To quit or not - how to make a decision if in doubt? How to understand that it's time to quit

Almost every person spends a considerable part of his life at the workplace. In view of this, the working regime, wages and other conditions should give satisfaction to the worker. It is this kind of activity that is worthy of attention. But if every morning the thought arises: “I don’t want to go to work,” then it’s worth analyzing the reasons for this reluctance.

If this is simple laziness, but everything else is fine, then you need to work on yourself. If you don’t like your job, and there is a whole list of things in which it doesn’t suit you, then it’s best to consider the option of changing your team, office, or even field of activity.

Self-destruction instilled in childhood

How to make a decision when in doubt? There are many ways and tricks that will help you cope with this task. First of all, you need to refuse the recommendations of people who lived in Soviet times. After all, they never had the thought: “I don’t want to go to work,” they only had the understanding that they had to go and should be grateful to their employer for helping them earn their bread and butter. What can I say, such an inveterate thought was introduced to our ancestors by the experienced “slave owners” of those times. And if they were looking for a new job, then before leaving the old one. So as not to take risks and not be left with nothing.

From childhood they were told: “Work, otherwise you won’t earn enough to retire, work in one place so that the state will value you and provide for you in your old age.” You can talk about this topic for a long time, the main thing is, before you hear them, take a look at whether their activities in one workplace were overrated? Do they live without denying themselves anything? Probably not.

Support from loved ones

It is difficult for a person to decide to make a change in his life. This applies to any event. Therefore, it is very important for relatives or friends to be in the allied camp and approve of the intentions.

Without support and under the pressure of fears, a person makes a weak decision

In order not to be left alone with possible problems from dismissal, it is advisable to enlist the support of like-minded people. To do this, you need to explain to your loved ones that the decision to quit is important to you. It is worth taking into the camp of like-minded people those people who think not in stereotypes, but based on the realities of life. When giving advice, they should be guided by the desire to help make the right decision and survive the consequences of its implementation.

This step before changing jobs is important even because people can help with advice and assess the situation from the outside. It may happen that you change your mind about quitting. But in most cases, support from relatives helps to overcome fears, making you more confident and stronger.

Solution path

Therefore, you should not be afraid to move from place to place until you find a job that will bring joy and not burden your life. That is, first of all, you must realize that there is nothing wrong with changing your job or profession. Do not follow the lead of those who adhere to the opinion established over the years that one must endure and work through force. Of course, it’s good if you like the job, and you will work at it for decades, conquering career heights. But if the work is not to your liking, then there is no need to waste your energy.

Of course, you shouldn’t prove to your grandparents or mom and dad that they are not modern and don’t understand anything. Understand that this is their opinion and they have the right not to deviate from it. Nevertheless, you are a person of a new generation who is more confident and knows what was inaccessible to your ancestors. So just go your own way and don’t let the decision be made for you.

It's time to study!

Hate your job? Maybe it's not the work, but you! Perhaps you just became bored and uninterested. Go study! It's time! Improve your qualifications, get a new profession, develop a hobby - this will give a powerful boost to your brain and new acquaintances, increase your value in the labor market and distract you from depressive thoughts.

Also read: 20 proven ways to succeed at work How to choose a profession if you don’t know what you want?!

Common reasons for dismissal

How do you know when it's time to quit? This question has a lot of answers. After all, each person has his own reasons and ambitions. However, there are a number of underlying issues that cause people to break down and leave their jobs. These include:

• Feeling of self-doubt during working hours. When a person cannot be himself in the office where he spends a large part of his life, over time he begins to burn out. He doesn’t know whether to quit or not, and is carrying an unbearable burden, suppressing his temper and forgetting that he is a person. When the last drop of patience falls into the cup, the employee finds ways to decide to quit, and does it without hesitation.

• There is not a moment left to yourself. If a job brings income, but a person cannot even afford to go to a hairdresser or undergo a medical examination, then such activity is exhausting, and the search begins for a vacancy that will allow him to take care of himself and live in pleasure. Only workaholics can withstand such a busy schedule, while others leave such jobs.
• Low salary is a common reason for dismissal. Only a few who do not have any professional qualities agree to work for pennies. The majority of people are not ready to sell their time for a nominal fee, so they leave their jobs in search of a better place.
• Harmful to health. Whether it's a productive workshop that has a detrimental effect on health, or a dusty office where you can't breathe, many people don't like these conditions. Hence, this becomes another common reason for quitting.
• Insult and biased attitude on the part of superiors is another nuance that becomes the reason for the dismissal of personnel from the company.
• There is no opportunity to grow in your career. Before you decide that it’s time to quit, you need to understand for sure whether all doors at the stage of career growth are really closed for you. The lack of such an opportunity puts many people into a stupor, and the desire to work disappears.

In any case, before deciding whether to quit or not, it is worth analyzing the reasons why such a desire arose. Perhaps you are just tired, or maybe you really should leave your unloved, exhausting job forever.

Analyzing the results of brainstorming

When you finish your list, take a break. Watch a movie, go for a walk - give your brain a rest. And then start analyzing. First we do the usual calculation. Go through your list and check off the items you already have in your current job. Count how many of them you got, and think about whether you are satisfied with the ratio of what is available and what is missing, without reference to the meaning and importance of the points. It's up to you to decide what ratio is acceptable. But given the extensiveness of the list, we can say that having 50 of the listed 100 things at work is a good sign.

However, we should not forget that the situation can change over time, and quite dramatically. Let’s say, when I did this calculation for the first time, I marked 60 points as available, but when I returned to the list a year later, I “lost” 20 points. And I considered this a fairly compelling argument in favor of dismissal.

Having finished with the calculation, let's move on to the most interesting part. We conduct a qualitative analysis of the list, identifying patterns and priorities. With priorities, everything is quite simple. It is clear that the points are not in equilibrium. For example, the point “high salary” is clearly more important than “having a hammock in the office,” and it is incorrect to weigh them on the same scale. Therefore, you need to go through the list a second time and highlight the items that are subjectively very important to you. Those without whom you feel really bad. Those that relate to your development, well-being, amount of stress, overall quality of life. As a rule, there are from 10 to 15 such important points. Since you make the decision about the importance of a particular point, we can say that this is a conscious part of the qualitative analysis.

By making a shortlist of priorities, you will once again be able to answer the question of what is present and absent at your current place of work, but this time from the important things. The ratio here, in a good situation, should already be greater than 50/50. Rather, you should focus on 70/30. And if you observe a serious lack of priority items, here is another argument in favor of dismissal.

Finally, we analyze the unconscious part - we try to track patterns. To do this, we go through the list for the third time and group items that are related to each other in meaning. For example, if your list contains lines like “adequate leader”, “clear task setting” and “regular feedback”, we can say that one of your patterns is the need for competent management. It is especially important if a certain thought is expressed in different words in several points, and at different stages of the list. All patterns should be recorded separately, and within them it is worth assessing to what extent this or that group of needs is satisfied at the current place of work. And again: if you have recorded the absence of important points from the patterns, here is the third argument.

Feeling in danger

Before making a decision, if you are in doubt about its soundness, it is worth considering whether the work is safe. If while at work:

• You are being threatened.
• Your life is regularly at risk.
• Your activities are associated with dangerous people.

There are two solutions. The first one is to try to solve the problem by contacting senior management. The second of them, if the first did not help, is dismissal. After all, there is nothing more important than safety and a sense of security for a person. You can always find a place where it will be comfortable and safe.

Rules

When creating an image of your ideal job, you need to adhere to certain rules.

• The list needs to be compiled at one time. This is very important, so try not to be distracted by other things. Finish it from start to finish.
• You can't check what's written.
• All items must be unique. If they duplicate each other, they will have to be deleted. On the other hand, this indicates the special significance of this problem.
• Everything needs to be listed. The list should reflect both global issues and minor details.

The main thing is to analyze the resulting list. The first 30 points reflect thoughts about the need to change jobs. The next 40 points are usually a transition from everyday life to real ideas. And the last points reflect the employee’s real goals and desires.

Work is harmful to health

How do you know whether or not to quit your current job? Yes, very simple! If your job is harmful to your health and makes you weak, then it is not your job.

No matter how much money you pay for your work, no matter how great the team is and how interesting the work is, if at the end of the month you give half of your salary to a medical institution in order to improve your health, such a place is not worth the candle.

Feeling depressed and unsure of yourself

You need to leave your job if you are no longer confident that you like what you do. Doing work for show, you will never be able to feel the joy of the activity. When you are not confident in your strengths and capabilities, leaving your current job, there is a risk of grabbing any thread and going to do just anything. In this case, it is much wiser to quit and wait for time to rest and recover from a job that does not satisfy your ambitions and makes you lack self-confidence. Therefore, in the question of “to quit or not,” it is better to make a decision in favor of leaving.

Action plan

Before leaving your usual place of work, draw up a unique action plan for the first time after leaving. This plan should include absolutely everything you plan to do.

This even applies to periods of idleness. Your plan should reflect this: a vacation for two weeks. During this period of time, you need to put your thoughts and affairs in order.

An action plan should be drawn up for every day. It requires attention to the smallest details. This is necessary so that in the first time after dismissal the person does not lose his ability to work.

The plan must contain descriptions of the goal, the means and skills that you have to achieve it. If you decide to find a job on the Internet or become a freelancer, then your action plan may include the following points:

1. I want to find a job as a call center operator remotely within one month.
2. To do this kind of work, I have good speech and am quite sociable.
3. I have all the necessary technical means to perform such work.
4. I want to become a call center operator to realize my capabilities.

Such a plan can be an excellent incentive to quit a boring job. When drawing up a plan, it is better to play it safe and prepare three versions of such a document: the best, the worst and the realistic. Life can throw up all kinds of surprises, and the best plan will not work. And you will be ready for any development of the situation.

You don't have time for yourself

A good job with high pay and a pleasant team should not become the meaning of life. If you, while receiving a salary, cannot even afford to visit a beauty salon or go to the pool, or even just meet friends in a cafe, then it is better to consign such work to the past. Before you change your job to another, be sure to rest and give yourself the attention of your loved one. This will help motivate you to further search for a job that will leave you time to take care of yourself.

Perhaps you are simply setting your priorities and scheduling your work incorrectly. By doing the work according to a plan written with your own efforts, in some cases you may well have time to devote time to yourself. If no way helps, then it is better to leave the disgusted place and write a letter of resignation.

What bonuses did I receive while working from home?

1. I had free time for my development: I went to fitness, an art school, various training courses, talked with friends, took care of myself
2. I managed to do everything: take care of the house, work, communicate with loved ones. She became softer and more tolerant. My life has turned from a race into a measured and planned one. I accomplished more and was less tired. Having done things during the day, I could devote the evening to my family and husband.
3. I worked at home. At different times she led from three to seven companies. Now I have three organizations, and I’m not particularly stressed. I don't have to waste time on the road. By the way, at first (minus me) I even stopped buying new clothes for myself, citing the fact that I had nowhere to go. Thank God it passed. Now I treat myself to new beautiful things, but only those that I really need.
4. In recent years, with the development of the Internet, I wanted to change my type of activity. Accounting has never attracted me. By education, I am an economist and have worked in this position for 17 years. But I had to change my profession, and for the fourteenth year (what a horror) I have been doing something I don’t like.

The salary level does not meet your needs

Do you work all day long, give your employer your time, and at the end of the month you receive a meager salary that is not even enough for food, travel and entertainment? Is it worth working for such a greedy “uncle” who values ​​your efforts so low?

If you know for sure that your professional qualities and skills allow you to get a higher-paying position, then why engage in charity?

If you don’t know how to quit without problems, then simply calmly and without accusations explain to your manager the reason. Tell him that you don’t have enough money for a normal life, you can even tell your boss about your expenses if you trust him with such questions. The boss will probably make a decision in your favor and raise your salary to the level you want. If, due to difficulties with the financial situation in the company or because of the boss’s principles, they cannot pay you enough, then feel free to write a statement. You don't have to work for pennies if your skills allow you to earn a much higher salary.

Leave with the words that you like everything, and if the situation in the company changes, you will be happy to return to your favorite workplace. This will help you leave a low-paying job with a clear conscience. At the same time, you will not cut off ends and you will be remembered as a professional, competent and sociable specialist.

Important nuances

Dismissal can be spontaneous, emotional, thoughtful, prepared, but it is always a complex, morally challenging, stressful process. And your task is to make it a little easier - first of all for yourself. You should be comfortable, because it will be even more difficult in the future, you will have to adapt to a new place and you won’t need nerves now.

▍Choose the right time to quit

If the situation calls for a choice, it is better to follow some advice.

• Don't quit when there's a downturn or a problem - wait until your work is excellent and the company is experiencing an overall upturn. Yes, at such moments it seems that everything has worked out and it seems like there’s no point in quitting, but this is deceptive: if you have decided to leave with reason, use just such a positive moment.
• Don't leave at the end of the year or during the completion of a project - finish the job, don't quit in the middle.
• Don’t leave “like a rat” while the manager or general director is on vacation - be sure to wait for their return and discuss the issue face to face.
• Don't leave amid the rush.

▍Ask for a recommendation

If you are leaving voluntarily and there is no conflict, ask for an employer recommendation. In addition to the signed paper (which you will most likely draw up yourself), you need to ensure permission to indicate the name and position of the recommender, as well as his work and mobile phones, so that HR of the new company can call and check the authenticity of the recommendation and ask clarifying questions. Be sure to tell the recommender about the likelihood of calling; for some, this may be a complete surprise.

▍Update your resume

Even if you left your old job on Friday and started a new one on the following Monday, update your resume: add the end of the job, describe your functions and achievements, include acquired skills, etc. The goal is simple: by the time you start looking for a new job, you may have simply forgotten something important, but here all the steps are recorded.

You are being insulted by your manager or colleagues

Bullying is bad in any form. Perhaps you got to work when there was already a close-knit team there for a long time, and you were taken for an object to drain your soul. Or maybe the manager offends and gets personal with all his colleagues. In any case, it is unpleasant to work in such an atmosphere.

There are several ways out of this situation. The first is to explain constructively and in an accessible way to everyone that you will not allow such an attitude towards your person. The second is to start “teasing” your colleagues in the same way, so that they feel for themselves what you feel. The third is to leave the team, which employs unreasonable people with low intelligence. Of course, it's worth leaving your job when you've tried all the options to improve your relationship, but they turned out to be useless. At the same time, you can leave without a twinge of conscience and unnecessary worries.

After all, as a good specialist, you will always find something better.

The situation is getting worse

You become depressed for no apparent reason. There comes a feeling of constant dissatisfaction: as if your life is not turning out at all as planned. Something went wrong. You begin to seek salvation in conversations about politics, discuss other people's debts and bonuses, and start an office romance. Then psychological experiences develop into physical pain. And it only gets worse over time. Now imagine when you retire and say, “Those were the worst 40 years of my life.” Like?

Lack of career growth opportunities

There are individuals who cannot live without satisfying their ambitions and aspirations. Therefore, for many, stable work in one place, where they pay well and have a friendly team, is insufficient motivation for activity. There are small offices in which there is no question of advancing anywhere, except perhaps to help the manager, which is sometimes impossible.

In this case, it is better for a person to write a letter of resignation and go to a large company where there are chances of promotion for those who try and fulfill the requirements of management.

When leaving an unpromising job, it is worth explaining the reason. Perhaps someday the company will begin to expand, and you will be invited to an interesting position that will be meaningful to you.

You can't leave, you can't stay

For some, work turns into real hard labor due to constant friction in the team, others run away from a boss who tries to overwhelm them with work overtime, and still others are simply disappointed in their chosen field of activity. Nowadays, it is extremely difficult to find a suitable vacancy, especially if the choice is limited to offers in a specific specialty. Deciding to quit your job for nowhere is very difficult; most often it happens out of despair or a feeling of hopelessness.

The difficult situation may be aggravated by the following circumstances:

• advanced age (“it is always more difficult for an old person to find a suitable place);
• lack of psychological support for a loved one.

To understand whether it’s worth quitting your job to nowhere, you need to honestly set your priorities and understand what is more important now. It is important to determine which values ​​come first:

• good salary;
• Friendly team;
• possibility of convenient access;
• adequate boss;
• career growth;
• lack of stress;
• suitable schedule.

After analyzing such criteria, it will become clear what inconveniences can be tolerated. After all, there is no ideal job and, as a rule, something doesn’t suit you. Often people are willing to put up with many disadvantages just because they like the activity they are doing.

The most important factor is health. Sometimes workers overestimate their own strengths and do not take into account the negative impact of work on the body or peace of mind, but no amount of money will bring joy if their well-being worsens. When your health (physical or mental) suffers greatly, you should definitely leave, even if it’s a dismissal for nothing.

To make the right decision, you should compare the pros and cons. If the negative aspects outweigh, there is no point in staying. Often people feel unhappy for a long time only because they do not dare to refuse a disgusting position for a long time, experiencing fear, powerlessness and self-doubt. All this becomes a tangible obstacle and prevents you from taking a decisive step. A person rushes between two options and cannot settle on one of them. In such a situation, it is better to seek help from a psychologist, if, of course, finances allow.

Tips on how to decide to quit if everything is bad

If, summing up, you still decide that there are more advantages in your work than disadvantages, then continue to work and work on yourself. If you still firmly decide that it’s time to leave the office forever, you need to take note of the following details:

1. You are not obligated to give your time to your manager and colleagues if you are uncomfortable working with them.
2. Only you have the right to decide what work is worthy of your attention.
3. Don’t agree to “breakfasts” from your bosses, who once again promise to correct the situation and nothing has changed for a long time.
4. You do not have to risk your health to work for the benefit of a company that is unable to provide normal work conditions.

Be decisive in your actions and plans. Achieve your goal of working where you will have everything you need: conditions, decent salary, pleasant team. If this is not the case, then feel free to quit and look for a better place.

Where to complain if the employer insists on a resignation letter?

First, you should talk to the employer and try to find out the reason for his demands. Perhaps the situation can be resolved peacefully.

If this method does not work and your boss continues to put pressure on you, you can contact the State Labor Inspectorate (Rostrud). The appeal must be made in writing (it is also better to duplicate it by mail), and it should be taken personally to the appropriate department of Rostrud. Based on your application, the inspectorate must initiate an inspection. If violations are discovered, the employer will receive a fine.

If they try to persuade you to write a statement of your own free will, you are unlikely to be threatened openly, since there is a risk that you will record the conversation and could use it against the company.