5 Signs It's Time to Quit Your Job (Before You Burn Out)
Don't wait until you're desperate. Learn the 5 subtle warning signs that your role has expired and how to exit gracefully.
1. The “Sunday Scaries” Have Become Daily
It’s normal to be bummed that the weekend is over. It’s even normal to dread Monday. One study from The Sleep Judge (which encourages you to rest!) found that 81% of people feel an “elevated sense of anxiety on Sunday in anticipation of the week ahead.”
It’s probably a bad sign though if you feel that knot of anxiety in your stomach every morning.
Our bodies have many ways of telling us things we’re otherwise ignoring. Sleeplessness, joint pain, tense muscles and easy distraction are all indicators that something isn’t right. And if you’re under constant stress, and you’re not managing it correctly, it can become a health risk.
The Harvard Business Review says that even simple burnout can be enough reason to leave your job. “You have the right to have work that enriches and enlivens you, rather than diminishing you,” Monique Valcour wrote for the publication in 2018.
2. You Are the Smartest Person in the Room
This sounds like a compliment, but it’s a career death sentence.
If you haven’t learned anything new in 6 months, you are a depreciating asset. In the tech and business world, skills have a half-life of about 5 years. If you aren’t adding new skills to your stack, you are falling behind.
The Test: Look at your calendar for the last month. Can you point to one project where you had to stretch, research, or ask for help? If not, you’re coasting. And coasting is just a slow decline.
3. The “Future You” Doesn’t Exist Here
Look at your boss. Look at your boss’s boss.
- Do you want their job?
- Do you want their lifestyle?
- Do you respect how they are treated by the company?
If the answer is “no,” then what are you working toward? Climbing a ladder you don’t want to be on is the definition of wasted time.
If there is no path upward because the company is flat or the roles are blocked, you have hit a ceiling. Don’t wait for a ceiling to turn into a coffin.
4. Company Metrics Are “Weird”
Layoffs rarely happen without warning. There is almost always smoke before the fire.
The Smoke Signals:
- “Hiring Freeze”: Even for backfills of essential roles.
- Budget Cuts: Suddenly you can’t expense a $20 book or a team lunch.
- Vague All-Hands: Leadership speaks in platitudes (“headwinds,” “macroeconomic factors”) rather than specifics.
- Top Performers Leaving: When the people who never leave start quitting, run. They know something you don’t.
Don’t wait to be a casualty. It is infinitely easier to find a job while you still have one.
5. You’re Just “Comfortable”
Comfort is the enemy of growth.
When you can do your job in your sleep, you stop innovating. You stop networking. You stop pushing. You become the employee who has “10 years of experience” that is actually just 1 year of experience repeated 10 times.
In a fast-moving market, being “comfortable” makes you vulnerable. If your company pivots or restructures, the “comfortable” employees are often the first to go because they are seen as legacy costs, not future drivers.
The Strategy: “Passive Looking”
You don’t have to rage-quit today. In fact, you shouldn’t.
Instead, shift into Passive Search Mode. This gives you leverage and lowers the stakes.
Step 1: The “Open Secret” Update
Turn on “Open to Work” on LinkedIn, but select “Recruiters Only”. This signals to headhunters that you are in play without alerting your boss.
Step 2: The Coffee Reconnect
Reach out to 3 former colleagues who you actually like.
- Script: “Hey [Name], I’ve been thinking about what’s next for me and I’d love to hear how things are going at [Their Company]. Open to a virtual coffee next week?”
Step 3: The Market Test
Apply to ONE job that looks interesting. Just one. The goal isn’t to get the job necessarily—it’s to test your resume and your market value. See if you get a callback. If you do, it boosts your confidence. If you don’t, it tells you that your resume needs work.
Conclusion
You are the CEO of your career. A company will rent your time for as long as it is profitable for them. You must decide when that trade is no longer profitable for you.
If you recognized more than two signs on this list, it’s time to update your resume. Not because you’re quitting tomorrow, but because you’re preparing for what’s next.
Related Articles:
- How to Calculate Your Salary Needs
- Weird Hiring Signals to Watch For
- Resume Red Flags That Kill Interviews (Tip)
Ready to start looking? Check out our Resume Guide to get your documents in fighting shape.