Grab your life raft or a piece of driftwood and swim for safety lest you find yourself stranded, drowning in the vast sea of unemployment with no sign of land in sight. It’s unfortunate for everyone involved, but a sinking ship only takes on more water. If your current employer is on the way out, you should be too. It’s easier and wiser to find work when you have it-don’t wait until it’s too late. If you’re terrified that expressing your opinion about work at work is going to land you in hot water, then it might be time to hand in your letter of resignation. Your employer doesn’t have to put action into your every recommendation, but they should nevertheless listen to what you (and your co-workers) have to say. If your employer doesn’t value your opinion, then they don’t value you-it’s that simple. Instead, take the initiative and apply elsewhere for the position you deserve.

Growth, or more specifically promotional advancement, is a fundamentally important component to any career and if your current employer isn’t keen on the idea, then staying with the company isn’t going to benefit you-either developmentally or financially. Nobody wants to be one of the lower rungs of a ladder, and certainly, nobody wants to stay there. And even worse, despite your best efforts and regular success, you’re stuck in an unfavorable position-a position you took because advancement seemed likely at the outset. You might have been told during the hiring process that the particular company you now work for loves to promote within, but as it turns out-some few years later-there’s not much room for advancement. You’ll likely be able to find similar pay-if not better pay-elsewhere. If money is what’s keeping you around (and it’s what keeps most people around), don’t sell yourself short. As such, if you can’t stand your current position or company, it’s recommended to start circulating your resume. If you’re unhappy at work, it’s going to reflect both at the workplace (in how you communicate with your co-workers and the quality of your work) and in just about every other area of your life from personal relationships to how you think about yourself. You should enjoy what you do, and procrastination (intentional or otherwise) is a sure sign that you no longer do. To be sure, people procrastinate for many different reasons, but the moment you avoid working because of anxiety or stress, there’s a problem. If you find yourself putting off projects at work and you’re intentionally falling behind, you’re most likely no longer interested and are mentally on your way out–if not mentally checked out already. It’s important to tackle the issue before it metamorphosizes into something that boasts dangerous repercussions such as depression and even unemployment. No matter how much work-related stress you can or can’t handle, it becomes a serious problem that needs immediate addressing when you’re at your mental, physical, and emotional breaking point. Many people handle stress differently, so use your best judgment here. But if it starts to take a prolonged and seemingly never-ending toll on your body, then it might be time to start looking elsewhere. In fact, it’s to be expected-and can even be sparingly beneficial. To help you navigate through this difficult time and to alleviate some of the stress, here are eight signs that indicate it might be time to finally move on. But, wondering, “Should I quit my job?” doesn’t necessarily mean you should. The very fact that you’re thinking about quitting your job might be evidence alone to do so, but what might be influencing your thoughts-and, ultimately, what might have you thinking it’s time to move on? Like any relationship, quitting isn’t easy, especially when you’ve worked at a particular job for so long and have built your life around it.

Time to quit your job