[ad_1]
Quitting without a new job in the Singaporean context goes against logic for most financially conscious Singaporeans.
Doing so would be even more reckless now, given the situation of the coronavirus pandemic. According to media reports, jobs are being wiped out and further downsizing is expected in the future.
In the two months since I quit, my admission that I had voluntarily quit with no other job in line has been met with concern and a certain amount of disbelief.
“Because right now?” and “You know the economy is going to get worse, right?” they were common refrains.
I would admit that the possible repercussions caused me to put my decision on hold for several months. Especially since now I have to pay a mortgage and a child to feed. It also turned out that I was earning a significantly higher salary than my husband. But with their support, I decided it was time.
I had been with the same company for 12 years and found myself increasingly restless and exhausted from the daily grind. At the same time, he had other interests that he wanted to pursue, but he just didn’t have the time to do so.
I was deeply convinced that what I needed was to take some time to recalibrate. Or it could just be called a midlife crisis.
Not only
Talking to a former partner of mine recently made me realize that I was not alone in taking such a drastic course of action without much of a safety net.
I spoke with her friend Serene Wu, who was one of those who left her stable teaching job of 11 years despite Covid-19.
The 36-year-old high school teacher had taken an unpaid leave of absence in January last year, but decided to resign after the circuit breaker closed.
The decision was solidified after realizing that she enjoyed spending time with her two young children, ages six and four.
“I really enjoyed the bonding and the meaningful conversations we had together,” Wu said.
Even though the loss of income took a toll on her finances, her husband, who is also a teacher, supported her. She joked: “We did some financial calculations, because we are both math teachers, and we decided we could still get by.”
At the same time, the avid calligrapher also became more involved in Love Bonds, a company founded by her friend that curates values-based children’s books and magazines.
After simply helping out at first, Wu eventually became a co-partner in the company, a turn of events for which she is deeply grateful.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6VrgiHD5D/
He now conducts virtual brush calligraphy workshops for parents and children, a position that allows him to indulge in his passion while drawing on his many years of teaching experience. And it wasn’t about the money.
“I felt very strongly that [Love Bonds] it is a place where you could contribute and could contribute significantly to parents. It’s something I really enjoyed doing, despite not winning anything at first. And he was working even harder than when he was teaching, “Wu said.
“I could easily have gone to tuition, I would definitely make a lot more money because it’s lucrative, everyone knows that. But I didn’t, “he shared.
Resignation due to Covid-19
And then there are those who quit due to Covid.
Emma (not her real name), 27, decided to quit her job in the healthcare sector due to inconvenience caused by the circuit breaker in April.
Due to confinement restrictions, it was difficult to find help to care for her daughter, who was then six months old.
The plan was for his in-laws to move to his house every day, but “they would have risked exposure while traveling to my house,” he explained.
“So for his safety and that of the rest of the family, I resigned.”
Money was one of Emma’s main concerns, but her husband was confident that they could cope with the different perspectives that Emma attributes to her education.
“I come from a family where both parents worked and it reminded us that they had to work hard to raise my brother and me. But my husband comes from a family whose father was the sole breadwinner in a family of four children.”
In the end, Emma decided to quit, but she still has plans to go back to work in the future when her son is older.
The professional counselors and psychologists I spoke with, however, objected when asked if they saw a significant increase in people who quit without some kind of backup plan.
But they agreed that the Covid-19 pandemic definitely affected people’s mindsets.
Counselor Vania Teo said that the people who quit their jobs were divided into two groups: the first was that of those laid off who may feel unhappy in the subsequent jobs they find.
“Sometimes, in terms of adaptability, they may not be able to adjust to the new job. So they end up quitting and changing jobs to find their place in other jobs.”
However, Teo has observed another group of people “with stable jobs” who also ended up quitting.
“Perhaps due to Covid-19, there is a feeling of uncertainty, they don’t really know if their work is what they really want to do,” Teo said, adding that work-from-home (WFH) stressors may play a role in the to play.
The WFH can also increase “problems with bosses, or even increased workload as a result,” Teo said.
“Basically, people work harder than they used to before Covid. And I think it’s putting a strain on their mental health as well.”
The impact of the WFH on our mental and emotional health is a factor mentioned by life coach Daniel Lim.
He observed: “I don’t think there has been an increase in people who drop out, but there has been an increase in people who are thoughtful.”
Lim attributes this to the WFH’s binding agreement that offers people the space for reflection. But not everything is negative.
“A lot of my clients think they enjoy working from home because they have the space to think about their lives, and that makes their brains flow to alternative ways to earn money.”
The president of the Singapore Psychological Society, Dr. Cherie Chan, offered another similar perspective: “This Covid situation has probably shown us that the norm can be broken or changed, and could be inspiring for some, as it is also scary to others.
[[nid:486734]]“Not knowing what’s to come can lead to more spontaneous decisions or the courage it takes to make decisions that you may have wanted for a long time.”
This last point is one that I resonate with the most. “If not now, then when?” It was a question that I found myself asking a lot during this period.
I wish I could tell you how my journey ends or that I’ve figured it all out, but I’ve only really just begun.
Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware that it is a privilege to be in the position I am in, thanks to the savings I had accumulated (perhaps the real lesson here is that it is worth saving, people).
Some friends and acquaintances have also commented on my “courage” to give this leap of faith, but there is often a fine line between courage and foolishness. Maybe it’s something only time will tell.
[ad_2]
