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Should I Quit My Job

Should I Quit My Job

by | Jul 17, 2022 | Dear Savvy, Empowered Ethos, Finance

Dear Savvy,

Daily, I deal with office politics, workplace bullying, long commutes, an overbearing boss, and unrealistic workloads. It’s causing me mental, physical, and emotional distress. I live alone, which may cause financial strain if I leave, but I’m miserable. I can’t keep going like this. Should I quit my job?

Manic in Manhattan 

Dear Manic,

First, you’re not alone. Millions of employees describe their jobs as mind-numbing, back-breaking, or soul-sucking. They tell their employers that their jobs destroy their minds, bodies, and souls. And like many, Manic, you’re so stressed that you’re willing to quit your job to get emotional relief.

Stress can lead to snap judgments. While living on your own, it’s crucial to make savvy decisions and not jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.

To be a Savvy Solo, you must consider how your next move will affect you. If you live alone, you depend on a sole income. Do you have a fallback plan? We are amid the Great Resignation; it seems people are allowing themselves to get caught up in this movement.

  • Take this job and shove it!
  • I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!

To use a cliché, “If everyone planned to jump off a cliff, would you do it too?” People are willing to jump on the Great Resignation bandwagon. Do you know the financial state of these employees when they quit their jobs?

  • Did they have a new job lined up?
  • Did they have savings?
  • How long will (or did) their savings last?
  • If they have no savings, how do they make money?
  • If they chose unemployment, what happened when it ran out?

Leaving a job can be liberating – when you leave under the right circumstances. I’ve been in the workforce (and a Savvy Solo) for four decades. I’ve been everything from a cashier to a business owner. I’ve taken that leap of faith (letting go of my job) more than once, and I’ve lived it from all aspects:

  • I’ve resigned without a new job lined up.
  • I’ve resigned without savings.
  • I’ve given two weeks’ notice and went to another job.
  • I decided to resign after building an impressive savings account.

I’m speaking from experience. There is something worse than having a lousy job. Having no income, no savings, and no job prospects is far more stressful than an awful job. When you live alone, trying to survive without an income feels powerless.

I know it’s a challenge to show up to a job every day:

  • Going someplace you don’t want to go
  • To be with people you don’t want to be with
  • To do things you despise doing

At The Savvy Solo, we are resourceful. We try not to dwell on our problems; we face them and solve them. Before you quit, think about the consequences. Will you honestly be better off with or without a job right now?

If you’re making a decision that generates more problems than it solves – try a different solution. Am I saying you shouldn’t quit your job? No. I am saying be smart about it. What actions can you take? Be savvy – forget what you can’t do or can’t control – WHAT CAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW. What are your options?

To allow you to discover more options, I’ll turn your question into a four-part series:

Here is the immediate answer to your question. I would ask myself this simple question.

What is more important to me, leaving my job or paying my bills?

The underlying question is, “What empowers me?” If my job is degrading, and the environment is hostile and toxic, I would leave the job. However, there is nothing more important to me than my home. If leaving my job puts me in a state of powerlessness where I can’t provide for myself, I would stay at my job (and aggressively make plans to find a new one).

The best advice is don’t make an emotional decision. Look at your finances and make the decision that is best for you. You are the only one that can answer what empowers you.