3 Emotional Signs You've Already Quit Your Job — Even If You've Haven't Told Your Boss Yet
These signs reveal your heart (and mind) have already checked out.
Engin Akyurt | Unsplash We’re living in a time when holding on to your job — any job — is preached more than anything else. But if you’ve just left or are wondering if you should, here are some signs you've already quit your job.
Think of this as a “love yourself” kind of letter. Quitting isn’t the illness. The symptoms show up long before the decision is made. They look like this:
- Reflection
- Detachment
- Hunting
Let’s explain each, shall we?
Here are three emotional signs you've already quit your job, even if you haven't told your boss yet:
1. Reflection: You begin venting about your job to anyone who will listen
Reflection is when you start holding up a mirror to your life, and you might not like what you see. You begin venting to anyone who will listen.
Your spouse is exhausted from hearing about your boss. If that doesn’t help, you start journaling. Pages fill up with unfiltered thoughts like:
“That stupid boss of mine can just shove it …” “Why did Sally get the promotion when I’ve been here longer?” “I know Quinettia is the one who moved my salad from the company freezer before my lunch break.”
You get the idea. Maybe you even start therapy — yes, talking to a professional because of your job is a real sign you’ve hit this stage.
Reflection isn’t just about complaining. It’s your mind’s way of asking, “Is this still right for me?”
2. Detachment: You emotionally check out of your job
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The next symptom is subtle, but powerful. You begin detaching. You stop joining Happy Hour. You don’t raise your hand to stay late, even for double pay. Your Zoom camera? Off. Your enthusiasm? Gone.
You’re still technically employed, but you’ve emotionally clocked out. This isn’t laziness. This is your spirit putting up boundaries. You’ve mentally started walking away.
3. Hunting: You start to dust off your resume and scroll through job listings
Late one night, after a PB&J sandwich, you wipe your mouth with a cheap napkin and say to yourself: “I haven’t updated my LinkedIn in a while…”
Next thing you know, you’re dusting off your resume and scrolling job listings. You might even reconnect with an old passion — like making crochet hats while watching amigurumi tutorials, or flipping through mechanic magazines, thinking about repainting a car.
It’s not just about finding a job. It’s about hunting for something that makes you feel free again. At this point, one of two things usually happens:
- You quit.
- Or you get fired.
So, what now? I won’t tell you anything I haven’t lived through myself. I’ve gone through all three of those phases (minus the therapy, though I probably should’ve gone).
Let me keep it real with you: if your energy is off enough, they will feel it. Employers can sense when you’ve emotionally checked out — and sometimes, that leads to being let go. If that happens and your state allows it, you might be eligible for unemployment benefits while you look for your next step.
But if you quit? I hope you did Step 3 — putting in applications, updating your resume, and reaching out. That doesn’t guarantee you’ll land a job right away, but ideally, you’ll have a few interviews or even one yes before handing in your notice.
A gentle nudge before you leap: take a moment to check in with yourself, financially, emotionally, and mentally. Even if your job pays well, what’s the real cost to you? Before you quit, ask yourself:
- Are there other options I haven’t tried?
- Can I talk to someone?
- Can I journal my way to a clearer plan?
And if you’ve decided to go, just know you can always find another job and make more money.
Erica Jean Smith is a writer who explores the intersections of culture, class, and capitalism. Her work critiques the polished fantasies of work life and narratives fed about each generation and reveals the hidden privileges and pressures beneath. Erica holds an A.S. degree in Social Science.
