How do you know it’s time to leave a job? If anyone knows about being miserable on a job, I have a first-class, so listen to me. The worst cases are when you are actually good at your job, everyone tries to convince you to stay, argh! 
There are a few signs that tell you it’s time, I am going to start with the most obvious;

1.      You are miserable
It is normal to be unhappy about events in your life every now and then, however, being miserable for long periods is a bad sign. When you are unhappy for a long time, it leads to depression. 

Depression is simply prolonged sadness that lasts beyond a period of two weeks. Depression can be mild, moderate or severe. Yes, if you have been sad about your work-life for a long period of time, you could be suffering depression without knowing it. Many depressed people continue in the wrong careers for long periods.

Being depressed is harmful because if we are in a sad state, we operate sub-optimally. Easy tasks are executed with difficulty and our level of performance drops. Other symptoms of depression include;
·      not going out or dreading social gatherings
·      not feeling up to doing your work
·      withdrawing from family and friends
·      no longer being interested in things you previously were
·      not being able to concentrate
·      Looking for a means of escape like alcohol or drugs to help you relax

If you are experiencing more than two of these symptoms, please talk to someone immediately or seek the help of a counsellor or therapist.

2.      You are unfulfilled
You may not be outrightly miserable but you may have that togging feeling that there is more to your career life than your current job. Deep down, you know you should be doing something else which you may or may not know what. You are seeking purpose and meaning which your current role does not fulfil. You feel you are wasting time at your job. You keep wondering how and when this longing will be over but you feel stuck.

3.      You are average or underperforming at your job
You don’t stand out at your job and you are at best an average performer. You do not go the extra mile, in fact, you do what is required to just get by. You make a clear distinction that your work life is very separate from your personal life, your work persona is very different from your true self. Sometimes you drop the ball because you don’t just care enough. Your job may have been fine to start with but progressively you may be neglecting important tasks. For the most part, you are disengaged from your job and really not that concerned about performing optimally.

If you answered yes to 2 of these 3 signs, it’s time to switch gears.

Life is too short for prolonged misery or mediocrity. Set a timeline today. Make a decision to take action. 

Wishing you the very best.

Your thoughts?
#careers #mentalhealth #stress #depression