Most of us have been there at one time or another during our career. Your inner voice is saying, “Quit! This is just not worth it!” but you keep rationalizing that it will be too hard to find a replacement for your job, you like working with so and so, you only have a few more years before you retire, things will get better soon, or you can’t find a job making this much money.
The truth is you’re not doing anyone—mostly yourself, your company, or your customers—any favors by holding onto a job that you know deep down in your heart just isn’t right anymore. And, believe it or not, your company will survive just fine without you.
Need some motivation? If one or more of these 10 warning signs resonate with you and you find yourself saying, “Yep, that’s me!” then perhaps it really is time to start that job search—and now, while you’re still employed. What are you waiting for?
1. You Can’t Stand Your Job
You dread going into work every day, and when Mondays roll around you have to create hourly rewards for the day just to motivate yourself to walk out the front door. You consider calling in sick for the slightest thing—I cut myself shaving, my stomach hurts, whatever. You get the idea—you really dislike your job!
2. Your Place of Work Just Isn’t What it Used to Be
When you began with the company, it was the place to work. You were excited about working for this company, and people were envious that you worked there. Now, years have gone by and the company has changed—maybe there’s new management or the company has gone in a completely different direction. Long story short, the company has lost its edge—and your excitement along with it.
3. You’re Working Way Too Much
Every year, you find you are doing more and more to try to stay above water. You feel like you’re drowning at times, even though you’re working 40+ hours a week and on the weekends.
4. You Want More Pay
You have been working hard and providing measurable positive results for your company, yet your pay isn’t what it should be or you keep getting skipped over for a promotion or new opportunities within the company.
5. You Are Witnessing Illegal Behavior
Let’s face it, if the company goes down, and you along with it because of illegal activity, this could tarnish your reputation for a very long time (if not forever) depending upon how bad the behavior is.
6. Boss From Hell Just Got Hired
New management has been hired, and you feel he or she will slowly destroy the company or drive you crazy, whichever comes first. The new boss just doesn’t understand the company’s vision or the employees that work there—actually he or she really doesn’t seem to care—and after several months, there appears to be little hope of that ever changing.
7. You Find Yourself Creating Retirement Graphs
You still have many years to go before you can retire, but find yourself spending far too much time dreaming of that house on a tropical beach and charting out how much money you need to save monthly in order to retire much, much sooner.
8. Strange Habits Are Forming
You begin waking up in the middle of the night completely stressed because of your job. Complaining about your job becomes your new hobby. You are calling in sick—again!
9. You Find Yourself Daydreaming a Lot at Work
Are you bored at work? Can’t find the passion and drive you used to have when you first started working for your company? When at work do you find yourself searching the internet more often or searching the job listings religiously?
10. You’re Not Playing Well Together Any Longer
Sometimes, the office dynamics change with a few new hires. All of a sudden, you find yourself arguing on a daily basis with your co-workers and feeling as if you’re being scrutinized at every turn.
More From Inc.
- How to Succeed at Simplifying Everything
- 7 Great Pieces of Career Advice No One Ever Told You
- 14 Ideas for Making a Lasting Impression in Under 5 Minutes