Sometimes it’s difficult to know when it’s time to quit your current job.
All sorts of emotions can be flying around your head when you think about the prospect of leaving, even if you’ve been unhappy for a while.
We’ve composed this blog post to help lift you out of the quagmire so you can see clearly what your next steps could be.
The Problem
Just like with any relationship, we all go through times in our job where things are less rosy than at the start. How do we know if it’s time to take a holiday or log onto Indeed?
It’s Just a Blip
When you start to feel a little fed up at work, there’s no need to rush to start applying for new roles. Take your time to establish what the actual issue may be. It could be one of the following:
You’re a little bored – temporarily – this happens to all of us. While the role may be great, there are always tasks we seek to avoid. Perhaps this is just one of those times?
You’re feeling undervalued – if you’ve become aware that your talents outstrip your pay scale, then why not explore Glassdoor to find out how much similar roles are paying you? Armed with this information, you can begin to put together a business case to take to your boss to ask for a raise.
You’re finding the job too easy – perhaps you need more of a challenge and to get your teeth into some new responsibilities. Look out for internal promotions or additional opportunities to contribute to the team, such as becoming a mental health champion or helping your workplace become greener. Managers are overwhelmed with their day-to-day responsibilities and may appreciate an extra pair of hands on a new project.
So how do you know this isn’t something you’ll get over?
You wake up every day feeling dread
It’s normal to feel a little anxious on a Sunday evening after a relaxing weekend and before an early start – this is just adrenaline getting you ready for a great week ahead. But if you’re consistently blue from midday Sunday afternoon, or the dread is creeping more and more into your weekend, then you need to take action to look after your mental health.
It takes you ages to wind down after the day
Again if you can’t relax after work and it’s impacting on your family time or downtime, then you have to take this as a sign that all is not well. If this is not just one project or situation that’s more stressful than normal, then the feeling may pass after the issue has been resolved or the work completed. But if this is the typical state of things for you, then take note. If your loved ones are pointing out that you seem distracted, have a good think about why this may be the case.
You’ve been feeling this way for months
Leading on from the last point, if you’ve not been yourself for months, if your hobbies have fallen by the wayside or your work is affecting your self-esteem, it’s time to change it up.
You want a change
Sometimes you just need a change, and that’s okay! You don’t have to leave it to the point of detesting your current role to take action. In fact, it’s better to start looking while you still have some love left for your current job, because this means you’re still giving it your best and not getting to the point of burnout. This stage leads to decreased productivity and can harm your self-esteem and also put any glowing reference in jeopardy. Instead, quit while you’re ahead and make a bang somewhere else!
You took a holiday and still feel fed up (not just post-holiday blues)
When you feel fed up in the current role, it could be a sign that you’re tired and need a little break. That’s completely to be expected and it’s the whole reason we have holiday entitlement in the first place – it’s not a luxury, it’s for your wellbeing. But if the holiday didn’t change the way you feel about things, or worse – if you spent your entire holiday worrying about going back to work or devising plans to leave, then you definitely have your answer.
Most of us have to work to live, so it’s not always going to be the most fun in the world. There aren’t many of us who wouldn’t prefer to be on a permanent holiday if we could choose! But work should still be enjoyable and not a prison sentence.
If your job is crushing your soul, then life is too short. The longer you leave it, the more confidence you’ll lose – and you need your confidence to get through the application process for a new role.