• Find out more and sign up for thrive at bt.sg/thrive

🥴 Are the kids alright?

Not really, it seems. Only 62 per cent of young adults in Singapore are satisfied with their job, compared with 75 per cent of those aged 19 to 28 globally. Additionally, 25 per cent of young adults in Singapore feel overworked, according to data from audience research company GWI in 2023.

In terms of well-being,  the proportion of Singapore residents reporting poor mental health rose from 13.4 per cent in 2020 to 17 per cent in 2022, according to the Ministry of Health’s National Population Health Survey 2022. Younger adults aged between 18 to 29 were reported to have the highest proportion of poor mental health at 25.3 per cent. 

So what’s causing young adults to be unhappy and dissatisfied, particularly at work? While toxic workplace culture and long working hours affect workers, certain behaviours of young adults tend to sabotage their mental state at work, too, shares Janet Chang, a clinical psychologist at Still Waters Psychology Singapore, in an interview with Thrive. 

“Many times, some young adults tend to be quite critical of themselves and may have perfectionistic tendencies, which makes it difficult for them to accept their mistakes,” Chang says. She adds that many young adults also tend to have a strong need for approval and be overly worried about what others think of them, which can affect how they feel at the workplace.

Here are a few signs 🔔 that you may need some help managing stress at work:

• You feel exhausted, moody or anxious for an extended period, to the point that it consistently affects your work performance. This could look like always dreading work, worsening concentration, making more mistakes and taking much longer to complete work. 

• You have frequent emotional breakdowns at work, or regularly lash out at others 💢

• You are constantly sick – and this happens a lot more than before.

• You stop showing interest in things that used to bring you joy

“Young people who are just starting out at work may not have developed necessary skills to buffer them from burnout at work,” she says. These include learning to draw boundaries and say no, along with learning not to take too much personal responsibility for things that are not within their control.

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 🔧 A tool-kit to manage work stress

Learning to approach difficult situations at the workplace in a structured way can improve your sense of direction at work and overall career trajectory. Here are some steps 👣 you can take to manage overwhelming emotions at work:

• Identify the source of the problems you are facing: What exactly is contributing to these overwhelming feelings? Is there a specific issue that needs to be nailed down, or a confluence of factors at play? 

• Consider how these issues can be fixed: Will speaking to a supervisor or changing your work environment help? Is it because you have problems with boundaries and can’t say no? Knowing the root causes will give you the clarity to resolve them. 

• Don’t look at criticism as a judgement of your character or abilities: Learn to discern if comments about you or your work are fair, and when they are not. It’s important to evaluate them against feedback from other sources as well. 

• Avoid over-generalising or taking things out of context. 

• Avoid focusing only on your weaknesses/failures: Remember that you have strengths and successes, too. 

• Asking for help is a sign of strength: Be open to receiving support from peers, seniors, superiors at work and outside of the office from friends and family. 

• Always take on a growth mindset 🌱: Take criticism or comments as a means to continue to better yourself. 

• Prioritise having a life outside of work: Believe it or not, your hobbies and interests can also help make you a more well-rounded person and give you a fresh perspective. 

• Be open to seeking professional help: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, seeking guidance from a counsellor or psychologist could help you identify the source of your emotional troubles and give you clarity about your situation. Some resources that could help are ec2.sg ReConnect by Fei Yue Counselling Services, Limitless Singapore and mindline.sg. 

Learning how to identify the signs of stress – and how to manage it – can take time. It’s important to be patient and give yourself space to identify the areas you need to work on so as to improve your working situation. You can start by not being so hard on yourself all the time 😤. You can be your own biggest critic, but you can also learn to be your own biggest cheerleader.

TL;DR

• A quarter of young adults in Singapore feel overworked in their present jobs, according to a recent study 😮‍💨

• Many young adults tend to be self-critical, desire to be perfectionists or have a strong need for approval, which can exacerbate overwhelming emotions at work 😢

• Take time to understand what’s causing your difficult emotions at work in order to nip bigger issues in the bud 🎯

• Remember to evaluate criticism at work objectively and always take it as a positive learning experience