Working is a part of life and offers benefits beyond the regular pay check.

Research shows the positive impacts on people’s health and wellbeing and can provide an increased sense of purpose and accomplishment and more social connections.

Employment can also have its downsides, particularly if you work in an environment that isn’t bringing out your best.

However, quitting your job to do something else can feel like a luxury. There’s the reality of paying the mortgage and bills.

So, how do you know when it’s time to quit?

These are the five warning signs which alert you to the fact that it is likely time to move on to a new job:

1. Your performance is dropping

The work environment no longer brings out the best in you.

Your motivation is falling, so you only do the tasks you must do. This ‘bare minimum’ approach (also known as the phenomenon of quiet quitting) impacts your performance, the outcomes you deliver and your reputation.  

2. There’s a value disconnect

Your values and those of the organisation you work for are out of alignment, such that you feel like you have to change who you are at work.

For example, you may feel uncomfortable voicing your opinion or choices and feel you have to support ideas that go against your beliefs and ideals.

3. Cynic is your middle name

You spend much of the working day complaining about what’s happening at work.

You don’t trust your work colleagues and no longer offer ideas on improving things at work. Instead, you only complain about them.

4. You’re afflicted by burnout

You feel burnt out, and the physical signs of stress show in your behaviour at home with your friends and family.

You always feel exhausted, and the thought of going to work makes you feel anxious or highly emotional.

5. You’ve stopped learning

To stay relevant in today’s working world, you need to continue to grow and be challenged.

If you’ve stopped learning at work and there is no more room to grow or expand your horizons, it’s usually time to step away.

How to make a graceful exit

If you’ve decided it is time to go, you want to make your exit graceful and not burn bridges as you leave the workplace.

Remain professional at all times, and don’t be pessimistic about the organisation or your colleagues.

You don’t have to tell your employer where you are going. However, not telling them could harm your relationship with them.

There will be times when you won’t want to divulge this at the point of exit but consider your circumstances and relationships as you make the decision.

It will help if you give your employer as much notice as possible that you are leaving. That way, they will have time to make arrangements to fill your role or adjust workloads.

Where you can, help with the transition, ensure you finish tasks and projects, and tie up loose ends before leaving.

Lastly, appropriately celebrate your time with the colleagues and the team you worked with. It’s a relatively small working world, and your paths will likely cross again.

Focus on connecting with them positively, so their last impression of you is a positive one.