Is it time to leave your job? 5 steps that will let you know for sure.
Once upon a time, I got a job that I was SO excited about. I had an impressive title at a company that I’d admired for years and when they hired me, I couldn’t WAIT to hit the ground running.
Things started off great! But several months in...things changed.
Relationships with some of my colleagues started deteriorating. An undertone of friction turned into animosity and my stress levels were through the roof.
I was still supported by my boss, motivated to do my best and wanted to get along with my coworkers.
On one hand, I didn’t want to throw in the towel, but on the other hand I was becoming more and more miserable.
I felt trapped and I couldn’t decide—should I stay? Or should I go?
If you’re currently in a toxic work environment, I’ve been there and know EXACTLY how excruciating it can be.
Which is why I’m sharing with you what I did to get myself unstuck.
These five steps can help you get off the fence and know FOR SURE if it’s time for you to leave.
(And in case I’ve left you hanging with the outcome of my story, I’ll tell you what happened at the end.)
Step 1 - Get reflective and get real
Take some time to journal about what’s going on. What’s unacceptable about your circumstance, and how is it impacting your life? What would the ideal version of this situation look like? What are the specific actions YOU can take to make this improved scenario happen?
Step 2 - Set a deadline
If thinking about your situation doesn’t make you want to immediately head for the hills, how long are you willing to wait and see if things turn around? 90 days? 6 months? Mark that date on your calendar.
This is important so that you can be aware of how long you stay stuck. (Time has a sneaky way of slipping by unnoticed!)
Step 3 - Do your part
With your deadline in place, there’s now a light at the end of the tunnel! Until then, decide that you’re going to give 110% to the actions you identified in Step 1.
When you do YOUR best and leave no stone unturned, you won’t be left wondering what else you could’ve done once this experiment is over. It’ll also give you certainty about when to call it quits.
Step 4 - What do YOU need?
You’re already feeling taxed, and now you just dedicated even MORE energy toward improving your situation. So the question is: what do YOU need, as you go through this period? What can you do to reduce your stress and bring some joy into your life?
Here are some ideas:
Give some love to the non-work areas of your life that have been neglected
Talk to your boss about prioritizing your tasks
Commit to leaving by a certain time every night
Get a weekly massage
Hire some help with cleaning, food prep or child care and take something off your plate
Do whatever feels right and do NOT let this step slide. You’ll need this positive energy for fuel to keep you sane, strong and healthy.
Step 5 - Deadline analysis
The time has come. You’ve arrived at the date you marked on your calendar. Now what?
Take notice: Have things gotten better? Or worse? Chances are that it’ll be one or the other. If nothing has changed, ask yourself what’s the likelihood that things WILL change? Be honest and listen to your gut on this one, not your brain.
While you don’t necessarily have to walk out the door on this date, I recommend coming up with a next step based on what you’ve learned. Please, don’t short-change yourself here—be honest about what’s going on and how you’re feeling about it.
There you have it! My solution for getting real and not wasting more time than you need to on something that’s not working.
Oh, and as for me? I gave myself six months to do my absolute best and still, things continued to rapidly decline. By the time my time was up, I knew I needed to go and I planned my escape.
It took me a couple of months to fully exit but when I did, I moved into something MUCH better.