5 Reasons Why I Am Quitting My Job

You may ask me – why am I quitting my job in a recession? As a dedicated teacher of 7 years as of 2023, my journey in education has always been both fulfilling and enriching. The joy of working with children and witnessing their growth has been the driving force behind my career choice all this while. However, as with any profession, challenges can arise that force us to reevaluate our path but in a happier way, it made me realize that I can pursue my own dreams.

My students have always been my inspiration. As I encouraged them to dream big and chase after their goals, I realized that I had set aside my own dreams in the process. The desire to be a writer and the yearning to be my own boss as an entrepreneur had been relegated to the backburner of my life. I used to believe that these pursuits were reserved for the daring, the intelligent, and the fearless – qualities I believed I lacked. But as I shared stories of courage and determination with my students, I realized that I too could be the protagonist of my own journey.

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing the five reasons why I’ve decided on quitting my job as a teacher, despite the rewarding experiences it has brought me and maybe you might find the journey to be similar?

Pause, Breathe, Reflect

However, before stepping away from your current employment like me, it’s wise to assess both the positive and negative aspects influencing your choice. Here are some aspects to reflect upon before hastily pursuing the path of resignation:

• Understanding Your Motivation:
  • Evaluate what’s motivating you to leave and whether there’s potential for you to influence or change these factors.
• Weighing the Pros and Cons:
  • Make a comprehensive list of the advantages and drawbacks of remaining in your current job. Ensure your decision is grounded in realism.
• Exploring Flexibility:
  • Investigate whether there’s room to introduce more flexibility to your present role. Engage in a dialogue with your supervisor regarding potential schedule adjustments.
• Negotiating Compensation:
  • Have you broached the topic of a raise or promotion? Engaging in such conversations could potentially alter the course of your decision.
• Seeking External Perspectives:
  • Share your predicament with friends and family to gain valuable insights and diverse viewpoints.
• Considering Financial Stability:
  • Make sure you have at least 6 months worth of savings before you do anything rash.

After contemplating these factors and the question “Should I quit my job?” still lingers, then it’s time to take a look at the 5 Reasons Why I Decided that I am Quitting My Job with me and maybe it would resonate with you too.

5 Reasons Why I am Quitting My Job

I have official tendered my resignation on 2nd August 2023 with a notice up until 29 February 2024. I’m actually excited to begin my new journey! But why the long notice period? What was the contract? Well, it is actually just two months and or until the term ends, whichever one is the longest but I want the new person coming in to be well adjusted into her role before I officially leaves.

So, let’s hope I can share as much of my experience as I can to the new colleague. So below are my top reasons for quitting.

1. Undervalued Compensation

The one thing I never did before was compare my field’s market value worth but I recently stumbled across an Instagram page of @stephandden and it was an eye opener to see that people do this often in the US and that I should be questioning my wages and increments.

Once I learned that I could earn more than my potential, it was a compelling enough reason to leave. Even though money isn’t everything, but having more does give you a better quality of life.

2. Lack of Support

Do you feel unappreciated or under-supported in your current role? Then, hop right in. We’re having the same feeling. When you sense that your commitment and enthusiasm for your job are not being adequately appreciated by your workplace, it’s natural to be negative.

Perhaps you’re facing the same thing as me, you didn’t get guidance, thus you do your job as best as you know how, afterwards you face recurring criticism from colleagues or superior and when you try to suggest changes, you’re better off not suggesting anything at all? Well, those feelings are going to result in you feeling miserable, anxious and frustrated. Before you get to that feeling, always communicate with your superior and try to find better solutions.

3. Unreasonable Workload

Due to the recession, the number of student enrollment have dwindled significantly. To ensure parents have the best service possible and continue paying for the program, teachers must provide the best service possible. Any mistakes would be a big NO.

This give a strain to all teachers to ensure all the works are done right and you would need to give more hours than necessary so that you can provide the kind of service management is expecting. Yet, you are not reimbursed for those extra hours provided and I’ve lost count on how many social activities I had miss due to overtime for my job.

In September 2022, the mounting stress reached a tipping point. I found myself in the midst of a panic attack while at work. This was a wake-up call that I could no longer ignore the toll my job was taking on my mental health. The workplace, once a source of inspiration and growth, had transformed into a triggering environment. My mental well-being was suffering, and it was clear that I needed to prioritize my health above all else.

4. Workplace Culture Not Align With Your Values

While the heart of teaching lies in the classroom, effective management is crucial to fostering a positive environment for both teachers and students. Unfortunately, the management dynamics and my values are no longer in align.

I know, in an Asian culture, we need to work hard and make sacrifices but not at the expense of my mental health. I’ve had put off having kids due to constantly working and fear I might not have enough time to spend with my little one. Although I’ve learned so much about paying attention to detail thanks to my work, one must draw a line when one find oneself clocking out at 10pm almost constantly and needing to go to therapy to manage stress. This is the biggest factor why I’m quitting my job.

5. Battling Burnout

I find myself losing interest in life. I slept more, ate more, refuse to take take care of my hygine at times and just choosing to fall straight to sleep after getting back to work. On off days, I would just sleep the day away and not do chores.

If I was awake, I would just doom scroll and let the tiny doses of endorphins for the videos fill my time until I had to do it all over again. I’ve lost interest in all hobbies – I no longer hiked or swim. I no longer walk or exercise. I binge eat and slept and gained so much weight till feel unhappy with my life. I am burned out. If you are at this point too, please, just enough is enough. Your mental health comes first.

Conclusion

The decision to leave behind the familiar and pursue my dreams as an entrepreneur is a leap of faith that I’m taking with a heart full of hope and determination. It was not easy to submit my resignation in quitting my job. They are not bad people. I love all my colleagues and mentors. But sometimes, things just don’t align anymore and there’s more things out there to pursue.

As I step onto this new path, I’m not just chasing my aspirations but embodying the very lessons I’ve imparted to my students. By embracing change and following my dreams, I’m hoping to inspire others to do the same – to break free from self-imposed limitations and seize the opportunities that await.

Do continue to support me in my journey through my writings here in Joyful Rivalry and I would like to give a shout out to this book down here. It was the biggest factor in making me jump this ship! I am forever grateful to my student who gave me this book. Please check it out!