How Do I Know When I Should Quit My Job?
You find yourself staying at your Outlook email feeling dread, overwhelm, and maybe a sense of detachment from the excited new hire you once were. You’re over caffeinated but still feeling drained. The coworkers and supervisor you once thought would be friends and mentors, feel like strangers or worse—enemies.
If you find yourself wondering “Should I quit my job?”, you are not alone. The fact that you are even thinking about it, means it’s time to pause and reflect on your next steps.
Is it Stress or Burnout?
Burnout isn’t just being too stressed. The World Health Organization defines “occupational burnout” as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed.
The signs often include:
Emotional exhaustion (that no weekend can cure)
Cynicism or detachment from work
A sense of declining effectiveness, no matter how hard you try
Low workplace motivation and procrastination
Increasing negativity around job
Irritability and frustration (especially at things that may not have initially bothered you)
Loss of confidence in achieving your goals
Overwhelm even from smaller demands
Memory issues around work assignments
Withdrawing from tasks and detachment from your responsibilities
Fantasies or daydreams about escaping and living a radically different life.
(Cleveland Clinic, Self Magazine, and WHO, 2025)
If this sounds familiar, your nervous system may already be waving the red flag.
#1 Cause of Burnout is a “Toxic Workplace
The word toxic gets thrown around a lot, but organizationally, it refers to environments or leadership behaviors that consistently undermine psychological safety and wellbeing. Attributes of a toxic workplace or leader can include:
Micromanagement and lack of trust in employees
Unrealistic demands framed as “commitment”
Favoritism and inequity, creating divisive cultures
Poor boundaries, such as punishing people for using time off
Shaming and fear tactics instead of constructive feedback
Gaslighting, where concerns are minimized or denied
Toxic cultures thrive in productivity-obsessed systems. In many capitalist and hustle-driven settings, the “good worker” is the one who sacrifices rest, family, and health for output. Over time, that sacrifice erodes identity and wellbeing.
Signs it Might Be Time To Quit (or Prepare to)
While no checklist can decide for you, here are patterns worth reflecting on:
You wake up with dread, not just on Mondays, but daily.
Your values feel consistently compromised.
You fantasize about escaping—even to something wildly different.
You’re constantly running on empty, with no recovery in sight.
You’ve already emotionally detached from the role or company.
If you notice several of these showing up at once, it may be time to consider whether staying is sustainable—or whether leaving is actually an act of integrity.
Even if quitting isn’t immediate, you might prepare:
Talk with HR or mentors for support and wellness options (USC Online, 2025)
Reflect: is this burnout—or deep misalignment amplified by grind culture?
Seek therapy or professional coaching
Start building an exit strategy that aligns with your true values
Boundaries to Implement, While Debating Whether to Quit or Not
While you are formulating your final decision, it can help to experiment with stronger workplace boundaries. This both protects your mental health and tests whether your workplace can respect and support your needs.
Some practical boundaries include:
Stick to your role: Resist quietly absorbing responsibilities that don’t belong to you.
Limit after-hours work: Protect evenings and weekends as non-negotiable rest time.
Technology cut-offs: Disable email or messaging notifications after work hours.
Take your breaks: Lunch away from your desk and use your vacation days without guilt.
Say no clearly and calmly: Decline requests that push you into chronic overextension, without over-justifying your reasoning.
If these boundaries are repeatedly dismissed or punished, this gives you critical information on the toxicity of your workplace culture.
Reflection Prompts
Before you decide, sit with these questions:
Does this job still align with who I am AND who I want to become?
If nothing changes here, can I see myself wanting to work here in five years?
Are my exhaustion and detachment tied to unmet systemic needs?
Have I moved on mentally even if I’m still at my job physically?
Can I/should I negotiate better work boundaries or support before leaving?
Am I leaving out of avoidance, or moving toward health and alignment?
What boundaries or conversations could I try before I walk away?
Final Thoughts
Quitting your job or making any major life change is never easy. The discomfort is a sign that something needs to change though, and I think it’s amazing that you are listening to that. If you think you would benefit from a sounding board, professional guidance, and emotional support—therapy might be a good fit for you. Click here to schedule a free 15 minute consultation.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic. (2023). Job burnout: Symptoms and prevention. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/signs-of-job-burnout
Han, B.-C. (2015). The burnout society. Stanford University Press.
Indeed Editorial Team. (2023). 15 signs it’s time to quit your job. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/signs-it%27s-time-to-quit-your-job
World Health Organization. (2019). Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”. https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out