SINGAPORE: A 32-year-old healthcare worker earning up to S$8.5k a month says the brutal hours and constant stress of her job eventually destroyed her health, leaving her with “stage 3 cancer, chest pains, gastritis, burnout, depression, and anxiety.”

In a Reddit post on Monday (May 4), the woman shared that she spent seven years in the healthcare sector, often surviving on just three hours of sleep while juggling full-day shifts and 24/7 on-call duties for an entire week.

She added that even meal breaks were extremely short. “My lunchtime daily was 30-45 mins, sometimes less.”

While the salary looked attractive on paper, she said the trade-off was devastating.

“My physical health was seriously compromised with me getting stage 3 cancer and chest pains due to high stress as well as gastritis,” she shared. “Throughout my career journey, I also had burnout, depression, and anxiety due to long working hours.”

Hoping to recover, she later moved to a smaller centre with regular hours and accepted a much lower salary, but she claimed the pressure never really stopped, as she was still expected to lead, train, and manage staff despite those responsibilities allegedly never being mentioned during the hiring process.

Feeling exhausted and “a bit cheated,” she has since decided to leave the role completely and is now looking into a career switch for the sake of her well-being.

“I want to switch careers for the sake of my well-being. [I’ve] done all necessary treatments, and I’m in remission now,” she said. “I would really appreciate any suggestions and don’t mind going back to school to be retrained.”

“Health over paycheck”

Many Singaporean Redditors responded with messages of encouragement and support.

One commenter wrote, “All the best. Sadly, I can’t offer much advice as I’m in a similar situation as you, but health really comes first before work (something I have to keep telling myself as well).”

Another said, “I don’t have any suggestions but would like to assure you that health comes first; you made the right move. Wish you all the best for recovery.”

A third added, “Health over paycheck always sia, no point grinding till your body crashes. Career can restart, but you only got one you for real.”

Some Redditors also shared suggestions for alternative careers that could offer her a less stressful and more balanced lifestyle.

One user commented, “Maybe you can look at being an adjunct lecturer relating to healthcare? I believe that your experience and mentorship are highly rewarded, especially in polytechnics.”

Another suggested, “Go private sector medical/pharma ops or compliance; better hours, decent pay, less chaos.”

A third wrote, “Maybe administrative/remote work at home? Sorry, can’t really suggest as much, but you should rest more, and I’m glad to hear you are in remission. Don’t take any high-stress jobs anymore.”

In other news, an Indonesian worker who’s currently earning S$6,000 a month took to Reddit to ask locals if “working from 9 am to 11 pm almost every day is actually normal in Singapore.”

“I keep telling myself it’s just ‘startup life’ or ‘SG hustle culture,’ but I honestly can’t tell anymore if I’m getting a normal experience or getting cooked.”

Read more: ‘14 hours is crazy’: Worker earning S$6K questions long work hours in Singapore

This article (Healthcare worker earning S$8.5k says years of stress and long hours left her with cancer, chest pains, gastritis, and mental health struggles) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is in Singapore to witness the signing of a landmark comprehensive partnership pact. The agreement involves the continuous flow between the two countries of essentials such as food and fuel during times of crisis.

This comes in the wake of an agreement signed between Singapore and Australia a few weeks ago.

Mr Luxon sounded exultant in a video he posted on social media on Monday (May 4) after the agreement was signed. He filmed the clip in front of an oil refinery, saying that the fuel from the refinery would be going straight to New Zealand.

Essentials would flow between the two countries “even when the world gets disrupted.” He said that around one-third of New Zealand’s fuel is refined in Singapore, adding, “So what happens in Singapore affects our fuel supply at home. It’s this fuel that keeps trucks moving, farms running, and food on the table for everyone.”

Mr Luxon underlined that Singapore also gets some of its food supply from New Zealand, so the pact is mutually beneficial.

“This deal basically locks in that relationship,” he added, telling New Zealanders that it’s all about keeping the country moving “no matter what happens.”

On Sunday evening, PM Wong had posted a photo of himself and Mr Luxon in black shirts, writing, “we’re already in sync, down to our matching outfits.”

Landmark pact

The Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES) is the first legally binding bilateral supply chain resilience agreement in the world. Singapore and New Zealand have committed not to impose unnecessary export restrictions on agreed essential supplies. Aside from food and fuel, these include healthcare and chemical supplies, as well as construction products. 

It was signed by Singapore’s Minister-in-charge of Energy, Science and Technology, Tan See Leng, and New Zealand Minister for Trade and Investment, Todd McClay. The signing was witnessed by Mr Luxon and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Other countries

According to a report in the New Zealand Herald, Mr Luxon said that he and PM Wong discussed bringing other countries in to sign the deal as well, with the two leaders talking about whether there were “other countries that we might be able to bring into it”.

“There’s potentially a group of countries that might be interested in that,” Mr Luxon told members of the media on Monday afternoon.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand will call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as well as meet with Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, on Tuesday (May 5). /TISG

Read also: Australia inks agreement with Singapore for fuel supply as pumps run dry

This article (Lawrence Wong says he & New Zealand Prime Minister are ‘already in sync’; landmark food, fuel pact signed) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: As the demand for safe havens ramps up amid global instability, there has been an uptick in investment from companies in mainland China, as well as high-net-worth individuals, into Singapore’s real estate market.

The transparency of regulations in Singapore, in addition to its reputation as a financial haven, is drawing more Chinese developers. The Singapore Economic Development Board recently said that investors from mainland China made up around 21% of total fixed-asset investment in 2025. In comparison, this figure had only been at 2.5% the year before.

China has already overtaken the United States as a leading investor in Singapore, marking a significant change in global capital flows.

What has also helped is a growing familiarity. “Chinese developers who have had experience in Singapore are now familiar with the rules, regulations and market behaviour and are expected to continue bidding to replenish their landbanks,” a report in the South China Morning Post quoted Alan Cheong, the executive director for research and consultancy at Savills Singapore, as saying.

The report cited recent acquisitions, such as a Dover Drive lot spanning almost 145,500 sq ft, purchased by CNQC Realty (Prime), Forsea Residence, and Jianan Realty Investments for S$951 million. The property is expected to be the site for 625 residential units.

The China-based developer Kingsford Group bought a 147,350 sq ft plot on Telok Blangah Road for S$918.3 million and a 222,161 sq ft plot called Lentor Gardens for S$429.23 million. SingHaiyi Group and Haiyi Holdings acquired a parcel on Bayshore Road and bought a 112,992 sq ft property for S$658.9 million that is likely to accommodate 515 units.

The focus on Singapore’s residential sector shows how the developers are putting investments into projects that are expected to move relatively quickly.

Reuters has also highlighted how, over recent years, Singapore has seen “massive inflows of mainland Chinese wealth,” in large part due to political stability and tax advantages, as well as economic uncertainty in China. This has meant an even greater demand for high-end real estate and family offices specifically for managing Chinese capital.

Aside from residential projects, firms from China are also showing interest in commercial real estate, although this is happening at a slower pace. Reuters reported last August that a consortium that involves the property arm of JD.com, one of the biggest comprehensive e-commerce companies in China, looked into launching a Singapore-based real estate investment trust worth US$1 billion. /TISG

Read related: Singapore’s luxury goods sales slide as wealthy Chinese turn to ‘low-key’ spending on art, wine, and private clubs amid growing scrutiny from authorities

This article (Wealth flows into Singapore as Chinese invest in property) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: On the Hanke’s Annual Misery Index for 2025, which measures the health of the 178 economies, Singapore took the number two spot, just behind Taiwan.

The index is published each year by Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at The Johns Hopkins University, who is also known as the “money doctor” for his expertise in using economic data from the Economist Intelligence Unit, International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook, and other sources, to take the “temperature” of economies to see how “miserable” or “healthy” each one is.

Prof Hanke’s index is based on the sum of an economy’s unemployment rate at the end of the year (multiplied by two), plus inflation and bank-lending rates. From this figure, the annual percentage change in real GDP per capita is deducted.

Taiwan, which clinched first place for the second year in a row, scored 2.1159, with unemployment as the major contributing factor for its score. Singapore followed with a score of 2.5939, and the lending rate was listed as the city-state’s major contributing factor.

Another Asian economy, Thailand, came in third (3.1417), followed by Ireland (5.3470) and Côte d’Ivoire (6.2886).

Taiwan continues to flourish, and its real GDP growth per capita of 9.2% is what is behind its health. This is driven by the high demand for Taiwan’s semiconductors and artificial intelligence hardware. Meanwhile, it has low unemployment and inflation at 3.3% and 1.3% respectively, with a bank-lending rate at 3.3%.

As for the runner-up, “Singapore is a perennial contender at the happiest end of the HAMI, and 2025 is no exception. With a score of 2.6, Singapore’s performance reflects near-full employment at 2.0% unemployment, well-anchored inflation at 1.2%, and solid GDP growth of 4.3% per capita,” Prof Hanke wrote.

World’s most miserable

At the bottom three, the most miserable economies are Turkey (100.9610), Sudan (225.3674), and Venezuela (556.4916).

Prof Hanke noted that Venezuela’s score is among the highest ever recorded on the index, and is largely due to “an accelerating collapse” brought about by the 2024 elections, which saw Nicolás Maduro’s return to power, sanctions that cut off oil revenues, and the free fall of its currencies. 

Prices in Venezuela rose by a staggering 475.3% in 2025, while unemployment increased to 35.1%.

However, with the forced removal of Mr Maduro on Jan 3, it remains to be seen how Venezuela’s fortunes will change. /TISG

Read also: Rising tensions and energy risks could push global economy towards recession: IMF 

This article (Singapore ranked 2nd happiest economy in 2025, with Taiwan taking top spot) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Tan Kiat How took to Instagram over the weekend to clarify a particular health issue at Bedok and encouraged the public to visit 216 Bedok Food Centre & Market, saying that there are no tuberculosis (TB) cases among the market staff, Heartbeat@Bedok, and at the Singapore Pools Bedok.

Mr Tan, an East Coast Member of Parliament (MP) since 2020, is a Senior Minister of State for Health as well as for Digital Development and Information.

Many people may be wary of visiting the area after the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) announced on Thursday (April 30) that mandatory tuberculosis screening will be carried out for tenants and workers of the three locations. Investigations showed that there have been 13 genetically similar cases across three clusters between January 2023 and February 2026.

The MP said in his May 4 (Sunday) video that he had just brought food for his family at 216 Market, which they would have for dinner that night.

“It’s very sad because many hawkers told me that they had prepared the whole day, but because nobody came, they have to throw all the food away, so I want to support them,” he said.

Mr Tan underlined that the 13 recently reported cases had not sprang up overnight but had been detected over the last three years. Additionally, the people who had gotten infected with TB are residents living around the area, some of whom don’t even live in Bedok but in other parts of Singapore.

“But they came to Bedok, they came to Heartbeat Centre, to the hawker centre,” and because they had come to a common area, “we wanted to have a precaution to test all our employees and hawkers,” he added.

He also cleared up the misconception that a person can contract TB by sharing a meal or having a conversation with someone.

“Actually, you require prolonged contact to get TB. Coming here for a meal like me, having a conversation with friends and hawkers, you won’t get TB,” he added, telling people not to worry and to come and support the hawkers at 216 Market.

“They hope to get your support,” Mr Tan said, waving his armful of plastic bags containing food from different stalls in the area.

Misunderstanding over the situation caused some hawkers to have fewer customers over the past few days, he wrote in the caption, adding, “For most of us, daily routines like having a meal can continue as usual. If you’re nearby, do drop by. Your usual kopi and meals are still here.” /TISG

Read also: TB Cases Climb in Malaysia — Here’s Why It Matters

This article (Tan Kiat How urges public to visit Bedok hawker centre, says no TB among staff) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man who lied to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) concerning the status of the woman from Vietnam he intended to marry has been given a jail sentence of four months and six weeks.

As it turns out, he knew that the woman was still married when he married her in October 2013 in Singapore but submitted false information to the ICA in 2014 and 2015 when he applied for the woman’s permanent residency and long-term visit pass.

The truth came out only late last year, when the woman’s previous husband applied for a student pass for their son, according to a report in Lianhe Zaobao. The application led to the discovery that the woman was still married when she and the Singaporean man wed in 2013.

It added that the woman, who only got divorced from her former husband in 2021, actually became a citizen of Singapore in 2023.

After investigations were carried out, the Singaporean man, now 37, was charged with five counts, which include inciting another person to commit bigamy, providing false information to the ICA under immigration laws, providing false information to facilitate marriage under the Women’s Charter, and providing false information to assist another person in applying for citizenship.

The man pleaded guilty to three of the five charges, and the judge considered the remaining charges for his sentencing.

Neither the man nor the woman has been publicly named.

The couple has two children, aged 7 and 9. The judge on the case pointed out that these children will bear the label “illegitimate children” because of their parents’ actions, which will end up causing the children inconveniences.

The State Courts judge also underlined the seriousness of this particular case due to potential wider impacts, as the ICA may need to impose more stringent standards for those who wish to apply for Singapore citizenship in the future.

Even if the woman had obtained a divorce from her ex-husband in 2021, this fact did not mitigate how serious the offence is.

While the consequences the Singaporean man has received for his crime, the woman’s outcome has not been made known. /TISG

Read also: SG man & Vietnamese wife each fined S$3,500 for lying to ICA about living together; man charged woman S$1K monthly marriage fee

This article (Singapore man who married already-wedded Vietnamese woman to get 4 months, 6 weeks’ jail) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

MALAYSIA: On Saturday, Malaysia woke up to a horrible crime after a girl was found after midnight in a pool of blood and with 61 stab wounds.

The story became more dramatic after it was revealed that she was not killed in a car accident, and later her body was placed on the road in Kampung Simah, Ketereh, in the state of Kelantan, the most conservative state in Malaysia.

However, the authorities moved swiftly, arresting four people: an elderly couple and two young men. The elderly couple, the boyfriend’s parents—a 66-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman—have been released on bail, but the two young men are still in custody.

Now, we are being told that it is a story of rage and jealousy that led to the gruesome murder of this young woman, a college student of 19.

Kelantan police chief Mohd Yusoff Mamat said investigators suspect the victim was stabbed to death by her 19-year-old boyfriend, who allegedly believed she was having an affair, the New Straits Times reported.

“Initial investigations showed that an argument broke out between the victim and the suspect, which led to her death. She is believed to have been stabbed while inside the suspect’s car,” the senior policeman was quoted as saying.

The boyfriend, identified as the main suspect, was arrested on Saturday alongside another youth believed to be a friend of the victim.

The victim, who hails from Perak, had gone out for a meal with the two suspects.

Sources said the victim, who lived in a condominium, first went out during the day with one suspect in a Honda City before being sent back home.

“Later that night, she reportedly went out again with the second suspect, believed to be the main perpetrator and also a student at a Vocational College, in a Perodua Bezza,” the source to the Malay-language daily Berita Harian.

Local media had earlier identified the victim as Nurfisya Zulkifly, who had just returned to her Ketereh college campus to start a new semester a week ago.

It is said she managed to post a WhatsApp story at 11 pm. She posted a photo of food before she was killed.

This article (Malaysia: 61 stabs wounds and a relationship that ends with murder) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Members of Parliament (MP) from the Workers’ Party (WP) will be raising questions this week in Parliament about the effectiveness of tackling bullying in schools, in light of the new measures addressing the issue announced by the Ministry of Education last month. 

On April 15, the Ministry of Education (MOE) published nine key recommendations from its Comprehensive Action Review Against Bullying, which had been carried out to strengthen the efforts to better address hurtful behaviour and bullying in schools. The recommendations, which are set for implementation next year, include detention, suspension, and caning for older boys.

There have been a number of concerning incidents of bullying in recent years, such as the incident at Sengkang Green Primary School, where a nine-year-old student and her mother were threatened by the girl’s classmate.

Ministry of Education (MOE)

Annex A – Key Recommendations from MOE Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying

MOE said that schools will receive additional needs-based funding to hire roles such as youth workers, pastoral care officers, and parent liaison officers. These staff members will help manage student issues and reduce the load on teachers. At the same time, schools will receive better guidelines on managing bullying cases. This includes how quickly to inform parents, how to ensure student safety, and how to apply discipline and counselling consistently.

Questions from WP MPs

During the sessions from May 5 to 7, several WP MPs will be raising questions about the MOE’s recommendations, including those that ask for clarity concerning how MOE will make sure the recommended measures would not conflict with creating a school culture that is “restorative,” as well as the particular safeguards to be put in place for protecting students who have mental health vulnerabilities.

Sengkang MPs He Ting Ru, Louis Chua, Jamus Lim, and Abdul Muhaimin, as well as Non-constituency MP Eileen Chong, will be asking the following:

• Whether the standardisation of caning is based on established research, and if the Ministry has evaluated its effectiveness in reducing repeated bullying behaviour

• If there are specific safeguards in place to ensure disciplinary measures are student-centred, and how a student’s special educational needs (SEN) or mental health are weighed

• How does caning for first-time offenders align with the stated goal of a restorative school culture, and what is the data on bullying recidivism rates

• What recourse do students and parents have if they disagree with a school’s findings, and what specific methodology will be used to track the effectiveness of these new measures

The WP MPs last asked questions in Parliament concerning bullying in September, the month after the Sengkang Green Primary incident came to light. /TISG

Read also: WP to raise questions  in Parliament about jobs for new grads, public transport, bullying

This article (WP MPs to ask in Parliament about impact of stricter penalties on school bullies) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

MALAYSIA: Rafizi Ramli, a former economy minister, once very close to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, made the most explosive remarks about the crisis that has hit the state of Negeri Sembilan, saying it is part of a plan by one of Anwar’s allies in the Madani government to press for fresh general elections in Malaysia.

Ramli, who arrived at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya this morning to face graft-busters on the government’s collaboration with UK-based chip design company Arm Holdings, did not mince his words against United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) or Barisan Nasional (BN) in a podcast.

The outspoken Member of the House of Representatives who resigned as economy minister last year was seen entering the anti-graft agency’s compound at about 9:45 a.m., ahead of his scheduled 10 a.m. appearance. Ramli might be charged for his role in the ARM Holdings deal soon.

Recently, Ramli made several accusations of corruption and share manipulation of some companies against Anwar and people close to the Malaysian regime.

On the Negeri Sembilan crisis, he said: “The controversy in Negeri Sembilan is UMNO’s grand strategy to build a wave of support similar to what happened in the previous Malacca and Johor state elections.”

“The aim is to force Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to dissolve Parliament and hold a general election,” he speculated in the latest episode of his podcast “Yang Berhenti Menteri.”

BN chalked up significant victories in the Malacca and Johor state polls that took place in 2021 and 2022. While Anwar’s party, PKR, is an ally in the Negeri Sembilan state government, it did not join the Malacca state government, which is dominated by the UMNO-BN.

To back his theory that UMNO is pushing for fresh elections, Ramli said it is using the same strategy it used in the 2021 and 2022 state polls in the hope that they can build a big wave in their favour.

“Using the same strategy now, (they want to) build a big wave. That will force Anwar to hold an early general election, and UMNO will mop up seats all over Malaysia,” he said, adding, “The plan involves holding the election in October together with polls in Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, and Johor.”

Bloomberg has also reported that Anwar is allegedly in the early stages of considering holding a general election in the third quarter of this year.

Anwar has denied that he is calling for snap polls this year, saying there is still time for an election.

Last week, 14 UMNO state assemblypersons pulled their support for the PKR head of the state government. Reports had it that the Umno politicians would join with the opposition Perikatan Nasional to form a new state government in Negeri Sembilan.

However, with Anwar’s and UMNO leader Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s intervention, plans to remove the chief minister from power by the 14 assemblypersons have been foiled.

This article (Crisis in small state near KL is UMNO’s way to seek early General Election) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A woman who ordered a huge takeout amounting to more than S$130 was shocked when the deliveryman demanded a S$10 tip, claiming that the order was ‘too big.’ More so, the deliveryman threatened to cancel the order if she did not give the tip. 

A 29-year-old woman complained to Shin Min Daily News that last month, she helped her friend order 10 KFC meals through a food delivery platform. The woman claimed that her friend’s company was having a lunch gathering, and that she was the one who placed the order through the platform. 

Since the woman uses the platform more often, she did not check the app after seeing that someone had already accepted the order. She claimed: “The delivery time shown at the time was between 11:00 and 11:30. At 11:20, I received a message from a friend saying that the delivery person had sent him a message asking for a tip. Later, I found that the delivery person had also sent me a message asking for a tip through the Grab app.” 

According to the deliveryman, the order was too much. That’s why he asked for a tip. He also stated that if the tip was not given, the order could be cancelled and the woman could find another deliveryman to handle the order. 

Given that they had limited time and that the deliveryman had already picked up the order and was on his way, they had no choice but to give out the tip. The woman later confirmed that when she checked the app, she discovered that the delivery man was already near her friend’s company and chose not to deliver the food unless they agreed to the tip. 

“He only continued to deliver the food after my friend agreed,” the woman declared. 

She shared that the food arrived after 11:40, which was later than what they expected. According to Grab, tipping is voluntary, and drivers are explicitly told not to solicit tips from customers. 

It is encouraged that when drivers ask for a tip, customers can refuse and submit feedback to the platform. 

Other related news 

In similar news related to customer complaints, there was a recent report where a woman was nearly burned when a fire broke out at their table at a Korean hot pot restaurant. 

“When I bent down to look, I found thick smoke and flames coming out of the hole under the dining table, which scared me so much that I ran away quickly,” the diner declared. 

Read more about the news story here.

This article (Delivery man threatens to cancel ‘too big’ order unless customer gives S$10 tip) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police at KLIA Terminal 2 are investigating two sudden deaths within hours. A 27‑year‑old Chinese woman fell from a third‑floor ledge after resisting security efforts, later dying at Putrajaya Hospital. Hours later, a 30‑year‑old Algerian man fell near the same spot and was pronounced dead at Hospital Cyberjaya. Both incidents went viral online.

Netizens expressed concern over the incidents. For the Chinese woman, a viral video on X showed an auxiliary police officer attempting to assist her, but the approach startled her, leading to her fatal fall. In the Algerian man’s case, a photo of him circulated widely on X, further amplifying public attention and unease surrounding both tragedies.

Debates about the auxiliary police trying to help the woman were one of the top conversations among netizens. On X, one user stated that people should not blame the officer, as he was simply trying to help, also asking why the woman was sitting on the edge of the building after the balcony fencing. 

Others argued that the auxiliary police should have followed protocol more carefully, suggesting that approaching the woman directly was inappropriate and stressed that airport management must have a clear plan for handling such situations. They further added that safety measures, such as cloth or netting on lower floors, should be in place to prevent tragedies.

Concerning the Algerian man who also lost his life, X users voiced similar concerns. One urged airport management to implement stronger preventive measures, suggesting suicide nets like those installed in several Kuala Lumpur malls. He stressed that such safeguards are necessary to curb future incidents and emphasised that tragedies of this nature should never be allowed to happen again. 

Some netizens argued that such acts at the airport damage Malaysia’s reputation. Furthermore, this reflects a lack of empathy for those who died. One netizen stated that foreigners should not behave this way in Malaysia, adding that the government now faces the burden of covering funeral costs for the individuals involved.

It remains unclear why foreign nationals choose to end their lives at the airport. However, netizens increasingly view this as a serious concern, pointing to the apparent lack of clear procedures or preventive measures in handling such incidents.

This article (Tragedy at KLIA Terminal 2: Chinese woman and Algerian man’s fall sparks concerns) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Working daily has been part of everyday life for many. However, a Redditor shared online about the burdens of work and how working a government job has been driving her mad due to tiredness and lack of freedom. With this, the netizen is seeking comfort from others by asking: “Has anyone felt this way?” 

In the post, the netizen shared, “I work in a gov job, wfh 5 days a week, 8.30 – 6pm; including travel, I’m occupied basically from 7/7.15am to 7pm, and when I get home, I’m tired and drained and can barely do much or be in a super positive mood for my family. Isn’t this crazy? I’m meant to do this forever?” 

The netizen also shared to have started a new job but had already taken a few sick leaves after two months of employment because of too much anxiety. 

“What’s the point of chasing that when I could be free or find an easier or part-time job? Sure, I earn less, but I earn my freedom back? idk. I just feel kinda done with all this.” 

At the end, the netizen asked if someone could explain if everything was normal, and even asked for encouragement. 

Netizens then expressed their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions in the comments section. One commenter admitted to understanding what the netizen was going through and shared that the person has the power to change the situation. 

“I feel you totally.. Don’t feel bad, you are not alone.. But you can change this if you want, but it’s really up to you if you want to continue on this cycle.. I went through the same motion.. It’s super tiring and mentally excruciating,” the commenter remarked. 

For some, everything that the netizen shared was normal, and many people feel the same because it is part of adult life. One comment emphasised: “You lose a little bit of your spark every day, sometimes praise from peers or boss or monetary bonus helps bring the spark back up, but once hit zero = quit, start afresh. Rinse and repeat until you die.” 

Furthermore, a netizen suggested giving at least six months to settle in the new job, and claimed: “If you’re still in this rut after 6 months, you may be struggling with some professional or existential issues. You may want to consider if the job is what you want, or you may want to take some time off to figure out what you really want from life.” 

Others were concerned about mental health and also suggested that the netizen seek professional help. 

“Talking about it is important. Best if you can find a work friend in the same boat,” another comment stated. 

This thread openly shares how people feel tired at work and how many people struggle with the same things. In the end, the discussion is a reminder that it is normal to feel overwhelmed—and that it is okay to choose a life that feels more like living, not just surviving.

This article (Overworked and exhausted: ‘Has anyone felt this way?’ Netizen asks) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.