I have been reading about Quiet Quitting for a couple of months now. It is all over the internet — Linked In, News sites, Twitter, and even on Medium.
If you are on the internet, you must have come across the term too. There is nothing quiet about Quiet Quitting nowadays.
I initially thought the premise was simple — people who are good at their jobs and have enough experience quietly leave when they do not feel like the job is the right fit anymore. They do not make a fuss or try to solve the situation while still employed. They just move on.
Well, there is a problem; I was wrong in my assumption.
I am all for this concept. Well, there is a problem; I was wrong in my assumption. Quiet Quitting is not what I thought when I heard the term first.
Here is a definition of Quiet Quitting:
Quiet Quitting is the idea of slowly withdrawing from overworking
— bbc.com
Quiet Quitting is not really quitting. It is just another fancy term for reducing the amount of effort you put into your work without leaving the job. Or, some might say— slacking off.
Employees have been doing it for decades— doing the bare minimum to avoid losing their job. We all know the Pareto Principle— that ~20% of the workers produce 80% or more of the result. (what do the remaining ~80% of workers do!)
So how can you tell if Quiet Quitting is the right thing to do? And more importantly, can you ensure it is the right thing for you?
But let’s first understand — Should you feel bad about Quiet Quitting?
I will feel bad about not doing anything about the situation that forces me into Quiet Quitting.
I am passionate about what I do. That’s what keeps me motivated to give my best to work. Sure, the money and work culture add a lot to the motivation factor, but that is not the core part of it.
Silently reducing the amount of work I do will not help anybody, especially myself. I would feel bad about putting myself in a situation where I am forced to work less than my full potential.
If money or the work environment is the issue, then why not fight to improve the situation?
I strongly feel that fighting for a better work environment is worth the effort. Moving into a better workplace is always better than being miserable in a job you hate. And, there’s no shame in making a change for the better.
Why waste your time hanging around in a job where you don’t feel motivated enough to go above and beyond? Why would you choose to perform less than your capability and hamper your professional growth?
If you are passionate about what you do, then Quiet Quitting will only impact your job satisfaction and career growth.
But, maybe you are someone who does not care about your career. Or somebody who does not want to grow professionally.
Then you can use quiet quitting to disguise your lack of motivation and zero intention to work towards improving the situation. And for that, you will not need to put any effort and can just get by with the bare minimum.
But is that really what you want?
We all know that a better work culture would be ideal for all of us. Moving into a new and improved environment is always better than staying in a negative one. There is no need to feel bad about wanting to leave a place that makes you unhappy.
It is your life, and you have the right to choose what makes you happy.
If you are unsure whether you should make a change, consider the points below when deciding whether to leave.
- The first is your reason for wanting to quit. Is it something you can change? Or is the fix out of your control? If it’s something you can change, then give yourself time and space to try and fix it before giving up completely. If it’s out of your control, you need to weigh the pros and cons of quitting against the pros and cons of staying in the situation that impacts your creativity and productivity.
- The second thing to consider is what will happen if you do quit. Will things get better or worse for you? Are you prepared for the consequences?
- And finally, ask yourself if quitting is what you want to do. Are you just looking for an easy way out? Quitting should never be taken lightly — it’s a big decision that should only be made after careful consideration.
If you’ve decided that quitting is the right thing to do, then do it with grace and dignity.
Be respectful to your team and your company. Explain your reasons for leaving and thank them for the opportunity to work with them.
And finally, don’t look back. Quitting is a new beginning, so start fresh and focus on the future. Don’t languish in the same uninspiring work environment that kills your passion and motivation daily.
You deserve to be happy in your career and should not settle for anything less.
So, if you feel stuck in a job you don’t enjoy anymore, don’t do “quiet quitting”. Make a plan to change your situation and go for it.
You will be glad you did it.