The 34-year-old Threads user shared that she was earning RM12,000 a month at the start of the year, but the job came with a lot of stress.
A MALAYSIAN professional’s decision to take a massive pay cut from RM12,000 to RM3,500 a month has triggered discussion online over whether financial success is worth sacrificing one’s wellbeing.
The 34-year-old Threads user shared that she was earning RM12,000 a month at the start of the year, but the job came with immense pressure.
“High stress and basically working seven days a week.”
She recently accepted a new job paying RM3,500 a month, which requires her to work just four days a week and report to the office only twice a week.
Reflecting on the change in her career, she said, “Was just telling my brother how I have come one full circle. I went from RM3,500 to five figure and now back to my starting salary.”
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The 34-year-old revealed that she had been diligently building up an emergency fund, with her investments eventually reaching a level that could cover her financial commitments.
This gave her the confidence to leave her high-paying job and look for employment that could still provide an income while allowing her to slow down.
“Once my investments were able to cover my commitments, I resigned and looked for a job that could still give me some income. But I definitely have to cut down on my spending significantly,” she said.
“Another way to look at it is that this RM3,500 job only requires me to go into the office two days a week. If I feel up to it, I could take on another job that pays around RM2,000 to RM3,000.”
“The salary is still only half of what I used to earn, but it should be enough for my day-to-day expenses as long as I don’t spend too much.”
Her decision resonated with Malaysian netizens, with several sharing their own experiences of dealing with intense workplace pressure and sacrificing personal time while pursuing higher salaries.
One commenter said many people eventually realise that peace of mind and sanity can be more valuable than a high salary.
“I believe we all want peace more than a high salary, just to stay sane. And that’s okay. We are human after all.”
“I can sooo relate. A lot of people say I’m crazy. They don’t understand the pressure of having to be responsible for everything, including other team members’ mistakes. I’m enjoying the slower pace of life for now,” commented another.
