PRESSING PAUSE

Three Singapore women reflect on the challenges and rewards of stepping away from work to prioritise their well-being and growth.

- Syed Zulfadhli

For many women in Singapore, the pressure of proving their worth goes beyond excelling at work. It often involves the constant balancing act of juggling one's ambition with the demands of caregiving and motherhood, while navigating workplaces where toxic cultures and subtle biases remain pervasive.

There's also the fear of falling behind. Taking a career break often feels like an unconventional choice in a society that emphasises hustle culture. However, the mental health impact of not prioritising oneself is far greater.

In 2024, Employment Hero's Wellness at Work Report found that 61 per cent of Singaporeans felt burnt out, with millennials making up the majority.

However, a shift is occurring as more millennial women choose to pause their careers. For some, burnout is only part of the story. Others seek time to cherish their youth, are driven by a need to care for their families, or aim to redefine what success truly means.

Here are the stories of three women who took a step back to recalibrate, each on their unique path to personal growth and change.

CHOOSING HERSELF OVER HER DREAM JOB

For Shayla Wong*, a 43-year-old senior content editor, the decision to press pause on her magazine career didn't come lightly. "It was my dream job," she reflects.

"I had always been passionate about my career, but that experience taught me that no job should come at the cost of one's mental health."

Shayla's journey into publishing was anything but conventional. With a background in engineering and fashion merchandising, she pivoted into content creation in 2003, driven by her passion for storytelling.

"I didn't have the traditional credentials, so I knew I had to work twice as hard," she highlights.