead.”

Another shared, “Felt exactly as you described 20 years ago when I entered the work force. Quit and adopted a different lifestyle. I’m never going back to 9-6.”

A third confessed, “I am in this situation. Every day I wake up, go to work and open 100+ pending emails. I’ve totally lost the drive to work. I work only to get paid and put food on the table. The harsh reality is that if you don’t have a job in Singapore, you will die because not only does everything cost money, but it’s so bloody expensive. Even trying to take a mental break will cost you.”

Others pointed out that, for many people, work is less about passion than necessity. Between mortgage repayments, insurance premiums, children’s education, helper salaries, and household expenses, they said many Singaporeans simply cannot afford to walk away from full-time employment.

One user remarked, “I look at my bills and suddenly my love for work comes back to my soul.”

Working hours

The eight-hour workday wasn’t always the standard. It only became the norm after years of labour movements that began in the 1800s. One of the biggest turning points came when Henry Ford introduced the eight-hour workday at Ford Motor Company, replacing the gruelling 100-hour workweeks that many workers endured at the time.

Fast forward to today, and many researchers are questioning whether the traditional eight-hour day still makes sense.

Studies have found that long working hours can take a serious toll on both physical and mental health. According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), more than half of workers say they experience work-related stress. Around a quarter of sick leave is linked to stress, and one in four cases of depression is associated with work-related stress.

Working longer doesn’t necessarily mean getting more done either. That’s why some countries have started experimenting with shorter workweeks.

According to the global talent acquisition firm, Undercover Recruiter, Germany has one of the shortest average working weeks at about 26.37 hours, followed closely by the Netherlands and Norway. 

Sweden has also trialled six-hour workdays in some workplaces, hoping employees will work smarter.

That said, these countries are still the exception. Most of the world continues to stick to the traditional eight-hour day, five days a week.

In Singapore, employees can generally be required to work up to 44 hours a week. However, they cannot be asked to work for more than six consecutive hours without a break. 

If a job requires continuous work of up to eight hours, employers must provide a meal break of at least 45 minutes.

Read also: Employee asks for raise for a year, only gets it a week after resigning: ‘Why do companies wait until you leave?’