Quietly Quitting? Work with a Coach
The New Normal. The Great Resignation. Languishing.
And now: enter Quiet Quitting.
This month’s viral TikTok video has spurred a new workplace term into the atmosphere, characterized as a sentiment of “not outright quitting your job, but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond” at work. You’re still performing your job requirements, but you’re done letting your work define you.
I am a huge proponent of setting personal boundaries at work. Now more than ever, lines can easily be blurred between home and life and striking the right balance can be challenging. So what can you do if you’re feeling like Quietly Quitting is the only way to get by?
1. Talk about it. I believe in setting boundaries using proactive tactics rather than passive ones. This often means doing so through open and transparent conversation. By bringing your leader into the conversation and sharing your needs, it can go a long way to establishing a healthier workplace atmosphere where you can thrive, rather than quietly quit.
2. Dig deep. Where do you draw motivation and inspiration from your work? If you were to have the perfect boundaries established, would that change how you feel? Or is there something else broken? Asking yourself the honest questions will help you get to the real issues at play that could be pointing to something completely different.
3. Work with a Coach. If overall you simply find yourself feeling uninspired by your work, this can be the perfect first step. Your overall career happiness could need an examination to get you “unstuck.” How do you envision a work life for yourself where you do want to feel good about going the extra mile, even if just for yourself, all while staying within healthy balance and boundaries? How can you create the fulsome life you want to live where your mantra each day is not to simply do just enough? How can you connect your bigger purpose with your intrinsic motivation within you, whether that is a new job, a new industry, or a new entrepreneurial venture for yourself?
The Quiet Quit can certainly be a realistic and understandable reaction to many systemic issues at play, and workplaces need to do a lot better to change multiple root problems perpetuating these issues. But if Quiet Quitting feels like the way to go, first ask yourself if what’s driving your feeling is something deeper - and ultimately, within your control to improve for your own well-being and intrinsic career satisfaction.