Best 6 Good Reasons To Leave a 9-5 Job
Best 6 Good Reasons To Leave a 9-5 Job, The Great Giving Up. The Big Change-Up. The Big Change of Mind. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been so many changes in the job market that “great” is the only word that fits. Changes in the country have made many people think about their own decisions. People in all kinds of jobs have taken some time to think about their work lives and decided to do something different.
Even though a lot of people are looking for new jobs right now, the desire to do so is not new. If you want to change careers, you might spend a lot of time wondering, “Is there really a better job for me out there?” Can I be sure I won’t hurt myself?
Do I have the time or money to go back to school and learn new skills? Lucky for you, you’re not the only one who has these questions. Many people have asked, thought about it, and decided to try something new.
Even though everyone’s story is different, there are some things that most people have in common that may help you decide if it’s time to change careers. Let’s look at a bunch of good reasons to quit your job and then give you some tips on how to do it.
Best 6 Good Reasons To Leave a 9-5 Job
Quitting a job can feel like a hard choice. But there are a lot of good reasons to do it. Here are some common reasons why people quit their jobs.
1. To follow your passion
If you don’t care about what you’re doing, that’s one of the first and most important signs that you might not be in the right job. Even though not every job is going to be very interesting, there should be something about it that keeps you interested. If you don’t care about your work or even find it interesting, the days can go by quickly. This is a good sign that you might be better at something else.
Sometimes, you have no idea about a great chance that comes your way. When Renee Rosales, the founder of Theara®, found out that her child had been diagnosed with developmental delays, she realized that she, too, was neurodivergent and had been living with ADHD for her whole life with few resources.
Rosales says, “I was determined that no one else should have to go through this alone.” “I left the security of a 23-year career in education to follow my passion and start my own business. I couldn’t avoid my calling once I knew what it was. I used my many years of experience as a teacher, an advocate, and a mother to start a company that aims to educate, raise awareness, and give the neurodiverse community more power.
You might not have a clear “Eureka!” moment like this one where you know exactly what you want to do with your life. But if there’s a clear way for you to work on something you really want to do, you should at least think about whether it’s possible.
2. Because loved ones gave good advice
The people who know us best are our closest friends and family. They will almost always be the first to notice if we are having trouble at our current job. After all, if you often complain about your job, they are the ones who usually hear about it. People who know us best can tell when we’re just venting about a bad day or week at work, and they can also tell when the problem is bigger than just a tough stretch.
Have you ever been told by a friend that it might be time to look for a new job? Have people ever told you, “You might be great at XYZ”? Most of the time, it’s a good idea to listen to these ideas.
Laura Barker, who runs the business Laura Barker Coaching, remembers the conversation she had with a friend that made her think about becoming a career coach. At first, Barker didn’t believe it, but when he heard it from another friend, it made sense.
Barker says, “Something had changed, and I knew this was what I was supposed to do.” “I quit my job as a project manager, which I thought would be my new path in life.” After taking classes for two years to get certifications, she started her own business and now has a job that fits with her values.
3. Because you’ve been under too much stress
Work stress is a big problem all over the country. Not only can work demands make you feel stressed or uncomfortable, but they can also have a big effect on your health as a whole. 1 Stress at work is an important thing to think about when deciding what to do with your career, whether that means making changes to the way you work or leaving the job altogether.
“I worked for the government in a job that was already stressful. Then COVID-19 put a lot of stress on the system,” says Travis Price, an insurance agent. Price thought about leaving for a while and made sure he was making the right choice before he did it. When he realized he no longer liked his job, he knew he had to quit. “I wasn’t getting much help from the organization, and I didn’t feel like I was giving the people I was helping what they deserved.”
When planning a career, work-related stress is often a hidden factor because it’s hard for outsiders to spot and measure, and not everyone is stressed by the same things. If you know what stresses you out about your current job, keep that in mind as you plan your next step.
So far, the 2020s have caused big changes in so many different fields. Cyndi Zawenski, the owner of Ascent StoryCraft, got her start in the business as a reporter for TV and newspapers. When the pandemic hit, there was a lot of trouble in that industry.
Zawenski says, “I saw so many of my coworkers lose their jobs.” When the owners of businesses she used to write about came to her and asked for website and social media copy to keep their businesses going after their stores closed, she adapted. “I was about to start my own business as a freelance copywriter.” She decided to take this skill set to the next level by going back to school to get a certificate in digital marketing.
Even though Zawenski didn’t plan to switch from journalism to advertising and copywriting at first, she was able to do so quickly because of the skills she already had in journalism. As you think about other things to do, it can help to look for jobs that have some of the things you like about your current job.
5. To make time and space for what you love
Regardless of how you feel about your job, you probably enjoy doing a lot of things that have nothing to do with making money.
Paul Lewin, who started Home Water Research, was working as a marketing executive at the time, but he wanted to try something new. “I knew I wanted to travel, but at 26 I felt like I was too old to backpack,” says Lewin. He was thinking about jobs that would give him more opportunities to travel, so he decided to get certified to teach English in Vietnam.
After a while of teaching there, he went back to marketing. “I found a remote job through friends of friends and some networking. I’m happy to be back where I started in marketing. But now I live in an interesting culture, speak a new language, and feel much happier than I ever did before!”
6. To gain financial stability
It’s hard to see why you should keep working at a job you don’t like if you can barely pay your bills. Whether you want a better quality of life, need to support your family, or want to feel more secure in the long run, your paycheck is a big part of how happy you are with your job. A 2021 Pew Research Survey found that the main reason people changed careers during the pandemic was because of money, with 37% of respondents saying that low pay was a big reason why they changed careers in the end. 2
When people talk about money and finding a new job, the cost of new training or education is often the elephant in the room. People who want to change careers need to think about how much they want to put into their new path and how much money they will need to make it all work. You don’t have to go through this process by yourself, which is good news. Our article “Your Most Urgent Questions About Financial Aid Answered” can help you understand more about financial aid.
Advice on how to change careers from people who have done it
The stories above show how a career change can help you move forward into a happier, more satisfying job. These professionals also gave their best advice for making a career change. If you want to quit your job, try these tips to make the process easier.
1. Pursue a purpose
Rosales says that anyone who is thinking about making a change should look for a purpose. “Having a goal keeps me going even when things are hard, and having a clear vision keeps me going on days when things are hard. Find your reason.” Rosales says that keeping your mind on why you want to do something different will help you keep going and do well.
Zawesnki says, “You spend a third of your life at work, and with technology, it feels like more than that.” “One-third is a big chunk of time, so we should all be able to do work that we enjoy.”
Whether you want to work for an organization with a mission, want a change of pace, want to give your family a better life, or want to learn and grow, having a strong “Why?” at the center of your job search can help you keep what’s most important in mind.
2. See what’s going on first
You don’t have to dive right in when you start a new job. Lewin says, “If you’re not sure if the new job is right for you, look for a low-risk way to try it out.” Give yourself some time to test it out or get used to it.
Price says, “Look for a way to shadow someone or take a lower-level job in a company you want to work for.” “It helps you understand what’s going on better. Talk to the company and tell them what you want when you apply.”
3. Think about your choices for school
If you do decide to go back to school, it can be hard to decide what to study.
Barker says, “I think your choice of school should be based on what you want to do for a living.” “Once you know what you want to do, you can look into how different schools teach it and see if what they teach is what you need for your new job.” Barker says that this research will give you a little more control over how you want to go back to school as an adult.
“It didn’t take me long to decide on a school when I finally made up my mind,” says Zawenski. “I knew what I wanted from the classes. I wondered if these classes could be taken online. Could you take these classes at night? How long does it take to get a college degree? How often would the classes get together? Choosing only the schools that met my needs sped up the process.”
Should I change jobs? Do you still want to know?
Leaving a job can be scary, but for many people who changed careers, it was the best choice for their health and happiness in the long run. Changing careers can be exciting if you take the time to plan, think, and research more.
If your possible new job would require more schooling, it’s understandable that you’re not sure about making a change.
