Is being "too free" reason enough to quit one's job?

That's the quandary faced by an office worker in Singapore who is contemplating leaving his $3,400 job because he has too much time on his hands.

Facebook user Kenji Ong recently posted on a migrant worker group where he poured out his woes over his "boring" job. 

"Has anyone wanted to change jobs because they have too much free time?" he asked.

Ong, whose nationality is unknown, lamented that he "doesn't know what to do" the moment he turns on his computer in the office and "there are only 20 to 30 emails".

He candidly shared that it has been harder to pass the time since the easing of Covid-19 measures, with many workers required to return to the office.

"To be honest, when I was working from home, I could finish my job in two to three hours. I was doing my own things most of the time and it was easier to pass the time at home," said Ong.

He revealed that when he gets into office in the morning and turns on the computer, he would "pretend to type into Excel".

"The boss is sitting behind me, so I can't open anything else. When an email comes in then I'll look at my email." He stressed that it's been "very, very difficult" to get through the eight-hour work day, from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

He stated that "there's no OT (overtime)" and he leaves at 5.30pm on the dot.

And it seems that he's not alone in the predicament. Ong wrote that when he looks at his colleagues, they, too, are either looking at their emails repeatedly, "day dreaming", or "taking the opportunity to stay in the toilet for longer".

Ong shared that senior colleagues in the company have told him not to reveal to others that he has nothing to do. "So things are just done slowly and stretched out to pass the time," he added.

As if trying to convince himself to stay in the company, Ong, who let on that he is an administrative worker, also shared that "actually, it's a comfortable job with no stress".

He added that while the $3,400 salary "isn't high", his job follows a five-day workweek with regular hours. He also noted that there are no office dramas and one is able to pass their days at work peacefully.

But Ong still feels there's "something missing".

"I just don't feel good inside and that it's a waste of time," he said. And after several months since returning to the office, Ong said he now feels sluggish, with a lack of energy and motivation.

He mused that his thoughts could be running wild due to boredom.

"Pretending to be busy when there's nothing to do is really hard to bear.

"Sometimes, I really want to just shout at the top of my lungs, 'Aaahhh, I'm so bored'!"

Ong's post, which has since gone viral with more than 600 comments, has been met with varied responses from netizens — many who shared similar stories and others who envied his position.

"From someone who receives more than 100 emails a day, I envy you," wrote one.

"I once had a job that only filled up 10 minutes of my time… it was really very boring", another commenter noted. "But if you're thinking of making a switch please let me know, I miss the slow-moving life now," she joked.

Many others offered their own words of advice from their experience.

"I can only say you've not been in a job where you don't even have time to eat or sleep," wrote one commenter. "Don't think about using work to fill up time in order to feel fulfilled or you'd regret it".

One user who shared how she was in a similar predicament and switched it up for something better, offered Ong some encouragement: "Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, at the most just start again. Life isn't about achieving everything you want in two or three years, it's a lifetime of learning."

"Go out of your comfort zone and find a job that's more challenging. It'll be better for your future in the long run," another wrote.

Others also refuted his claim that his $3,400 salary is "not high".

To that, Ong responded in the comments that after CPF deductions, his take-home salary is "only $2,700", and that "$3,000 to $4,000" is not considered a high salary in Singapore.

"Don't be alarmed by the $3,000. Those in sales or engineering earn about $4,000 to $5,000 at least," said Ong, who added that he's the fourth person to take over the position after others quit.

He also replied that his company is not hiring at the moment.

But in case anyone's interested, there are still dishwashers wanted at $3,500 a month.

candicecai@asiaone.com

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