Why Quitting a Job Will Make You Absolutely Happy
Money is not enough for happiness
All we have a job. It is obvious that we need it to pay our bills/rent, buy food, etc. I also work every day, and there is nothing special about it. But there are moments when you feel that you need to have a break in your career because you feel empty, frustrated or your emotions are mixed and you can`t concentrate well. I also went throw this journey, so I can give advice as a practitioner.
Working Schedule that Kills You
What is the starting point of planning to quit your job? All we have our own reasons to do this. Personally, for me, it was a life-work balance that went into chaos. When you work every day and do your routine tasks from day-to-day, there will be a breakpoint sooner or later.
We all are human beings who need a rest, inspiration, and simply feel important in those tasks that we do in our jobs.
What might be the reasons to quit your job?
- You have an amazing salary, you can afford everything you want, but you do not have time to spend even 1 dollar. Does this job worth your life?
- You will create the same tasks on a daily basis without learning anything new. Would you like to be a robot?
- Maybe you were thinking about traveling, but you are fixed to your office location? Do you need the freedom to live anywhere you want?
As you can see, there are many reasons to consider quitting your job if you are not satisfied with it. Just be honest with yourself and think about it clearly. The jobs will come and go, but your emotional health might be damaged. Life matters much more than jobs.
Don`t think about money problems, just ask yourself a question “Am I really happy”?
The Fear of All Fears
I know, I know you like stable life and are afraid to quit your job. But let`s dive into details why you actually afraid of it. I assume you have already realized that you would like to make a change in your life or planning to do this, but these questions are flying in your mind:
- How long do I need to take a break in my career to feel great again?
- Hell, I need money to live somehow.
- What if I can`t find a new job?
- I am so imbalanced and don`t know where to start my emotional recovery.
Questions above might stop you to make your main decision in your life. You also might lose your chance to recharge yourself and feel happy. Do not panic and let`s answer these questions one by one to make sure you can handle your recharging path successfully.
How long do I need to take a break in my career to feel great again?
Try to not think about time as a major factor. It is possible to recover even in 1 day if you really want to. Instead, think about what you actually need to feel stable, happy, and concentrated.
Find your inspiration in simple things, like walking in the park, swimming, yoga, meeting with friends, spending time with your family.
There is no golden formula for each individual. F.e. I love quiet places and nature and some people love meeting with friends, urban cities. Concentrate on your life values and create your personal roadmap to achieve them.
Relax your mind and feel what your heart tells you to do.
Living in big cities, people always forget the most valuable things in their lives. So making a career pause is a good way to recap these values along with emotional improvement.
Hell, I need money to live somehow
The obvious question where can I get money from. Let`s concentrate attention in 2 most expensive cities in the US — NYC, and SF. Also, let`s assume that you rent your apartment. In NYC and SF almost 2/3 of people rent their apartment. The same situation is in SF.

I personally see 2 paths of how you can survive in such a situation:
- Find cheaper apartments to live, relocate to another state/your parents, or rent RV for a little while.
- All people have their hobbies. During your recovery path try to think about how you can monetize it and take actions in this way.
What if I can`t find a new job?
This question should not worry you at all. Seriously. Why? Just check the most popular job boards. Does it seem that opportunities are going to die? Not at all. Instead, there are dozens and thousands of opportunities appear in the search every day. And this is in all industries.
Besides, when you will take your break it might happen that you will want to change your career in a new direction. Who knows.
With your emotional confidence, family support, and government protection you will find the opportunity of your dream once you are ready. Trust me it is better to take a pause and recharge yourself, rather than burnout in your current job with no happiness.
Even if you work in such hard in the 2020 industry as traveling, there are plenty of ways how to continue to stay in business. Have you heard about virtual museums and things like that? Everything is developing and been improving, so you should also do the same.
I am so imbalanced and don`t know where to start my emotional recovery
OK, I know you might have questions about how to start your recovery journey. Start with your hobbies. Yes, hobbies. Do you remember the feeling of happiness when you are busy with your hobbies? That is what you need.
And to be back to the previous question about money. If you can make income from your hobby, you will feel always happy about what you are actually doing.
A lot of people hire coaches or psychologists to find what they need. But the truth is that you only know what you want. Specialists can help you with problems that you can`t overcome only. But in case of losing your motivation or emotional burnout, you are able to do that by yourself.
If you think you need someone near to have a third opinion — ask your parents or your husband, wife, kids. It is much better than ask strangers. Parents know you from your birth. Your lovely half and kids feel you as no one can. This is the best way to ask for support.
Time for Self Improvement
Great, you are going to start your recovery journey. So what you might expect to happen with you? Only these amazing things will happen:
You will feel happy because there is plenty of time
Sure, the very first thing that you realize is: “I have a lot of time”. Ow, yes. Working eight hours per day took a lot of your time before. It is time for actions that you could not afford to do in the past.
F.e., going with your kids to the zoo, cooking your favorite meals, listening to classic music, learning something that you always was wondering about, even watching movies, why not.
Spending time on your favorite hobbies
Finally, you will be able to spend enough time on your hobbies. Doing so, there will be emotional relief, and happiness level will be higher because you do what you love to do. Maybe you will be so inspired, that you will transform your hobby into a business
Near to family and friends
Our family is everything. During mini-vacation, there will be a lot of love and support from your family. That means that you will be surrounded by people who you love and trust. This is very important and make a huge impact on your health.
Think about your life goals
It is important to remember what you are actually want to do in this life. To answer this question, you need to understand what you would actually like to do, what type of business is a great fit for you, and how you see yourself in five or ten years from now. Answering these questions, allow you to fully understand your life path and things that you are going to do.
Recharge your professional skills
It is important to remember that you also need to think about your professional skills and self-statement. Try to improve it also. Emotional health is a partway of your success. But if you are able to improve your professional skills that will be a huge step to your career improvement and salary potential.
If you have poor CV — improve it. If you have old portfolio — update it. If you need recommendations — gather them.
There is always space for improvement. Concentrate your attention on things that you are patinate about and start to implement them. Your passion will be seen, heard, and accepted. That means that there will be no struggle to find the job you are looking for.
Conclusion
Living in an urban space might make you emotionally damaged, that`s why it is important to recharge yourself when you need to. Recharging yourself will bring you new possibilities in your career, make you confident and happy.
Grab my free Telegram app design here — Telegram Redesign Challenge.
Olha Bahaieva is a UX/UI Designer with more than 7 years of experience. She is a 6-times winner of the international design contests, public speaker. The author of design courses with 800k+ views worldwide.
Wanna keep in touch online? Medium | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Behance
