I ever wonder when i'm going to retire or take a part time job. What kind of occupation that are available in Singapore? Keeping my mind active and contribute to society and earning an allowance alont the way. In a city like Singapore that never sleeps, not all jobs follow the traditional 9-to-5 routine. A quiet but critical group of professionals and workers wake up when most of us are still dreaming and clock out by midday. These early-morning occupations power the food we eat, the clean streets we walk, the deliveries we receive, and even our daily commutes.
In my blog, I explore occupations that typically start between 3am to 7am and end by 12pm or 1pm, focusing on:
1. Hawker Stall Assistants / Operators
⏰ Working Hours:
💼 Nature of Work:
Hawkers are Singapore's culinary backbone, offering everything from kaya toast to laksa. Many stalls operate in the early morning to serve breakfast crowds. Assistants help with food preparation, cooking, serving, and cleaning.
💰 Salary:
🧠 Difficulty:
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High physical demand: Heat, standing for long hours, early wake-up
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Requires cooking or food handling skills
✅ Best For:
2. Bakers and Bakery Assistants
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 2am to 5am
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End: 11am to 1pm
💼 Nature of Work:
Bread must be fresh. That means baking starts before dawn. Duties include mixing, kneading, baking, packaging, and customer service (if working in a retail bakery).
💰 Salary:
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Assistant Baker: $1,600 – $2,400/month
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Head Baker (Artisan/Pastry): $2,800 – $4,000/month
🧠 Difficulty:
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Labor-intensive with strict timing
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Hot and fast-paced environment
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Requires technical baking skills and endurance
✅ Best For:
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People who enjoy hands-on culinary work
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Anyone interested in a pastry or baking career path
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Those okay with sleeping early and missing nightlife
3. Wet Market Vendors
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 3am to 5am
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End: 11am to 12pm
💼 Nature of Work:
Fresh fish, vegetables, and meat must be ready for the early-bird shoppers. Vendors handle setup, sales, packing, and cleanup. Some also purchase goods from wholesale markets.
💰 Salary:
🧠 Difficulty:
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Cold, wet, and heavy lifting
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Early hours make social life difficult
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Requires customer service skills and quick math
✅ Best For:
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Physically strong individuals
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Older workers or family businesses
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Those who enjoy direct customer interaction
4. Public Cleaners / Office Cleaners
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 5am to 7am
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End: 11am to 1pm
💼 Nature of Work:
Responsible for cleaning offices, schools, hawker centres, or HDB estates before peak hours. Tasks include sweeping, mopping, sanitizing, and refuse collection.
💰 Salary:
🧠 Difficulty:
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Repetitive and physically demanding
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Sometimes exposed to unpleasant waste
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Often undervalued despite being essential
✅ Best For:
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Seniors or semi-retired workers
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Individuals seeking simple, routine work
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Those with limited education or job experience
5. Changi Airport Ground Crew (Early Shift)
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 4am to 6am
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End: 12pm to 1pm
💼 Nature of Work:
Ground staff help with passenger check-in, baggage handling, refueling, security, and gate operations—especially important for early morning flights.
💰 Salary:
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Entry-level: $1,800 – $2,500/month
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Technicians or specialized staff: $2,800 – $3,500/month
🧠 Difficulty:
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Stressful and high-pressure environment
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Must handle flight schedules, weather, and coordination
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Often includes shift work, even on weekends/holidays
✅ Best For:
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Younger adults or aviation enthusiasts
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People who can commit to irregular shifts
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Those who enjoy high-energy environments
6. Delivery Drivers / Dispatch Riders (Morning Routes)
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 4am to 6am
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End: 12pm to 1pm
💼 Nature of Work:
Responsible for delivering goods (bread, milk, newspapers, parcels) to shops, homes, or offices early in the day. This includes supermarket supplies and F&B ingredients.
💰 Salary:
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Van driver (company): $2,200 – $2,800/month
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Contract delivery (self-employed): $80 – $150/day, depending on volume
🧠 Difficulty:
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Must navigate traffic, parking, and schedules
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Can be monotonous and lonely
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Self-employed drivers bear own petrol and maintenance costs
✅ Best For:
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Drivers with Class 3/3A license
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Those who enjoy working alone
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People wanting flexible hours
7. Newspaper Delivery Workers
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 2am to 4am
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End: 6am to 8am
💼 Nature of Work:
Deliver newspapers to HDB flats, condos, and offices. Routes are usually fixed and paid by volume.
💰 Salary:
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Freelance: $800 – $1,200/month for 2–3 hours daily
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Full-time logistics staff: $1,600 – $2,200/month
🧠 Difficulty:
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Requires own transport (bicycle or scooter)
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Tedious and lonely, especially in the dark
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High discipline required for punctuality
✅ Best For:
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Retirees, students, or people with other jobs
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Those who want to earn side income in early hours
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Night owls willing to work before sunrise
8. Warehouse Assistants (Early Shifts)
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 6am to 7am
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End: 12pm to 1pm
💼 Nature of Work:
Sorting, packing, loading and unloading goods in warehouses or logistic hubs. Some morning shifts are designed to fulfill same-day delivery schedules.
💰 Salary:
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Full-time: $1,800 – $2,400/month
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Temp/Part-time: ~$10–12/hour
🧠 Difficulty:
✅ Best For:
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Physically strong individuals
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Foreign workers or those without formal qualifications
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People who like routine tasks
9. Early Morning Tuition Teachers / Pre-School Educators
⏰ Working Hours:
💼 Nature of Work:
Pre-school educators teach young children basic math, reading, and motor skills. Some tuition centres also run early classes for kindergarten or primary school students.
💰 Salary:
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Pre-school teacher: $1,800 – $2,800/month
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Tuition teacher (part-time): $20 – $40/hour
🧠 Difficulty:
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Emotional patience is essential
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Requires certification (e.g. WSQ, ECDA)
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Demanding attention spans from young kids
✅ Best For:
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Women returning to workforce
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Individuals passionate about child development
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Anyone looking for part-day professional roles
10. Dog Walkers / Pet Boarding Staff (AM Shifts)
⏰ Working Hours:
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Start: 6am to 7am
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End: 10am to 12pm
💼 Nature of Work:
Dog walkers, especially in condos, take pets for exercise early in the day. Pet boarding staff also feed, clean, and monitor animals staying at pet hotels.
💰 Salary:
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Dog walking: $15 – $30/hour
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Pet boarding staff: $1,800 – $2,400/month
🧠 Difficulty:
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Must love animals and be physically active
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Outdoor work in all weather
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Not suitable for those with allergies or phobias
✅ Best For:
Why Choose Early Morning Jobs?
✅ Advantages:
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Free afternoons for family, errands, or second job
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Less traffic and quieter working environments
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Ideal for “morning people” or those avoiding nightlife
❌ Challenges:
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Requires early sleeping habits (8pm–9pm bedtime)
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Limited social life due to opposite working hours
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Some jobs are physically demanding or undervalued
How to Find These Jobs in Singapore
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Job Platforms: Indeed, JobStreet, FastJobs, MyCareersFuture
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Word-of-Mouth: Wet markets, hawker centres, or bakery chains
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Apps: GrabJobs, Glints for part-time and gig roles
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Visit Direct: Hawker stalls, cleaning companies, logistics firms
Conclusion: Essential
While early morning jobs may seem tough, they form the backbone of Singapore's daily life. These unsung heroes ensure we have clean streets, hot breakfasts, and fresh groceries—often before 9am. Many of these roles offer modest salaries but come with the freedom of free afternoons and a sense of purpose in servicing the community.
