There has been a recent conversation on social platforms about the hurdles 9-5ers (corporate workers) in Nigeria face to survive the day, let alone the week, and it has us thinking: how do you survive a 9-5 job in Nigeria? What tips are needed to get through your journey to your 9-5 job and back to your home?
A consistent thing we have seen in the reality of many 9-5ers is the difficult commute from their residences to their workplaces, especially given the long commute times, inadequate transportation, and the possibility of a dirty road.
Many people advise living closer to their job to minimize much of the stress and pressure that comes with a 9-5 job. In a country like Nigeria, it is not a reality for many to afford, which is why we have listed some tips that have worked and could also help make your journey to work smoother.
How do you somehow minimize the stress as a 9-5er in Lagos? We at YNaija have some suggestions!
- Plan Your Week Ahead
Is planning your week the key to a smooth, productive week as a 9-5er in Lagos? Many Lagos workers will disagree due to the complexities of commuting in Lagos; planning your week can guarantee you an 8/10 week, in what could typically be a 4/10 week.
How do you plan your week? Planning your week could be as simple as planning your entire work outfits for the week, creating a food schedule and meal prepping ahead of time, planning your commute, and ensuring you spend your weekend resting or performing those urgent chores. Starting a work week well-rested and with a peace of mind can be a game-changer.
- Carpooling
One method of transportation that has been known to work for decades is carpooling. It helps save money and time when a group of people travels to and from work together. In most cases, how this works is that the person with a car is paid a fuel allowance in exchange for picking up and dropping off their passengers at their 9-5 job, and also picking them up on the way back.
This method works better when all passengers have similar routes and can easily meet up without anyone compromising on their time or safety.
- Setting Up Alarms
One way to properly manage your time when you have a 9-5 job is to set alarms that keep you accountable: alarms that wake you up on time, alarms that let you know when to leave home, and alarms that let you know when you are cutting it too close to the start of work hours. Does the presence of these alarms erase the possibility of you facing difficulties on your journey to work? No, but they could help minimize the impact of how much time you spent on the difficulty.
- Prioritize Sleeping Early
One mistake you could be making in managing your time with your 9-5 is sleeping late. This can lead to missing alarms and sleeping longer than you should. When you have a 9-5 job, after your long commute home, you should take a long shower, have dinner, and go to bed early so you get enough rest and don’t compromise your sleep time to make it to work on time. Having a healthy mind and body is very important for you to survive a week as a 9-5er.
- Create A Proper Work-Life Balance
It is important to maintain a healthy work-life balance as a 9-5er in Lagos, as burnout can make commuting and productivity difficult. How do you create a good work-life balance? We have listed a few ways to achieve this:
- Avoid staying over at work much longer than your closing hours
- Try as much as you can not to take work home
- Let your weekends be strictly for resting
- Avoid volunteering to take on more tasks than you need to
These short tips will go a long way in ensuring you have a good work-life balance.
Key Takeaway
A life as a 9-5er in Lagos can be truly difficult and taxing on your mental health. Still, it is important to create leeway for you to enjoy your job, maintain a healthy level of productivity, and avoid spending more time than necessary on your commute.
