Everyone is nervous and excited to start a new job. I remember my first day; my stomach was a mess, my heart pounding with pure anxiety. It was actually like that for at least a solid week. Don’t forget to factor in the millions of introductions to people of which you will never remember their names. Oh yeah, did I mention that I started this job when I was only 17 and a senior in high school? Talk about a double whammy… just starting my last high school year and jumping right into a big girl job where I was surrounded by co-workers that were all my parents’ age. Long story short, I survived and thrived at this job for 7 years. I didn’t stay in the exact same office with the same people, but I worked my way up and got promoted several times. The job had good perks like flexible hours, earned leave, great healthcare that is affordable, decent pay (especially right out of high school) and did I mention that they offered to pay school tuition?
But guess what, I hated it. I never felt entirely fulfilled. I yearned for something that made me feel truly accomplished and allowed for me to unleash my creative side. Every time I even considered leaving I would begin to think of how ingrained I had become in the position I was in and how great the pay was. Guilt consumed me. I understood that it seemed like I was taking this opportunity for granted, but I wasn’t.
Was it bad that I secretly wished that my work situation had been worse? If I had a horrible boss, awful pay, was surrounded by toxic people or had no leave benefits, maybe I would have decided to leave earlier. Don’t get me wrong; there were plenty of toxic people that I encountered at this job on a daily basis, but I chose to see past those people because in reality, they are everywhere and will likely be at any job that I chose. So basically what I am trying to say is, there are plenty of times where it would be considered an obvious decision to leave your job, and I would not necessarily consider my case as one of those times.
So now bares the question, how do you know when it is time to quit your job if there is no obvious reason for you to do so? Well, I found the not so easy answer: when you are ready to take a giant leap of faith and focus on yourself and your wants for a change.
Words cannot even describe how anxious, scared, worried, uncertain I was to actually follow through with the decision to quit my job. When the time grew closer I could not quiet the constant doubting thoughts that ran through my mind.
“Am I stupid to let such a good opportunity go?”
“So many people would do anything for this job. Why am I leaving?”
“Am I really just going to throw the last 7 years of work away?”
And the list could go on and on…
No matter how many people I asked for advice, I learned that no one could make this decision for me. I had to take this leap of faith on my own. When it really came down to it, there were irrefutable signs that signified it was time for me to leave my comfort zone and find out what else was out there for me:
- Are you constantly thinking/ worrying about work when you are not at work?
Your work stress should only remain at work. I found myself unable to be in the moment, unable enjoy my downtime with my family, constantly worrying about what occurred at work and unable to recharge before I went back to work. If you are not able to compartmentalize your work stress, you may need to consider quitting your job.
- Is it affecting your health?
Excessive stress can be incredibly unhealthy. I found myself constantly anxious. I actually began to lose sleep. Have you ever heard of Sunday-somnia where the weekend passes by too quickly and you can’t sleep Sunday night because you know you will have to wake up for work the next day? Well that ended up being me every single night. I lost sleep over being so anxious for work the next morning. If you find that you are experiencing this, you need to consider making yourself and your health a priority by quitting your job.
- Is it affecting all aspects of your life?
Not only did I find myself overly stressed and anxious a lot of the time, I felt depressed often. My emotions were all over the place and it was affecting my relationships with those that were close to me. I found myself starting arguments for no reason just because I was in a miserable state of mind. If your unhappiness with your job is affecting your life and relationships, consider quitting your job.
- Do you feel like you are fated for better things?
It took me a while to fully grasp what my interests were in life. Once I realized what I truly enjoyed doing and what my dream job would be, I had a strong yearning for bigger and better things. I began to feel trapped in the job that I had and felt like if I were to stay there any longer I was not doing myself justice and I was just playing it safe. If you feel this way, push yourself to quit your job and aim for the stars.
- Have you lost all desire for your career?
I, like many people in my generation, believe that you should love your career. I craved a job where I would actually be excited to wake up everyday. I craved a job where I would feel accomplished and proud of myself. If you have lost the passion for your job, or maybe you never had it, consider quitting your job.
Are you ready to quit your job now? Did you agree with many if not all of my signs that it is time to quit?
I get it if you are still not fully ready to take the leap and quit. Don’t tell anyone but… I still doubted my decision up until the very last second when I was walking out to my car and the deed was already done. I still have those gut-sinking moments when I realize that I actually did it, I actually quit my job.
But you know what, I am proud of myself for taking the leap of faith, for finally focusing on myself for a change. I realize now that every soul-sucking moment I spent at that job, was just another moment that I could have been working towards my dreams. So I say, take that leap of faith! Stop searching for reasons why you shouldn’t, or for someone else to tell you what to do. If you are asking the question, Should I quit my job? Chances are, you already know the answer deep down anyway.
Kirsty Conway 