Decisions, decisions, decisions. There are repercussions to your choice, whether you choose to stay on in your job or leave for good. The bottomline is, you can’t make this decision lightly. Take time to really weigh out the pros and cons of both choices before coming to a conclusion. 

I quit my job late last year, I deliberated for a really long time before coming to this decision. Long story short, no job is worth your sanity. That brings me to my first point:

Mental & Physical Health are the Most Important

Is your job taking a huge toll on your mental and physical health? You need to be aware of the signs, please do not ignore them – they won’t just go away. Look at how the job is affecting your sleep, diet, mood, mental state, physical state – everything. Of course, don’t just blame everything on the job because that’s convenient. You have to try your best to manage despite the job. For example, going to bed earlier so you try to get enough sleep, watching your diet, doing activities/engaging in hobbies to uplift your mood etc. It is after trying to do all that and it’s still greatly affecting you, that’s when it’s a massive red flag that can’t be overlooked. 

Tip: What they really mean when they say “You’re really capable” is “Here’s more work”.

You need to Save in order to Quit

The reality is unless you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth or have a job lined up waiting for you to commence after you quit, ensuring you have money to survive on after leaving your job is essential. Do not wait for things to get bad then start saving. Start as soon as you can so that if the time comes, money won’t have to be the factor that holds you back. Before I tendered my resignation, I made sure I had enough savings to last at least 6-8 months. If you have a family depending on you, it is perhaps best to save more than that or find another job before quitting.

Be Open to Trying New Jobs

In the current job climate, it is both difficult and easy to find a job. If you’re looking for a high level and high paying job, it’s harder these days considering the high retrenchment rates. If you’re open to exploring different kinds of jobs and are not too particular about the pay, there are thousands listed on websites like Careers@Gov. However if you’re going to quit your job, I would highly recommend at least taking one full month to just relax and unwind. I actually took a few months off before starting to find my next job and it was honestly the best decision I’ve ever made. I had uninterrupted time to myself to do the things I enjoy, meet up with family and friends, take up a new hobby and most importantly, I had many, many well rested nights. After taking a good break, that’s when you’re recharged and can start finding a new job – or maybe even just start with something part-time first while you look for a full time job.

Don’t get Too Comfortable

It’s easy to get caught up in the amazing feeling having all that free time gives you. You need to understand that being jobless is temporary, it’s not sustainable in the long run. Take this time to really invest in yourself, think about what job prospects you would like to explore. Perhaps sign up for a SkillsFuture course to learn something new, there are plenty of courses to choose from.