When To Know It's Time To Leave Your Job

There are just those times when you know that you have to listen to your gut. One of those times is when there are signs you should leave your job. It's never easy, and sometimes you fight against what it might be telling you, but in the long run, trusting your gut is important. It's never a light subject when it comes to your career and finding what makes you happy. As individuals, we spend a lot more time at our current jobs and with our coworkers more than with our family and spouses, according to the American Center for Progress — it's actually a very scary thought, right? And it makes sense when your happiness can sometimes be fueled by your job because that is the environment that you are mostly surrounding yourself with. But if that environment is not fueling you in positive ways and making you grow, then you might have no choice but to make that difficult decision to leave.

I believe that your current job needs to be not only beneficial for the company, but to be beneficial to you, too. If you don't feel happy anymore about who you are becoming or the work that you are producing, you are not benefitting your job nor yourself to stay. Take that feeling that you are having and put it towards finding something new. Like a relationship, you should feel happy and passionate about what you are producing and working with. Don't just give up because you think this is normal and everyone goes through it. Make that change to give life back to your career and your life. If you're not sure if you need to take the lead or not, below are a few tips to help you move in the right direction.

1. You Have Been In The Same Position Forever

If you have been stagnate for the past two or three years at your job in your current position, it's time to go. Take your succulents, that framed Photoshop image of you and Chris Pratt, and get out of there. You don't want to feel that you are not growing at your own job anymore, when another company may see your worth and potential. According to a The Muse article, if you haven't had any advancements or promotions in the last couple of years, it might be time to leave.

2. You're Not Learning Anything New

You're bored and every task seems to be more tedious than the last; it's not good. You have to learn and grow in the position you are in. While the job should be relativity easy and it shouldn't make you stress out all the time, it's good to feel challenged every now and then. I knew I needed to leave my last job when I was just there for the money and I wasn't challenging myself as an individual. I wanted to grow and learn as much as I can, but I couldn't do that when I was blinded by the thought of income when I was just not feeling happy anymore.

3. You Are Lacking Passion

You wake up in the morning and you just don't want to do it and your daydreaming about jumping ship. With this is mind, it might be time to say buh-bye. According to a Forbes article, Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant; How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job, said, “It will just continue to be ‘a job,’ and eventually each day will seem more of a grind.” You can't be and do what you really want when you're dreading the day and lacking the passion. Good work thrives from passionate people.

4. You Are Not Being Acknowledged For Your Hard Work

You know that you have been putting all your heart into your job and that you have been sweating all night so you could meet those deadlines. But if your boss doesn't thank you or acknowledge you for how hard you have been working, well, you might be due for a change. In a LinkedIn article written by Liz Ryan, CEO and Founder of Human Workplace, she states, "None of us expects to be overwhelmed with praise, but people who are stingy with positive feedback (or even personal thanks, when you've saved your CEO's ass for example) are not people who want to see you blossom. Move on."

5. Your Job Duties Have Change, But Your Pay Hasn't

First of all, communication is key here. If you feel your workload has changed, dramatically, but your boss hasn't communicated anything new to you about your position or the future of the company, then maybe it's time to sit down and talk with them. If you're not 100 percent sure if you want to leave the company, this is a great way to solidify any doubt. No one wants to feel like they are being taken advantage of. If you do have the conversation and they are still holding you down with a leash, then it's time to scoot on out of there. According to a Forbes article, Andy Teach, a corporate veteran and author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time said, “If it’s more responsibilities and it’s without a promotion, it will usually mean working longer hours and becoming more stressed which will lead to some resentment by the employee toward the employer.”

6. You're Staying At This Job Because You Are Scared Of Change

Change is never easy, but complaining about your job and not doing anything about it is even worse. Follow what your gut is telling you and take that leap of faith. Sometimes the biggest risk is the most rewarding. According to Fast Company, Deborah Brown-Volkman, a career coach and author of Coach Yourself to a New Career said, "Ask yourself whether you’re too comfortable, and honestly analyze your feelings by talking it out with friends,"

7. You Don't Have Time For Yourself

You need to recharge to produce good work — it's just common sense. While it's normal to feel completely passionate about a project to be submersed into it, always remember that it's also normal to take time for yourself when you really need it. Especially when you feel like your health is taking a back seat to your job. Stress can really tear down your immune system. According to a WebMD article, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stated that stress is a huge hazard for the workplace. If you feel your health is getting worse because of your job, it might be best to start searching for a new job that will accommodate you and your health in a more positive light.

8. You Don't Fit In Anymore

It just happens. As time goes on, you, as a person, start to grow and sometimes, that means you have grown out of the relationship of your current job. Whether it was because your views have changed or you don't believe in the company anymore, either way, it's just not a good fit. At my previous job, I knew that the environment was toxic for me, and I needed a change. I knew that I could produce something better and I needed to find a place that would allow me and accept me to do just that. Thankfully, I have found that, and it just proves that your escape is out there, but you have to do the work and search for it to make it happen.

Leaving a job is never easy, but when all the warning signs are there and you know it's the right thing to do, then just take a deep breathe and go for it!

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