When the thought of quitting your job crosses your mind every day, then perhaps it is time to have a serious talk with yourself about what you want to do with life. And it’s okay if that decision includes actually quitting your job.
It’s important to be able to differentiate between one bad day at work and a continuous pattern of bad days at work. If you’re having doubts about your job and possibly facing any of the issues below, then maybe it’s time to move on somewhere else.
You’re Constantly Between Boredom & Procrastination
Bored at work?
Staring at the clock all day? Not everyday of work is exciting, but if you are stuck in an endless routine that doesn’t make you grow and you see no promotions coming your way, you’re probably bored. If you finish your tasks as soon as they are assigned to you to get them out of the way so you can freely scroll through social media for the rest of the day, then something is sort of wrong. Likewise, if you procrastinate more than you actually work, that’s an indication something is off too.
The Balance Careers explained that it’s okay to procrastinate from time to time but “at least some part of your job [should be] more interesting than scrolling Facebook or browsing BuzzFeed”. But at the same time, among some of the reasons you might feel bored is because you’re overqualified and see no room for advancement. If you feel like you’re not growing, and that you’ve taken a subpar job just to get by, it’s time to start looking for a new thing. It’s only fair for you to invest your energy and time in something that will help you grow.
You’re Always Complaining
Photo from Business Insider
What’s the last thing you ranted about with your friends? Essentially, it’s okay to complain occasionally, but if you’ve gotten to a point where the company goals don’t match yours and absolutely nothing aligns with your values, then it’s time to start thinking. Consider that there is a thin line between feeling upset but moving on, and instantly running to your friends, family, or coworkers to vent. As vents have it, you unfold everything: workplace issues, difficult bosses, your own personal issues, and the list goes on.
Generally, the first trigger cause in complaining comes from your boss making you miserable. According to Psychology Today, if you’ve tried to work out issues you have with your boss and still so no improvement, quitting a job seems imminent anyway. Another reason you could be complaining is because of money. In these current times with COVID-19 aftereffects, a lot of salary cuts and layoffs are going around, and perhaps it would be too risky to quit in the name of hoping for a job with a higher salary. However, it is easy for resentment to build up if you are underpaid.
Constant Physical, Emotional & Mental Exhaustion
Exhaustion
More often than not, this is the case in toxic, negative work environments. This is the kind of job where you feel like it’s difficult to be happy and for some reason, every little thing turns into a big problem. A major issue in these kinds of environments is that you start doubting your entire career choice altogether. Day by day, you feel more exhausted and less willing to get out of bed, get dressed and go to work.
As The Balance Careers put it, “While it’s normal to have qualms about the work day, if you truly, deeply dread those eight or so hours at the office, it is time to put in your two weeks’ notice.” One key indicator that work is toxic is that you simply have no time to exercise, sleep, eat healthily, see friends and family, and do other things that bring you personal satisfaction. And somehow, the lack of happiness always traces back to your job.
You Work On Weekends & Holidays…And You Didn’t Agree To This
If you love something, you are going to do it anyway – without being asked. But if you’re suddenly working on weekends and holidays, without getting paid, you will eventually crack. One weekend given to work…that’s fine. Another? Alright. A third? A fourth? And the list keeps going. That is not okay. This is a sign you need to talk to HR and either ask to get paid for the work you do on holidays, or stop working on holidays.
Every relationship has boundaries, and your life with work needs them too. “Holidays are supposed to be your downtime. They are your break from reality ‒ a chance to chill out and take stock of things. How on earth can you do that when you’re getting emails to your phone every five minutes?” write TopCV.
You Aren’t Yourself Anymore
This is a difficult point and relatively hard to figure out, but if you haven’t been feeling like yourself lately, you need to figure out why. Sometimes, feeling different is a good thing and that this change in personality and feeling was for the better. But other times, it feels as though you’ve lost the spark that makes you who you are. According to LifeHack, if you’ve lost the will to care about anything in life including how you dress and the effort that goes into your work or personal life too, that’s a sure sign something is wrong.
Before you enter into a spiral of negativity, look at your job and work life and if it’s the root cause of this feeling, this a major sign to move on. “What’s the point of making a living if you don’t have time to actually live?”, asks LifeHack.
