Sun. Oct 6th, 2024
Quiet Quitting: The opposite of everyday hustlingQuiet Quitting: The opposite of everyday hustling

TL;DR – Looking for a new job can be intimidating or maybe leaving your current job isn’t the solution to your unhappiness. Quiet Quitting could be the solution. Read on to find out why. 

Why are we hustling?

It’s second nature to compare ourselves with someone else. We envy those overachievers who do exceptionally well in school and eventually land a job in one of the big fours earning big bucks. We feel this pressure to build up something similar because we identify their achievements as our desired success. And the toxicity starts when you’re convinced that you have to be an overachiever, or your life would be a failure.

When your goals are not aligned with the workplace

High performers may feel discouraged when bosses are not supportive of their ideas or when colleagues are not cooperative in delivering their tasks. Many may also end up feeling disappointed when putting in too many extra hours and going above and beyond at work doesn’t result in a promotion or big bonuses. For these reasons, workers are shifting their priorities to pursue a work-life balance by doing the bare minimum expected at work.

Work flexibility and having purpose at work are two factors increasingly popular amongst young professionals. The work-to-live lifestyle that resonates with older workers is shifting to the live-to-work lifestyle for the younger workers.

Quiet Quitting is liberating

Quiet quitting is not about slacking off, it is about pursuing a meaningful life outside of work. Negative connotations of being passed over for a promotion may be internalized as personal failures and this could stimulate anxiety. And victims of this perspective will fall into a vicious cycle of overworking to prove themselves only to end with low self-esteem and more anxiety.

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Heavy hustlers who get burned out by overworking or those who are stressed out over work could benefit from this movement. Being burned out can have long-term physical, emotional and mental health impacts. We should approach work in a more sustainable way and Quiet Quitting can create a better balance of work and remove the negative impact of constantly feeling in competition with peers.  It is like hitting a pause button which could help workers to separate their self-worth from work and find a balanced perspective on work.

Slow and steady wins the race

To employers, it may seem that things are moving slower than usual. Rather than worrying over the loss of productivity, employers should look at reaping the long-term benefits and supporting the wellbeing of their staff – happier employees are more productive and engaged.

A happier workforce is likely to be friendlier and open which could lead to better work relationships being fostered. This can increase loyalty in the workplace and improve job performance, hence, resulting in greater productivity and higher profits.

Employers can start by encouraging a better work-life balance and will communicate to workers that they are valued, leading to greater engagement, productivity, and loyalty: everyone wins.

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By Wesley

A Singaporean talking about anything related to Singapore and Singaporeans. Current affairs junkie!