A viral TikTok video has drawn both support and criticism from internet users after she discussed how her life has changed since graduating college. During the user’s tearful remarks, she conveyed a sentiment of displeasure and resentment towards her eight-hour work schedule and how it has upended her life. Since she commutes to work, her 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule extends longer, rendering it difficult for her to have time for other things.
“I know I could be working longer,” the user said, “but I literally get off [and] it’s pitch black. I don’t have energy. How do you have friends? Like how do you have time to meet a guy? I don’t know – how do you have time for dating?”
At the end of her TikTok video, the user asks others if she is being dramatic, to which WEEI morning co-host Courtney Cox replied, “Yes, yes you are,” on the air Tuesday. Cox, who is a Boston College graduate that started working with the ACC Digital Network as a production assistant and host out of school, explained how she treasured the long hours and difficulties associated with her formative years in the business.
“The best part about graduating college was that tough job that you have right out where you’re working the 10-12 hours because you learned how to make sacrifice,” Cox said. “I didn’t have weekends [and] I didn’t have holidays. It was a grind.”
Morning show co-host Greg Hill initiated the discussion after the show played audio from the TikTok video, sardonically expressing that the government should mandate workdays that only last four to five hours per day. If this were to happen, he surmises, the user would have more time to hang out with her friends, explore dating and prevent having to drive home when it is dark outside. Show co-host Jermaine Wiggins backed the sentiment from Cox that sacrifice is necessary in the professional working world.
“Welcome to our real-world life,” Wiggins said. “Everybody does it. Then when you have kids, guess what? Your days get even shorter.”
A listener of the show sent a message through the station’s text line wondering who genuinely works eight hours at this point. Although Hill believes that most people only work eight hours a day, Wiggins believes the number is even lower because of the amount of remote work that has permeated within enterprises. According to Forbes, 28.2% of employees work in a hybrid model and 12.7% of full-time employees work in a fully remote position.
“Five hours,” Wiggins estimated to be the average amount of time people work each day,” unless you’re actually out there working; like you’re a blue-collar person. Yes, nowadays you’re probably working less than that. Think about how long you are just chilling, sitting there staring at a blank screen or not making any calls.”
