Should You Quit Your Job?

Feeling burned out to the point that it affects your physical or emotional well-being and damages your relationships is also a red flag. Take stock of how you feel when you are at work. Are you often angry, absent, numb, or depressed? Is it like the Sunday Creep but on steroids? If you’re having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, if you get angry easily, or if you feel sad or overly guilty, seek help.

“There is an overlapping Venn diagram between burnout and depression,” said Dr. Lotte Dyrbye, the Chief Well-Being Officer at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “If you have even the slightest suspicion that you are unwell, your GP will help you find out.”

You experience an identity shift

Work is often intertwined with people’s identities. Our job titles, the organization we work for, and even the time we spend at work each day can become a big part of who we are. But what happens when your priorities change and you no longer feel the same connection with your job?

“When people have a change in some aspect of their identity, it can absolutely lead to depression and anxiety,” said Stewart Shankman, professor of psychology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

If work used to be a core aspect of your identity and isn’t anymore, then that may be reason to consider resigning. Even if you can’t stop working right now, try to make time to explore the things that feel meaningful to you right now. There could be another part of your life that fills the role that work used to play, said Dr. shankman

“Your job doesn’t necessarily have to be what defines you,” he added.

They don’t feel valued or supported

Studies have shown that a little appreciation for employees goes a long way. Not only are employees more productive when their manager expresses thanks, they perform better when their teammates express appreciation, validation, and respect.

A Pew poll found that low wages, lack of advancement opportunities, and feelings of disrespect at work were the top reasons Americans quit their jobs in 2021.