10 Valid Reasons to Leave Your “Good” Job  

When is “good” a bad word? When your good job becomes the bane of your existence. When you hide under the covers and hit snooze six times to avoid heading to the office. When you need to remind yourself that you have a “good” job you should be thankful for.

If your dream job has become a nightmare to you–even if ten other people would love to have your job–then it is time for you to move on. Here are ten excellent reasons to leave your good job behind.

You Wake up Miserable Every Morning
You should wake up energized at the prospect of another day on this beautiful earth, not depressed that you have to head to a job you hate. If you wake up each day grumpy, depressed or overwhelmed at the prospect of another day in “paradise,” it’s time to go.

You Despise Your Coworkers
You can’t “fix” the people around you, you can only take charge of yourself. If being around their energy has a negative effect on you. Get out.

The Company is Going Down
Remember how the airline flight attendant told you to put your own mask on first? Save yourself. There is no valor is hanging on for the plummet. Know the warning signs: frequent closed-door meetings, a tightened belt on expenses and a general attitude of unrest with upper management could be signs of approaching doom.

You Don’t Feel Challenged
Could you do your job in your sleep? Do you feel as if most days you do? Maybe you’re bored because your skills are untapped at this company. When you have consistently demonstrated the ability to handle more and are still not offered opportunities to grow in the organization, it could be time to swim in a different pond.

If you aren’t doing anything new, you aren’t learning anything new either. Every work experience should add new skills to your resume.

Your Dreams Became Nightmares
The dreams you had when you started at your job have turned into nightmare that keep you awake at night. Quirky dreams about people from work are probably quite normal, but nightmares that turn work into an American Horror Story episode could mean it’s time to look for another job.

Stress is Making You Sick
Occasional, project-based work stress isn’t out of the ordinary. Stress that makes you physically ill or causes you to take frequent “mental health” days is not. Even if you do need the excellent salary your job brings, keep in mind that you can’t enjoy that income if your mental or physical health suffers as a result of that job.

You’re Surfing for Jobs
If you find yourself hanging out on job boards instead of working the job you already have, you’re already looking for a change. Instead of daydreaming about greener pastures, take a serious approach to determining what the next step on your career path should be.

You’re the Square Peg
Sometimes the actual job isn’t the problem, the company is. Maybe you just don’t mesh with the company climate. If you don’t fit, stop trying to force your square peg self into the proverbial round hole.

You Underperform
Do you skate by most days doing as little as possible? Maybe you surf the web or find tasks to keep yourself looking busy. Before someone notices your lack of enthusiasm, find a job that will restore your desire to learn, grow and perform to your full potential.

No Advancement Potential
If there is nowhere to move up in your current company, even a lateral move to another company where you have opportunities for growth might make sense. You may have outgrown the company. There isn’t much likelihood that the CEO is going to fire his nephew to create a spot for you.

Parting Thoughts

Before you jump ship, do your homework. Can you leave your current job immediately and still meet your expenses until you find another position? Or will you have to maintain your current job while you conduct your search for another job?

Create a plan for yourself before you give notice. What does a better job look like to you? How long do you anticipate your job search will take? What will your fallback plan be if you cannot find another job in the allotted time?

Do you need any additional training in order to progress into the type of job you envision as your next step? How will you attain those new skills? Can you volunteer your time with an organization to help you acquire those skills, and get a sense of fulfillment that you are not currently getting at work?

Instead of creating a laundry list of the things you dislike about your current employer, the work or the people there, re-frame your list into something positive. What do you like best about your job now? Which people do you get along with the best? What changes since you were hired have altered your view of your job?

Answering those questions will make you more attuned to the type of job you’re seeking. After all, how will you ever find the “right” job if you don’t know what it is you are looking for? When you have compiled a list of your criteria for the ideal job, you will be ready to begin your search.