Is It Time to Quit Your Job?
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It it time to go? It might be.
Just popping in for my yearly check-in about being way past the expiration date of joy in your job. Hopefully not. What I hope is that you all have excellent bosses, coworkers, and culture, and are happy as clams.
And the reality is that jobs expire. Just like relationships, not everything is made to be forever, and that’s totally okay.
We’re often taught to power through discomfort at work, to hang in there no matter what, because quitting isn’t always an option. And that’s 100% true — most people can’t just up and peace out from their jobs, considering bills, families, mortgages, responsibilities. I’m not certainly suggesting that if you're not glowing with happiness every morning, you should march in and give your notice.
But what I am saying is: it’s worth checking in with yourself. Are you way past the point of joy in your job?
Some jobs, and bosses, don’t get better.
Let’s be honest. If you've been frustrated with the same thing, or the same person, for years at work, that’s likely not going to magically change. That manager who lacks emotional intelligence, that team dynamic (or person) that sucks the life out of you, that impossible workload that no one’s addressing.
That’s probably not going to just suddenly turn around. I don’t mean to say this to discourage anyone, but to empower you to stop waiting for change that may never arrive.
“Here’s where clarity can help your mental health: decide. If you’re staying, own the decision to stay. Choose it. That shift in mindset alone can maybe help to lighten the load.”
You don’t have to quit, but it can help a lot to decide.
Here’s where clarity can help your mental health: decide. If you’re staying, own the decision to stay. Choose it. That shift in mindset alone can maybe help to lighten the load. You can stop wondering every day whether you should go, and just get on with being the best, most grounded version of yourself making the best in the situation you’re in.
Or — if staying is truly draining the life out of you — start planning your exit. Quietly, methodically, responsibly. You don’t need a dramatic resignation scene. But you can proactively make moves that provide a plan that gets you moving toward a place where you can regain your sanity and/or feel like yourself again.
“Work can be hard and a job doesn’t have to be pure blissful delight, but it shouldn’t completely hollow you out.”
Joy matters, a lot.
If you find yourself at home and outside of work talking for hours about how miserable work is, ranting to your partner, friends, kids… that’s not nothing. That’s a signal. Work can be hard and a job doesn’t have to be pure blissful delight, but it shouldn't completely hollow you out.
If there’s a version of your life that includes more joy, better workplace culture, and a team with people on it that you would actually like seeing every day, it’s worth exploring. Maybe someone else would come in and thrive in your current job. And maybe you’d completely thrive somewhere else.
“You’re allowed to want more. And sometimes, that means saying, “This was fun… but bye!””
TL;DR, take inventory.
If things are rough you don’t need to quit today. But you may find it helpful to restore some peace of mind to stop pretending things will change if they haven’t in years. Choose your path: stay and commit with peace, or start planning your way out. Either way, your joy and wellbeing deserves a role in the conversation.
You’re allowed to want more. And sometimes, that means saying, “This was fun… but bye!”
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop
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