Quiet Quitting
Quiet Quitting is getting a lot of press at the moment, in case you haven’t come across it yet it basically is the growing trend of people deciding that they are going to go above and beyond what they have been hired to do. No more late nights no more taking on additional work.
Clients I support have passed comments like” I just don’t care anymore”, “I have shut off”, and “I am on autopilot”. Many have gotten to this place as they have expressed concern about their workload, lack of transparency, progression, flexibility, and stagnant wages. Many are just burnout from the past few years and being asked to do more is putting them at breaking point.
I get it, no one likes to feel like they are not heard, not seen, not valued, or not cared for.
If this is you or you know someone who has reached this point follow your instinct. If it is saying you need to pull back a bit, pull back. If it is saying you need to look after your mental and physical health put them first. Go for lunchtime walks if you can, and take a long weekend to just unwind. Catch up with friends, take back up that hobby, go to that show whatever it is you need to do to feel more in touch with yourself.
When you are feeling a bit more back to yourself, give yourself the gift of introspection. Ask yourself deeper questions about what you want next from your life and your career. There is only so much your employer, friends, family, or society can do for you. Look inside instead of externally for the answers to these questions and follow the clues to articulate what it is you need. Start building a picture of your goals and start to take the steps toward building a life that you feel more aligned with.
Do try to have open conversations at work in regards to what you need or if you have already had these conversations express that you are looking to leave. Start talking to people you know about the kind of opportunities that would meet your needs.
This isn’t easy, I know, I get it, you have tried but are still none the wiser and feel trapped. Stuck in a job you hate that is going nowhere but you need the income. If you leave it could be worse. The grass isn’t always greener. When you are stuck in negative thinking like this it is very hard to change or make any little move at all.
That is why career coaching programmes work, they offer a structured space to reflect on who you are and what you want, and they lend accountability and support.
