There are times in our careers when we meet a crossroad—should I stick this out, or is it time to move forward?
The hesitation to move either way often lies in uncertainty. We’re unsure if quitting is the right thing to do, and if it is, if it’s the right time to do it. Below is a guide to help assist with your decision. If these signs are present, you may want to choose the road that leads to the nearest exit.
- Mornings Equal Misery. Your mornings should be charged with focus, planning, excitement and determination. It’s one thing to generally not be a morning person, it’s an entirely different ball game when you wake up with a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach because another 8 hours of gloom lie ahead. If you’re working 5 days a week and each of those days start out dreadful, imagine the toll that’s taking on your livelihood.
- The work is unfulfilling. You’re much less motivated when there is no return on your work investment, and a paycheck isn’t enough. In order to remain motivated, your work should feel like you’ve making a valuable contribution.
- You’d much rather be doing something else. Yes, we all wish we could vacate every day, even when we love our jobs, but if the entire time you’re at work you’re imagining yourself doing something, anything, other than what you’re tasked to do, it may be time for you to move on.
- The job is misaligned with your overall goals. If your job isn’t adding to your bigger picture, it’s taking away from it. Given the amount of time spent at work, make sure that some, or even most, aspects of what you’re doing can contribute to what you ultimately want to do.
- You’re stressed to no end. Know what your job isn’t worth? Your health. Stress can have a negative impact on your body, your mind, and your spirit. Life is much too short for you to spend 2080 of the 8760 hours a year experiencing mental and/or emotional strain due to work.
- Abuse. By no means should verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse be tolerated in the workplace. If this is your experience, pack up your self-worth and head to the door.
- You don’t share your employers value system. Not agreeing with some things that happens at work is okay. Not agreeing with the core of your work’s ethics, culture, or values is not.
- The ship is sinking. No need to go down with it.
- You’re complacent. Sometimes, it’s time to move on when you’re simply floating by. There are great benefits including growth, pride, and sense of accomplishment when we are constantly challenged at work and consistently rise to the occasion. Not only are you doing yourself a disservice by just existing in your work space, you’re also robbing the employer of an employee who is motivated, eager, and invested.
- Lack of respect. Once the respect for your talent, your contributions, or your being is gone, you need to be leaving right along with it.
If the above sounds like your situation then yes, it’s probably quitting time.
Safon Floyd is the Digital Editor at Black Enterprise. Follow her on social media @accordingtofon.