Sometimes, you’ve just got to quit your job. It might sound crazy, especially in a culture that rewards hard work and being passionate about your career. But, truthfully, not all jobs are worth sticking around for – here are some reasons to keep in mind when considering if you should move on to a new place in your career.

1. You find the work environment to be toxic

No job is worth staying in a toxic environment. Not even the benefits, pay, connections, or anything else you get out of your job. This is because anything you gain from your job comes at the risk of your mental health and letting a toxic company profit off of your work.

There are plenty of signs of toxicity in the workplace to look for. Maybe work makes you feel stressed, anxious or all-around miserable, or relationships throughout your workplace are unhealthy ones, or aren’t allowed room for mistakes and even berated when you make them. This is just a few signs – do your research on toxic workplaces and see if anything comes up that resembles your workplace. Of course, if you dread going to work every day, that’s your number one tip-off.

Even if you’re gaining a lot from your workplace, know there are other similar jobs out there where employees are treated well and not under as much stress as you are.

2. You struggle with your work/life balance

There’s more to life than just your job. So, you’re not in a good workplace if you find that you’re working well into the evenings and on weekends, never have time to spend with friends, family or yourself, and struggle to sleep or eat so you can catch up on work.

The right job will give you adequate time to yourself and a workload that won’t get in the way of your personal life. Sure, it’s great to feel passionate about your job and want to go above and beyond at work, but a life that revolves entirely around work is not a healthy one. We all need breaks. If your boss is emailing you after you’re off the clock requesting your after-hours assistance, it’s time to start looking for a new job.

3. Your job doesn’t align with your values

Remember that your name will be connected to any job that you have throughout your life – it’ll be on your LinkedIn, your resume, and maybe the company’s Internet presence as well. So, you should make sure all the companies you work for align with your values. If there are causes you strongly believe in and promote, it’s going to make you miserable to work somewhere that doesn’t believe in the same thing or, worse, works against that cause – it’s not worth it.

In the future, this is something that can potentially be prevented by doing thorough research on a company before you apply, interview or accept the job offer. The values that companies claim to have will be right there on their websites, and information to back it up will be seen in news articles, social media comments, Glassdoor reviews from other employees, and more. That being said, companies can definitely lie about their values and you’ll only find out you disagree with their true values once you work there. This means not only could you find a company with better values, but one that won’t be so shady.

4. You don’t enjoy going to work

It’s as simple as that. Not every job you have is going to be your dream job, maybe not even something you’re passionate about, but at the very least, you should like your workplace. You shouldn’t dread going to work or seeing certain managers or co-workers, you should be happy to be there.

If you’re in this position, consider what makes you dislike your job and decide if it’s worth looking for another one. I, personally, say if you’re miserable there, it’s time to go no matter what – sure, it’s just a method of making money, but a job is still an important part of your life and going to affect your mental health. Something that makes you happier is definitely out there, even if you need to hold onto this job a little longer while searching for it.

If you can bear it, stick with your job while you search for a new one, and when it’s time to move on, still put in your two weeks and finish off strong. Of course, if your work environment is particularly abusive towards you, you can do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Just know that if you need to quit, there’s no shame in it – quitting a bad job is only propelling you forward to the next step up in your career journey.

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Emily Morrison is a media professional with passions for writing, film and popular culture.

Feature Image: Adobe Stock