9 SIGNS YOU’RE IN THE WRONG JOB AND NEED TO QUIT

9 SIGNS YOU’RE IN THE WRONG JOB AND NEED TO QUIT

Author
Lexi Ward
2017.09.12

A wise man once said, “Find a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Although this quote is thousands of years old, it is still relevant to today, but is it that simple?

Once we find a job, we can't just quit, we need to stick it out, we have bills to pay and responsibilities, but that doesn't mean you should live in suffering! There are times that you should quit your job and do something more fulfilling, and these signs are often right in front of us. Take a few minutes to read through this post. If you notice that most of these signs sound familiar, it should be time to quit and start something more worthwhile.

1. YOU HATE MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS

According to a study by the London School of Business and Finance, more than half of the UK's workforce would rather be in a different career, and the picture isn't much better in the USA. With so many people being unsatisfied and unstimulated at work, it's understandable if Monday's are your most dreaded day.

If this is the case, Monday's are a chore for most people, and you have to go back to work. But if you feel that Tuesday's, Wednesday's and Thursday's are equally as bad, then you're probably in the wrong job. If Friday is included in this list, then things really are bad!

2. YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT IS LIKE A SCENE FROM GAME OF THRONES

If you find that there's a lot of backstabbing at work, too much office politics and a generally negative vibe, then this is no way to spend your life. Of course, you can't get on with everyone, and there should be some competition to drive you, but if it is coming at the cost of human relationships and your sanity, get out! Especially before your character is written out of the script.

Don't forget, if you work a 40-hour work week then you spend roughly 24% of your time at work. If you also sleep 8 hours per week and you have a commute of 1 hour per day, then you're probably spending half of your week sleeping, working and commuting. As your time is valuable, you want to make sure you are using it wisely and with the right people.

3. YOU FELL INTO THIS JOB

In 2013, the Wall Street Journal published a post highlighting that only 27% of College grads found jobs closely related to their major. Ultimately, this data could be interpreted in many different ways, but if you have found yourself in a job that you don't find that enjoyable and you feel it doesn't match your skills, then that's understandable. The problem with this statistic is, that although many people do find a job that they love, many others don't. There is a temptation or even a necessity to stay in this job because it pays well, but remember, over 50% of your time is spent working, commuting and sleeping. Don't lose sleep or sacrifice your time just for the paycheck!

4. YOUR HARD WORK GOES UNNOTICED/NO ONE CARES

If you are working hard and you do feel like your job is meaningful, you may feel lucky, grateful and maybe even on top of the world! But there's still one thing that could destroy your job satisfaction, and that's lack of recognition.

Recognizing your hard work and achievements seems like a simple task, but it is a hard balance, and that's why so many managers and companies get it wrong. We don't need a high five and a pat on the back every time we send an email, finish a task, or just do our job. But when we do go the extra mile, a small “thank you”, “great job” or “I appreciate the extra hard work you did on this” would be great. If you find yourself slaving away for little reward or even verbal praise or feedback, maybe it's time to hit the road.

5. YOU'RE LIVING THE “STATUS QUO”

Life can feel very mechanical from time to time. Each society has its own unspoken rules or expectations on an individual, and this leads you down a particular path. We feel like we need to keep ticking boxes and passing milestones. We go to pre-school, school, high-school, graduate from University, get a job, get married, have kids, and save for retirement. Life doesn't have to be this way! Yes, there's nothing wrong with the milestones! It gives us something to work towards, but you don't have to do everything in that order, you can break this and live your own life.

6. YOUR MIND'S TELLING YOU NO, BUT YOUR BODY, YOUR BODY IS TELLING YOU YES!

Sometimes we find ourselves in a dilemma. In your head, you battle with yourself, to quit or not to quit? You may convince yourself that you can't leave this job, you have responsibilities. Your body on the other hand, maybe telling you otherwise. Stress manifests itself in many ways. In the beginning, it may be tolerable, but the more you expose your body to it, the more your health deteriorates. According to hse.gov.uk, in the year between 2015 and 2016, UK workers took an equivalent of 11.7 million days off of work in stress-related illness. If you're prone to headaches, your diet has changed, or sleep pattern is disrupted, then maybe it is time for a lifestyle change!

7. YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR JOB WAY TOOMUCH

We all have gripes about our job from time to time. Maybe your boss has been hard on you recently. Your colleagues are driving you up the wall and topping it all off, there's no milk left for your coffee! If you find yourself complaining more and more, sometimes over the most trivial of incidents, it is affecting your happiness. Maybe this job just isn't for you anymore.

8. YOU'RE THE “WORK VERSION”OF YOU

At the weekend, your Jill, the outgoing, fun and caring girl that lives life to the full and a joy to be around. Or perhaps your Jack, with all the same qualities as Jill. But at work, you're both restrained, not so quick to smile, crack jokes or be the authentic version of you.

Many people develop work personas, but if it's too different, too restrained and too controlled, you may feel like you're imprisoned. You don't have to be! Some jobs allow you, no, encourage you to be you and accept you for who you are. This is the job you need to be in. Unleash the inner you, escape from the duller work version.

9. YOU'RE READING THIS BLOG POST

The very fact that you're reading this article is a sign that somethings not right. If you have found this in Google, then you have searched for it, and it is time for something new. Some of these points may resonate with us all on some level, but if you find yourself nodding along to the majority of these reasons, then you need a new fulfilling job, and we might just be the people to help! Teach English, travel and get a rewarding job abroad with EF English First.

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Author
Lexi Ward

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