Monday, ugh. 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – even bigger ugh. 

You get to the office and it just doesn’t feel the same anymore. For a lot of you, many colleagues would’ve been wiped out by the many redundancy waves in 2020. 

Some of you went on furlough and re-evaluated your life – maybe you figured out that the 9-5 life just wasn’t for you. 

Heck, some of you may have worked throughout the pandemic and still re-evaluated your life because… who wants to work while the world is seemingly crumbling around you?

If you didn’t take much notice of your mental health and what you really want from life before the COVID-19 pandemic, then you sure are as hell are now. 

Over the past year, I was furloughed and let go from a company that meant the world to me, found a new job but quickly left that place when I realised that I deserved more than to be belittled and reduced to tears every week,  and started a fabulous, dreamy new job… in the space of 9 months. 

I may not be ya typical career advisor, but my gosh do I know a thing or two about a rocky career journey. 

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re on the fence about leaving your job. If you need a little more convincing, here’s some reasons why you DEFINITELY need to be looking elsewhere:

1. Your mental health is suffering big time

No ifs or buts – please start looking for another job, or just some time away if you feel like you are mentally and/or emotionally suffering. 

YOU are worth more than any 9-5 job. YOU deserve more than a crappy boss that isn’t going to value your efforts. YOU must always put yourself first. 

Take some time out. Maybe there’s some family or friends that can put you up for a while. Speak to your GP. 

Insight into my little life: Last year, I was suffering with bad anxiety in a place where I was working for just over a month after I was made redundant. I spoke to my GP and I was signed off for two weeks. Within those two weeks, I was able to look after myself, make a plan of how the hell I was going to be financially stable after leaving and then finally, got myself together and swiftly handed in my notice. 

It’s still one of the best things I’ve ever done. I put myself first and my gosh, am I thankful for it. 

If you are struggling with life right now and want to speak to someone confidentially, reach out to a few superb mental health charities like SHOUT or SANEline.

2. You don’t feel valued

So, you’re excelling at work, probably doing quite a bit more than your counterparts that get paid almost double you, and your manager isn’t batting an eyelid… it’s time to have a conversation, or get yourself on Indeed. 

It might be the case that your manager is super overworked, maybe a few personal issues going on, so a conversation (if you feel like you can), should always be the first option. 

Speak it out. Let them know how you’re feeling. 

Many managers might say “come to me with solutions, not problems” and if that’s the case – why don’t you discuss a rewards and recognition scheme so everyone has the opportunity to feel appreciated?

Some of my favourites are:

  • Employee of the month
  • A cheeky little shoutout, on the company intranet, in an email or even in a big ole’ meeting 
  • Team lunch to celebrate each other’s successes
  • Voucher of choice – who can say no to an Amazon freebie, am I right?!

Ultimately, some companies won’t listen at all. Take it from me. They’ll treat you even worse because you dared to speak up… so you get the frick out of there. 

Some workplaces can be a bit like a toxic relationship… you keep giving them a chance in the hope they’ll change and treat you better. They WON’T change. 

3. Passion? What’s that?

You just don’t care anymore. The spark has gone. You turn up, do the bare minimum, maybe talk to a few people that you used to go for lunch with, and then you go home. 

Rinse and repeat. 

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I don’t want to get philosophical, but seriously, you’ve got one life. LIVE IT. BE HAPPY. DO WHAT YOU LOVE. 

It’s never that easy, I know. But little changes here and there to get you on the right path is doable. 

If you want to start your own business, start a little side hustle. 

Wanna go back into education? Why not?! You may be able to get financial support. Do it!

How about a complete change of career? Go for it. Hey, I have a Computing degree and now I’m a Digital Marketing Executive. 

If you want it, go get it. 

There are always a million reasons to say no. Whether you’ve just started a family, you’re “too old”, or “it’s just not the right time”. Stop getting in your way and go live your dream.

4. Your salary just isn’t cutting it…

Not had a pay rise since you started? What about a company bonus? Who am I kidding, does your salary even increase with inflation? 

It’s time to ask for more pennies, or find somewhere that’ll pay you what you’re worth. 

With the help of trusty recruitment websites like HAYS and Reed, you can easily discover what other people in your town, region or country are earning for the same job. 

These salary checkers are a fantastic way to negotiate your salary when you have your performance reviews, or even before then if you’re up for the challenge. 

Reality check: If you want more money, you may have to just get a new job. 

According to TotalJobs, companies are paying new hires around £1500 more compared to existing employees in the same role. 

Okay… now what do I do?

Make a plan. 

Here’s what I did, but feel free to change it up to suit you:

  • Ask yourself the question “What do I really want?” – ignoring bills, finances, what everyone else thinks I should do. What do I really want from life?
  • Research. Look for jobs in your area. Look at online classes if you want to change your career path. Look into financial aid if you’re looking to get back into education. 
  • If you’re going to have a conversation with your manager – note down all the key points you want to discuss. Whether it’s negotiating your salary, how you feel at work or even if you want to stay in the organisation but progress up the ladder. It’s good to be prepared and know what you want to say before it’s time to talk. 
  • Speak to your GP if you’re struggling. It’s tremendously hard to get help sometimes. Your GP is there to help and support you, no matter how big or small. 
  • Trust your gut. Let’s be real – if you want to leave your job, you don’t need me to confirm that for you. If you know, you know. Stop putting it off. Making sure you’re happy is always your number one priority. It might take some time, effort and hard work but it’ll pay off.