Thinking About Leaving Your Soul-Crushing Corporate Job?

Leaving a steady corporate job to pursue a new career opportunity or take a breather can be intimidating. After all, you will let go of a handsome salary, non-financial perks, and job security. As tempting as it may be to start a new chapter and leave everything behind, it is always best to thoroughly analyze the pros and cons involved in making such a decision. Your decision to quit will boil down to the following factors: make sure to ask yourself the right questions.

Leaving Corporate for Passion

Ask yourself if your passion lies in the job you are currently doing. Do you feel excited every morning to go to work or dread the upcoming day? If you resent your job or the people you work with, it is best to prioritize your mental health and quit. That is not to say you leave without a backup plan and fall further into psychological and financial turmoil. Never settle for less than what you are capable of or passionate about since you will never be truly happy or feel fulfilled. When there is passion, work doesn’t feel like a job you are simply expected to do; it feels more like a hobby-something you look forward to taking action on.

Leaving Corporate for Impact

Does your current job allow you to make an impact you are proud of? Is the fruit of your hard work visible and appreciated? Does it deliver value to society and make it a better place? If the answer is no, it may be time to reevaluate your career decision. Take time to find your passion since the value you will provide will be much more worthwhile than any paycheck. However, if making a difference in the world is not one of your top priorities, then perhaps quitting isn’t the best course.

Personal Desires & Dreams

Our dreams constantly motivate us to step out of our comfort zone and do the impossible. A corporate job that is essentially a golden cage will never allow you to really spread your wings and fly. If you would rather be part of a different company or corporate culture, then it’s probably time to leave.

Current Value in the Company

Thanks to the wide-scale availability of knowledge and skills, there is a greater talent supply. Almost all jobs can afford to hire new people within a short period. While there is a variety of talented candidates a company can choose from, that does not mean that it should treat its current employees like dirt. If you feel like you’re easy to replace and not properly valued by the management, you should first try conveying your concerns. If there is still no positive change, it’s in your best interest to leave.

Leaving Corporate for Physical and Mental Health

Working in a corporate job that doesn’t align with your values, morals, and personal beliefs can lead to severe mental and physical exhaustion. If you find yourself slowly losing your peace of mind or your physical health is deteriorating, it’s definitely a red flag. Get yourself out of that environment before you experience burnout or a complete mental breakdown.

Pay close attention to your surroundings and answer the following questions:

Is the job affecting my relationships with loved ones?

Am I becoming a puppet of the corporate world?

Is my mental or physical health being negatively affected by the current work circumstances?

Am I constantly unhappy with the work I do?

Is this job limiting my personal freedom?

If the answer is ‘yes,’ you should start looking for better options elsewhere.

Bottom Line on Leaving Corporate

Quitting your current corporate job to pursue better options can be a thrilling concept, but it also needs to be calculated. Before you quit, make sure you have enough leads, savings, and a support system to help you with a smooth transition. In the absence of this, you might end up regretting your decision and even going back to the same old job. Remember that there is no right or wrong time to take a leap, but having a clear direction definitely helps. Before you take the leap, plan and develop a strategy.