Signs it’s Time to Quit Your Job

I’m pretty sure we’ve all complained about how much we hated our jobs at one point. I’m certain there have been times when you swore you would quit after having a stressful day. We’ve all been there before, and if you haven’t, yes you have. Don’t front!

Even if you consider it to be the best job in all of eternity, it’s still a job. There will be moments when you want to flip tables, curse out your boss, or dramatically quit in a fit of rage. I know some mornings, I’m guilty of thinking, “can I just not show up for work today?” Of course, I’ve never acted on those thoughts because it’s not in my character.

Anyway, the point is that everybody has those “do I really need this job?” moments. But if you find yourself having those thoughts a little too frequently, you might have a bigger problem on your hands. Yes, a job is a job, but you shouldn’t feel miserable every time you get ready for work. At that point, it may be time to consider finding work elsewhere.

Here are some signs that maybe it’s time to stop threatening to leave your job and actually submit your letter of resignation.

Reason One: You’re not motivated enough to produce quality work

What motivates you to work to the best of your ability? And don’t say the pay or the benefits! I’m a firm believer that something should motivate you to get up every morning and get yourself to work. For me, it’s the fact that I get to do what I enjoy all day, which is writing! Sure, 90% of the content I write is about teeth, but that’s beside the point.

The pay and the benefits may be nice enough to get you to your job every day, but what’s actually motivating you to produce your best work? People who just go for the perks end up doing the bare minimum, just enough to not get fired. If you’re not motivated enough to perform at your best, you might want to start looking for another job.

You should enjoy your place of work enough to produce quality content. Besides, do you really want to spend eight hours of your day doing something you aren’t passionate about? Do you really want to get through life half-assing your work?

It’s not fair to you, and it’s definitely not fair to the workers who want to be there. Nothing is more infuriating than having to pick up someone else’s slack because they don’t care enough about their job to actually work.

Reason Two: You’re not getting along with your coworkers, managers, boss, etc.

Listen. As I said before, you’ll be spending eight hours of your day at this job. You should at least enjoy being around the people who will also be there with you. I’m not necessarily saying you have to become best friends with your colleagues. But you definitely don’t want to hate the people you’ll be seeing for such a large portion of your day.

If you aren’t getting along with your coworkers or superiors, it’ll make your job a lot more frustrating. There’s the general stress of work, and now you have to deal with the tension between you and Becky. It’s not healthy for you to be in that situation so often. And to those with the “I came here to work, not make friends” mentality, boo you! Obviously, you’re there to work, but you’ll be seeing those people so often that friendships are bound to occur. Whether or not you take that friendship outside of the office is up to you.

If you’re always counting down the hours until you can finally get away from Becky and all the rest of your colleagues, perhaps consider finding employment elsewhere. Maybe you might find your workplace bestie at this other place, or maybe you won’t. The end goal is to find people you can tolerate being around for the majority of the day.

Reason Three: Your coworkers or superiors are toxic

Now, if your superiors and colleagues are toxic, you need to get out of there as fast as possible. This is probably the only reason I can excuse someone leaving a job without putting in a notice or having another job in line first.

Nobody deserves to work in a toxic work environment. It isn’t fair for you to put up with that every day. You’re destroying your mental health when you allow yourself to sit there and take all the BS your toxic colleagues give you. It’s a lot worse when your boss or supervisor is the problem. I’ve had a few of those.

Now, a toxic work environment is about more than just you hating your job. You’re surrounded by so much stress and negativity, and it can really impact your work and your mental health. You might be in a toxic work environment if your boss or coworkers constantly do any of these:

These are just a few cases, but you get the picture. So many awful things can create a toxic work environment, and that’s not something you should stand for. Sometimes, you can also tell if a work environment is toxic by other employees’ lack of motivation and if there’s a high turnover rate.

Ultimately, if you feel like your job is more like a high school with bullies, cliques, and all that, chances are it’s a toxic place to work. Get the hell out of there!

Reason Four: You see no room for growth

There’s no reason for you to be working as hard as you do at your job if you’re going to be in the same position forever. The right job should allow you to grow in your career and personal life. Though some people do see themselves remaining in their current position, there still should be opportunities available. You may turn them down if you please, or maybe you’ll surprise yourself and give it a shot.

One thing I love about my current job is that they always encourage us to grow in our personal and professional careers. They’re also big on promoting from within.

If you don’t see any opportunities to advance in your career, it may be worth finding another place to work. I’m learning this about myself, but it’s good to have something that can take you out of your comfort zone a little. You can’t grow if you’re stuck doing the same familiar things, and you might even discover a new passion.

Don’t settle for a poopy job just to get by. Put your mad skills to use at a job that will appreciate your efforts and give you plenty of opportunities to continuously grow.

Reason Five: You feel depressed the day before you have to go back after a weekend or vacation

Ah, the dreaded Sunday Scaries. Even though people make jokes about this, it’s pretty obvious that you aren’t happy with your current job if you get this feeling every week. For some people, the mere thought of what their Monday will look like can literally ruin their entire day. Now instead of relaxing, you’re stressing.

Some people get super down after vacations, too. Returning to your everyday, boring life after a relaxing getaway can make anyone feel disappointed. Having it downright depress you is a whole other story.

I once had a job where I was on a week-long vacation. It was the longest I’ve taken off any job, and it was such a blast! As I was driving home, I started feeling anxious about my workload when I returned to work that Monday. When I was going to work after my first day back from vacation, I felt like I was suffocating as I was nearing the parking lot of the building. I think it was at that moment I knew I had to start looking for other jobs.

If you dread going back to work after a weekend or taking some time off, it might be time to spread those wings and fly to another place to work. This is especially important if you start getting physical symptoms like panic attacks. Sure, it’s work, but it shouldn’t take a toll on your health. At that point, you gotta put yourself first.

So, now what?

If any of these things resonated with you, don’t feel bad. It’s actually a good thing to realize when a job or career isn’t your cup of tea. Sure, it could take some time before you find the right job for you, but it’s better to see what else is out there that can challenge you and help you grow. You can’t do that by staying at a job that makes you feel miserable.

Let’s say after reading this, you thought, “you know, I think I do want to quit my job!” here are some quick tips to help you do it with grace and integrity:

• Have another job lined up
• Have enough money saved to pay for expenses
• Make sure this is something you really want to do
• Never burn bridges

Hopefully, this helped you realize what’s important to you and that no job is worth sacrificing your sanity. There’s nothing wrong with leaving a job, especially if it’s harming your mental health. Please also remember that this is just my two cents, and I am not a professional career advisor or therapist. I just says what I feels. 😎

Thanks so much for reading!

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