TikTok 9 to 5 video: Woman goes viral for crying and complaining she has 'no time for anything' due to her job

A woman has gone viral on TikTok for posting a video in which she cried when complaining about how hard it was for her to maintain a social life while having a 9 to 5 job.

The woman, known only as Brielle, who goes by the username @BrielleyBelly123 on the popular social media platform, is a recent college graduate who was not used to the 9-5 working lifestyle that Dolly Parton once sang of.

It seems that Brielle may agree with the sentiments of Parton when she sang “Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'. Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'”. In her viral video, which has now been viewed more than one million times, Brielle became emotional as she said: “I don’t have time for anything and I’m like so stressed out”.

Opinion has been divided on Brielle’s video, however; some agree with her that the normal 9-5 working schedule makes it difficult to plan personal things while others are less than sympathetic.

So, what exactly did Brielle say in her video and how have people responded to her? Here’s what you need to know.

What is the viral 9 to 5 TikTok video?

The 9 to 5 video was posted by Brielle on Thursday 19 October and shows her speaking to the camera about her struggles with adapting to a 9 to 5 working schedule now she has finished college, the US equivalent of university. 

She starts her video by saying “I know I’m probably just being so dramatic and annoying but this is my first 9 to 5 job after college, in person.” She then goes on to detail her various struggles with this.

“I’m commuting into the city and it takes me f***ing forever to get there - there’s no way I’m going to be able to afford living in the city right now. If I was able to walk to work it would be fine, but I’m not so it literally takes me . . . I get on the train at 7.30am and I don’t get home until 6.15pm at the earliest. 

“I don’t have time to do anything. I want to shower, eat my dinner, and go to sleep. I don’t have time or energy to cook my dinner either, I don’t have energy to workout - that’s out the window. I’m so upset. Oh my god.”

She went on to clarify that her upset had “nothing to do with [her] job at all” but said “the 9 to 5 schedule is general is crazy”. She also specified that her issue came from having to spend time commuting to her office, outside of the 9 to 5 hours. She said: “If it was remote you’d get off at 5pm and you’re home and everything’s fine, but I’m not home. It takes me so long to get home, you don’t get off at 5pm.”

She then acknowledged that she accepts her situation could be worse, and she could be working longer hours, but still further laments her schedule. “I get off (work), it’s pitch black, I don’t have energy. How do you have friends? How do you have time for dating? I don’t have time for anything and I’m like so stressed out.”

How have TikTokers responded to the 9 to 5 video?

The video has divided opinion among TikTok users. Some people have sympathy and understand where Brielle is coming from, and other people definitely do not.

One person said: “The 40-hour work week is beyond outdated and your feelings are totally valid”. Another also suggested that this working pattern was outdated when they said: “40-hour work week was designed with a homemaker to take care of house tasks. We need dual incomes now, so that’s not possible. No time for anything.” Another said: “It’s so repetitive and depressing, I feel you girl.” Another person agreed and said: “I had a crisis when I got my first 9-5 job. Literally I couldn’t believe this was life.”

One person said it wasn’t just those who had to commute like Brielle who were battling to get a better work/life balance. “It’s not just 9-5 or commuting. It’s the 40hrs. I work from home and just end up working the hrs I don’t commute. You’re not alone.”

Other people, however, failed to see what Brielle was moaning about. One person reminded her that other people have to work longer than the standard eight hour shift when they said: “Meanwhile nurses working 7-7, 12hr shifts bring home at 8/8:30.” Some people were a little more blunt with their feelings. “Omg, poor baby has her first job. Like…she has to commute?? Like…she has to cook dinner??” said one. Another added: “This girl is a spoiled brat. Case closed.”

Some people simply offered their views on the typical 9 to 5 working day. One said: “To be honest it doesn’t get better. You just learn to force things in after work despite being exhausted because you feel like you're being cheated of time.” Someone else offered Brielle advice on how to deal with her new routine based on her own experience. “Romanticising mornings and evenings help. Unfortunately 9-5 is a mental and emotional drain.”

What has Brielle said since the 9 to 5 video?

In a follow-up video, posted on her TikTok page on Wednesday Brielle acknowledged that she is “one of the lucky postgrads who got a job after college”.  She clarified that she had sent out “hundreds” of applications over a five-month period to secure a job and that her employer, who she did not name, was the only one to respond and offer her employment. She went on to explain that the job was based in New York, but as she could not afford to live there instead she has to live in New Jersey, approximately an hour and a half away, and commute.

She also highlighted that a large part of her education was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw people worldwide asked to work or study from home. She said: “During Covid we all had to go remote so my high school was remote and part of my college was remote, so obviously I’m not used to working a 9 to 5 schedule because I’m not used to being anywhere from 9 to 5.” She also called on the 9 to 5 schedule to be reformed.

In a statement to The Independent, Brielle said that her video highlights a need for change in how society typically functions. “I want to be able to talk for this next generation and explain that a 40-hour work week plus commute is not necessary for productivity.”

She added: “I appreciate all the positive comments from other sympathetic workers and hope that more companies consider following in other countries’ footsteps in regards to the work week, especially after so many people are used to being remote after Covid.”