Realizing you want to quit your job isn’t something that happens overnight. Itβs a gradual process, a buildup of details both small and large that chip away at you over time. Usually, it happens when the professional situation you entered has evolved into something completely different. Either that, or you yourself have changed.
Speaking from firsthand growing pains and experience, here’s how best to determine when to quit your job.
YOU’LL KNOW WHEN TO quit your job if…
Youβre Physically and Mentally Exhausted
You know what they say: Donβt compare yourself to anyone but the old you. Well, think about how you felt when you first entered into this particular work arena. Since then, have you been suffering from burnout? If you notice yourself feeling lethargic, less excited to get out bed in the morning, with a foggy memory and having a tough time staying present, itβs time to start listening to your body.Youβve Stopped Doing Other Things You Love
The waning inspiration to jump out of bed and get to work will likely transfer to other areas of life. For me, it was working out and maintaining a generally healthy lifestyle. For most of my life, I was relatively active and energetic. But by day’s end, I was so exhausted from work stress (endless meetings, forced politically correct interactions, etc.) that all I wanted to do was get home to be alone and decompress.Youβve Replaced Healthy Habits With Not-So-Healthy Habits
At the time of this transition, I worked in Hollywood. Every night was followed by an even better event, dinner, or party not to be missed. While it wasnβt a requirement of my job, it was a perk. But looking back, these perks simply distracted me from my goals. I attended these events to make being unsatisfied on the career front worth it. Thatβs what happens when youβre not getting what you want in your career or life: You lose focus and seek distractions. Spoiler alert: This isn’t the right way to get ahead.Your Goals Have Changed
When I first started out, I was laser-focused on making it in Hollywood, working 10-hour days for pennies. All that hard work paid off. But when I got to where I was going, growth stopped along with my motivation. I was also getting older, and the fast-paced lifestyle that brought me success was getting hard to keep up with. No one was more shocked than I was to realize that the bigger picture just wasnβt adding up anymore.What To Do Next
If youβre not feeling like yourself day in and day out, youβre right to think you might need to make a change. Here are actionable steps to take before making big career shifts:Do Your Due Diligence
You canβt, in good conscience, walk away from something you value unless youβve explored all possible options. Itβs also not a good idea to act impulsively when youβre feeling emotional. Before making any life-changing decisions, take an inventory of what you really want for yourself at present. Evaluate if your current position is getting you closer to it.Network & explore Alternative opportunities
Leaving was something that had been on my mind for at least a year, but there was one thing I had to do before I pulled the trigger. My main issue was that there wasnβt any growth within my department. I was feeling stagnant and wanted a new career challenge that would lend itself to the stability I was craving. I set meetings with all the right people to explore alternative opportunities within the company. There wasnβt anything that aligned, but I owed it to myself to check out the possibilities before calling it quits.Enact a mature Exit Strategy
So youβve confidently decided youβve reached the end of this road. Congrats! Youβve thought it through, and while it can be scary not to know whatβs next, itβs more freeing than anything. Youβve talked out your options, and youβre leaving the right way. Itβs not like youβre fleeing in a blaze of glory; itβs just time. You’ll sleep better at night knowing you went about it the right way. Trust: Small details like properly giving your two weeks’ notice and remaining on good terms with old co-workers is the mature move to make. Besides, you have your whole life ahead of youβand now itβs on your terms. At the end of the day, you won’t be starting from scratch, but rather from experience.More like this