How will I know when it's time to quit my job?

If you dread the start of every workday, it may be time to quit your job. Discover how much is too much and when it really is time to leave.

When you’re stuck in a job that you aren’t happy with, it’s easy to think a better job is out there. Before you make the critical decision to quit, there are a few things to consider.

Perhaps your unhappiness is due to a lack of productivity, pay, under-utilized skills or the feeling of stagnancy. If that’s the case, is this something you could resolve by having a meeting with your employer to discuss your concerns? If you’re a valuable employee, your employer will want to hear from you and find ways to help improve the situation.

Somewhere around noon on Sunday you start to feel that pit of dread well up inside of you. By Sunday night you can no longer fully enjoy a nice sunset, a delicious dinner or even the company of your friends. You are already focused on what lies ahead of you on Monday morning.

When Monday arrives, there is no spring in your step. As you begin your morning tasks at the office you are already counting the hours till 5 p.m. Your to-do list almost puts you to sleep and you go about your work with little to no emotion or enthusiasm. If you have no desire to continue doing what you do, it may be time to consider a change.

You can't carry on functioning in a role where you feel you are underpaid and undervalued. If you feel your skills are not being put to good use or that you're not appreciated as an employee, your attitude towards your job will only worsen with time.

There are several reasons to quit your job and look for something new. Perhaps you don’t get along with your direct supervisor or you don’t feel your values jive with that of the corporate culture. If you are consistently unhappy, it’s time to really observe and evaluate your next steps. Just be sure to prepare a back-up plan first. It helps to talk to friends, trusted colleagues and even an employment agency to prepare for the next step.