Netizens advise employee who is questioning decision to quit job following mental health strain at work
A Singaporean employee has shared their inner turmoil after deciding to quit a job that’s been taking a toll on their mental health, only to have second thoughts after settling on a resignation date.
Job lacked fulfilment and camaraderie
In a post on r/askSingapore on 10 May, the Original Poster (OP) explained that they had already set a resignation date due to various factors.
They had never felt truly fulfilled in their role over the past three years, and while the work was manageable, it lacked any real sense of purpose.
Source: Reddit
The OP also highlighted a “lack of camaraderie” among colleagues, which added to their dissatisfaction.
Things took a turn recently when their workload increased after resigning teammates were not replaced, and new projects tied to their boss’s KPIs were added.
The OP found themselves working overtime until 11pm and even on weekends, leading to stress, mistakes, and a warning from their supervisor.
This eventually led to the threat of a performance improvement plan (PIP), leaving the OP feeling overwhelmed.
Second thoughts after deciding to resign
The OP revealed that they have been “crying nearly every night from the stress”, adding that their mental health had “tanked” to the point where quitting felt like the only viable option.
However, after making the decision to resign, the OP experienced an unexpected mindset shift.
“I suddenly feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders,” they said.
They even felt more motivated to stay in the job, questioning whether leaving was the best option.
Source: nuttapong punna’s Images on Canva, for illustration purposes only
“Traditional wisdom is to find another job first since economy isn’t good, but this role makes it hard to attend interviews,” the OP explained.
They also questioned whether they are in the right mental state to start afresh elsewhere.
Thankfully, they have financial and emotional support for “at least a year” and currently have no major commitments.
Netizens offer advice
The post has since sparked a lively discussion online, with many netizens offering advice to the OP.
One commenter urged the OP to quit, saying, “crying because of work is not normal”.
Source: Reddit
Another suggested using the newfound motivation to attend job interviews since quitting had brought them a sense of peace.
Source: Reddit
Others pointed out that despite the shift in mindset, the underlying work environment likely hadn’t changed, and their mental health could deteriorate again if they stayed.
Source: Reddit
Another netizen recommended that the OP prioritise their mental health, especially since they had 12 months of emergency savings to fall back on.
Source: Reddit
MS News has reached out to the OP for more information.
Also read: ‘Unemployed for 6 months’: Woman shares struggle with finding job despite decade of experience
‘Unemployed for 6 months’: Woman shares struggle with finding job despite decade of experience
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