Only in Canada Only in Canada
Related Articles
“In Pursuit of Work-Life Balance: The Struggles of a New College Graduate in the 9-to-5 Grind”
In a raw and emotionally charged video, Brielle, a recent college graduate from New Jersey, bared her soul, revealing the immense challenges she faces in her new nine-to-five job. The video, which garnered over 1.5 million views, lays bare the profound difficulty she has finding time for anything beyond her grueling four-hour daily commute and long working hours.
Brielle, who now works in marketing, expressed her inability to engage in everyday activities, such as cooking or even showering, due to sheer exhaustion upon returning home. Her woes, however, are not related to her job but are a result of the demanding 9-to-5 schedule itself.
Viewers flooded the comments with support for Brielle, with many advocating for a four-day workweek to achieve a better work-life balance. Brielle’s journey to her current job wasn’t easy, as it took five months of relentless job hunting and sending out countless applications daily.
The poignant video also highlights the harsh reality of sky-high rent prices in New York, which forced her to move to New Jersey for her job. The emotional toll of her daily commute was evident as she revealed it took hours to travel to and from her workplace, leaving little time for personal life.
according to the graduate.
Brielle said, “I leave here and get on the train at like 7.30 am, and I don’t get home until 6.15 pm earliest. I don’t have the time to do anything.” Sometimes, her day doesn’t end until 7.30 pm, leaving her with minimal time or energy for even basic tasks like cooking or working out.
For Brielle, the ideal solution would be to work from home, which she believes would help her strike a better work-life balance. She acknowledged that things “could be worse” but emphasized the physical and mental toll that such a schedule takes.
Her honesty extends to addressing her concerns about finding time for personal life, including dating and maintaining friendships, which many viewers resonated with.
While some voiced empathy and called for shorter workweeks, others were less sympathetic, with some suggesting that she was simply experiencing the realities of adulthood. Brielle concluded by asserting that America needs to reconsider the current nine-to-five schedule, as it seems to primarily benefit the corporate world and the affluent, while leaving many, like herself, yearning for a more balanced life.
