‘Study, get a job, buy a house’ : Singaporeans reveal what they once accepted as normal but later realised was stressful

Singaporeans have started discussing the daily norms they once considered ordinary but now find stressful. A Reddit user asked the question: "What's something we do in SG that everyone just accepts as normal, but when you really think about it, it's actually quite stressful?" The conversation began with the OP sharing their biggest source of pressure, which was the perception of a fixed timeline everyone was expected to follow.

The OP explained, "Study, get a decent job, earn more, settle down, get a house, save enough for retirement… then somewhere in between you're also supposed to exercise, have hobbies, maintain friendships and somehow get enough sleep lol. Nobody is really forcing you, but sometimes it still feels like you're falling behind if you're not moving at the same pace as everyone else."

The conversation quickly expanded to include other examples of everyday expectations that can make life in Singapore feel like a constant uphill battle. One commenter discussed the dilemma of taking a career break, explaining that taking time off could leave them behind and make it difficult to re-enter the job market due to the poor job landscape.

Another person shared their experience of being exploited by their employer, highlighting the lack of unemployment support and severance pay for those earning more than $5,000 a month.

Long working hours also emerged as a significant stressor. A commenter lamented, "Working 8:30 to 6, five days a week. So many hours on the clock. How much is actually spent working? Also OT. How much of the OT is due to delays in the process chain?" Other stressors included the pressure to marry and buy a house before turning 35, which forces individuals to rush relationships, and privacy concerns regarding surveillance cameras and the monitoring of domestic helpers.