Most adults must work to live. But what if you hate your job? Some people feel trapped in their jobs even when the job negatively affects them. So how do you know when it’s best to leave a job and find a new one? The following five circumstances are surefire reasons to quit your job.
1. You are bored at work
Maybe you’ve been working at the company for a long time and have reached a point where you cannot progress any further. The tasks have become mundane and you’ve literally memorized your job duties. Or you just started working for a company and have realized the position doesn’t offer many challenges or much variety. Being stuck in boredom at work is depressing and may make you feel undervalued. If you are unable to transfer to a different position, or you don’t see any opportunities for advancement, it is time to pack up and move on.
2. You dread the job
Something, or maybe a few things, about the job makes you dread going to work. Maybe it is your schedule, job duties, workload, coworkers, or boss. Whatever it is, it displeases you so much that you are miserable–before work, at work, and just thinking about work. The job is affecting your attitude: you lack motivation to do your work, you call in sick often, you arrive at work late and sneak out early, your mood is generally down, and you begin keeping to yourself. If you dislike your job so much that it affects your mood, actions, and attitude, you should be looking for a new job.
3. You are being harassed
“Office politics” is a common problem at many companies. People are social beings, so they gossip, choose sides, and form cliques–even at work. Unfortunately, some employees get picked on by their coworkers or boss. Being made fun of, being the brunt of mean jokes, being physically overpowered or assaulted, or receiving unwanted sexual advances are all reasons to report the situation and person who harassed you. However, often there needs to be multiple reports against a person before action is taken to correct the situation, and most people who are harassed aren’t willing to wait that long for a solution. Being repeatedly harassed is a reasonable reason to quit a job.
4. The job is too stressful
You’re in a position where everyone dumps work on you, your boss has very high expectations, or your position is over your head. You’re overloaded with work that is impossible to keep up with and it is only getting worse. You don’t see yourself ever getting out of this predicament. You’ve tried talking to your boss and coworkers, but they say, “that’s just the nature of the job.” You stick around, trying your best to catch up with the workload, but the situation is not improving. There may be nothing else to do but to look for another job that is more rewarding and reasonable.
5. Your health is at risk
All of the reasons above may eventually affect your overall health if sustained long enough. There could be other reasons for poor health due to a job, such as performing physically challenging work when your body just can’t handle it. Either way, it is always best to leave a job that is negatively affecting your health. Health is very crucial to happiness and wellbeing–and well, being alive–so if the decision is between a debilitating job and your health, you know which to choose.
Knowing when to quit a job is important for maintaining sanity, dignity, health, and happiness. When you see your situation at work is hopeless or heading downhill, start looking for another job immediately. You may be able to find new work in a reasonable amount of time so that your finances won’t be affected much. Don’t wait for your situation at work to get so bad that you must leave without having financial backup. And don’t be timid or afraid to look for a new job. Believe in yourself and move on when necessary.