Is It Time to Leave Your Job? Here's How to Know (and How to Step Away Gracefully)
Are you tired, stressed, and questioning what a successful career is supposed to feel like?
If so, it might be time to leave your current job behind.
Knowing when and how to walk away can be overwhelming, but recognising the signs — and making an empowered decision— could be the best career move you'll ever make, even if it's from your so-called "dream job."
Let's break it down with clarity and compassion.
Is it time to leave? And How to Recognise the Signs
Recognising the signs.
Maybe you’ve put in the years at uni, worked your way up the corporate ladder, or you're in your first “real” job.
Whilst it’s normal for work to feel challenging, it shouldn't drain the life out of you daily, nor feel like you’re stuck running on a hamster wheel.
Signs it’s time to consider leaving:
Persistent dread: Outweighs excitement when starting your workday more days than not.
Burnout symptoms: Irritability, fatigue, exhaustion, frequent illness, stress.
Physical red flags: Sleep issues, gut health problems, anxious thoughts.
Lifestyle mismatch: You feel your job no longer aligns with your lifestyle or values.
Feeling invisible: Unseen, undervalued, or constantly overlooked.
It’s natural for jobs not to meet 100% of your values all the time, but major misalignment is a warning sign, and it shouldn't consistently diminish your peace, health, or self-esteem.
Red Flags vs. Rough Patches
It can be hard to know if you're just in a tough season or if it’s time to move on. Here’s how to identify if it’s time to go.
Red flags that signal it’s time to leave:
Persistent burnout despite trying to manage stress.
High staff turnover or a toxic workplace culture.
A vague job description that keeps expanding without recognition or promotion.
Lack of transparency about growth opportunities.
Being overloaded with tasks without recognition or formal promotions.
Feeling invisible — your achievements go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Being expected to sacrifice your personal life routinely.
One bad week happens. Living in survival mode week after week? That’s a clear sign to reassess the situation and put yourself first.
Why It’s So Hard to Walk Away
Even if you know it’s time to go, walking away is emotionally complicated.
Here’s why
Fear of the unknown: “What if I can’t find anything better?”
Sunk cost fallacy: Feeling trapped and staying because you’ve already invested so much.
Identity attachment: Your job title becomes a big part of who you are.
Internalised pressure: Especially for women in male-dominated industries, the pressure to “stay and succeed” is heavy, especially if you’ve worked hard to “earn” your place.
People who change jobs every few years often secure higher salaries, faster career growth and better opportunities. Staying unhappy for too long isn’t loyalty — it’s self-sabotage.
Reminder: You’re not quitting on yourself — you are choosing yourself.
Deciding to Leave
If you’re feeling torn, don’t rush the decision. Take the time to turn uncertainty into clarity, without procrastinating and overthinking, of course.
How to turn hesitation into an empowered decision:
Write a pros and cons list: Be brutally honest.
Journal your emotions: Separate the facts from fear and balance your emotions and logic.
Talk to a mentor or trusted friend: Sometimes an outside perspective is what you need.
Use your sick leave: Take a day off to breathe and reflect if you're overwhelmed. It’s your legal right, and you don’t need to justify mental health breaks.
You deserve to take time and space to think clearly about what you need next.
How to Step Away Gracefully
Once you've made your decision, it's important to leave with professionalism (even if you feel like sprinting out the door). When you resign, leave professionally — even if you’re fed up.
A professional exit strategy:
Review your notice period and non-compete clauses.
Prepare your resignation letter — keep it professional and formal (use Fair Work’s guide).
Schedule a private meeting with your manager to give your notice/resign— don’t just send an email if you can help it.
Finalise any important projects or handover notes.
Request a written reference or a LinkedIn recommendation.
Update your LinkedIn profile and portfolio with new skills and achievements.
Be prepared financially in case there’s a gap before your next opportunity.
Be prepared that you might be asked to leave immediately after resigning, so get your portfolio and important work sorted before you hand in your notice.
Don't feel guilty about protecting your energy in the final weeks. Help transition your work, but avoid unnecessary overtime.
What Comes Next?
The "in-between" space after leaving a job can feel both terrifying and liberating.
Use this time to:
Rest and recover: Burnout isn’t something you can "power through."
Reconnect with yourself: Outside of job titles and corporate expectations.
Reassess your career goals: Dream bigger, sometimes a fresh start reveals new ambitions you hadn’t even imagined yet.
Personal growth: Embrace the chance for this (even if it’s slow).
Growth is rarely linear — it’s messy, chaotic, and beautifully unpredictable.
Final Thoughts
Walking away from a job — even a dream job — is an act of self-respect, but it still requires an incredible amount of courage.
You are more than your job title and the way you make money. Your well-being, passions, and life outside of work are just as important — if not more so. We all deserve a job that respects our boundaries and to do work that is fulfilling and challenging, without completely draining us.
So if you’re questioning whether it’s time to move on… maybe you already know your answer.
Don’t let fear stop you from stepping into your next chapter.
