I'm a Gen Z office worker and I love my 9-to-5 because it gives structure to my life. I've had a flexible job and it was frustrating and demoralizing.

• Louise Castonguay graduated in 2018 and started a flexible job with a small social media agency. 
• She said the lack of a consistent hours and work in her flexible role was demoralizing . 
• Starting a 9-to-5 job felt like a rite of passage and helped her carve out a career path. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Louise Castonguay, a 26-year-old who started a 9-to-5 job in Toronto in 2020. Her employment has been verified by Insider. The text has been edited for length and clarity. 

I've worked as a social media specialist at a discount grocery app called Flashfood in a remote, 9-to-5 position since 2020. I used to have a more flexible job, but I quit because I wanted the security of a 9-to-5.