My job makes me unhappy. Should I quit it?
Everyone’s first reaction to your question would be: “Yes! Why don’t you quit?” but I would say it’s you who knows best whether you should quit or not. Sometimes even the best job in the world for us can get a little frustrating.
I don’t mean to complicate the decision in the process of helping you. Don’t worry. I have a clear answer below. I just want you to think over a few points.
Let’s get into this.
If a job makes anyone unhappy, the most common reason for staying there is money. At times, we hate following the same routine every day, going to a boring and frustrating job, but we are bound to continue out of financial responsibilities and momentum.
A job can also make you unhappy for multiple reasons like work culture, stressful work hours, social pressure, etc. You know better than me, so I won’t presume. By the way, just in case you are unhappy that your job is just not as good as you’d like it to be, remember that it’s a part of human nature to compere ourselves to others, especially in regard to jobs and careers. The reason is we usually overlook people who wish they had the things that we have. A lack of perspective can be a big part of why we get stressed and unhappy. Not saying that’s your position, or that there’s nothing legitimately bad about your job, but I thought I’d mention it.
Quitting a job is not easy, so people take a lot of time to make a decision, often putting it off forever, because we fear stepping out of our comfort zone.
For your situation, I would suggest you reconsider the factors that are making you unhappy. Are they temporary or permanent? If those are temporary, explore what you can do to set those right as soon as possible. If they are permanent or ongoing, then you should not waste your mental energy by pondering over them. Prepare yourself to quit by considering the following tips:
1) Start exploring other job options.
2) Prepare yourself mentally and financially, as sometimes it might take longer to find a new job than you predicted, and that’s okay.
3) Start working on skills. Improve what you know and expand to adjacent areas.
4) Change your spending habits, and learn how to survive on reduced income. Don’t lean too hard on this aspect of living, but don’t neglect it entirely either.
5) Look for part-time jobs, freelancing, and what we call online money making. You don’t have to throw every waking hour into this stuff to build a decent side income, which will supplement a holdover job greatly. Then, if you really enjoy that online money making process, you can lean into it and grow it until you don’t need any job at all.
The above points are general suggestions. Normally, I would be more liberal with my follow-your-heart advice and say to just quit, but we are in unusual times where keeping a job is a wiser decision than usual.
In my case, I didn’t have such an option. I was fired. Ultimately, after a lot of setbacks, I am now earning money online exclusively and do not work a traditional job. It’s been that way for the last seven years, and every year is way better than the last. I make way more than what I did, for the time I spend working, all with no commute, no obligation to bosses, nothing. So if that prospect appeals to you at all, rest easy, I can help you with that.
In the last few years, the stress level in jobs has increased significantly. I have made a post: Iām Ready to Quit My Job YESTERDAY, How Do I Do It? which can give you more points to ease your decision. It can be helpful for anyone who has quit a job or is planning to quit. Due to the overwhelming response that this post has received, I would recommend you to read it. You can also explore the ‘Unhappy Jobs‘ category in the Knowledge Base section on my website for valuable tips on jobs and career decisions.
To sum up, after considering the points stated in this answer, and keeping a positive mindset, you may plan to quit your job and move into something you enjoy more and ideally has better financial prospects as well. The opportunity is out there.
Please feel free to reply if you have any questions. š
Good Luck!
Thanks,
Cleo