What will society think of next? The word quiet… harmless on its own, barely making any noise, it is an adjective. The word quitting, ah.. that’s a word that has a bit more POW. When you think of quitting, what do you think of? Leaving something perhaps undesirable. The two words put together hardly make any sense, but yet you see it on TikTok, Instagram, and even lately on BBC/CNN and various other news sources. But what is it? Is it truly as negative as it sounds, no.
Essentially, quiet quitting is doing the job you signed up for. Working with in those parameters of a job description when you were hired. What is incredibly shocking to me is the fact that business owners and corporations are responding in a borderline negative/shocked attitude towards this concept. Truth be told, I think they fear the boundary aspect that people are starting to put up.
Let’s rewind a couple of years. Back in 2020, we had a global shock of a pandemic. The world HAD to slow down to try to stop the virus, granted not everyone wanted to stop doing what they were doing and was unable to eradicate it. However, something magical happened during that time- I am not sure if it was this way everywhere, but for me something shifted.
The world stopped almost. There was no noises outside of kids playing, neighbors talking, it was simply like a ghost town. While everyone who followed the rules got to witness this eeriness. The people that were required to do their jobs, being “essential” kept going, but for the rest of us, one day we were required to be at work, and the next… we were told to stay home.
At first, staying home was like a mini-home staycation, for those that did not have loved ones impacted by COVID. Then something strange started happening. Those things you know, the things that you always want to do but are unable to? The things that can’t be done because you are too tired from working all day, or even maybe working when you get home. It was an epiphany. It was reflection. It was an awakening. The long hours, working in ways to be the best or overachiever to get that extra bacon was what society engrained into everyone. Simply speaking, the job description you signed up for? Hell no. That wasn’t your job, your job might have been three or four other jobs put together or maybe even a variation of your bosses job because they were too lazy, and self centered to come in on time.
I personally feel like COVID gave people a chance to re-evaluate what is important, yes money is good, yes having a career can be wonderfully fulfilling but it isn’t everything. It isn’t who you are. The essence of you, the you, you once knew had passions and dreams. Working to work to get to those goals is one thing, but working to work to retire and have no oomph left in your 50-60’s because you’re burned out is another thing. That my dear readers is why the “Great Resignation” happened. It happened because the workers finally had a chance to think for themselves, and the companies that welcomed them, offered more. This “more” monetarily, maybe it was PTO, the ability to stay working from home and in some cases the grass isn’t always greener on the other side with changing things up.
People were tired, they were overworked, and honestly taken for granted in a lot of situations. Some amazing businesses went under during then and now. But this is a shout out to all those who muddled through it. The people that worked their asses off and felt like they were selling their souls to the corporate devils that allowed them to put food on the table and pay their bills. You’re still here, and by all means, quiet quit. QUIET QUIT and when you want a promotion do more. Maybe businesses will start understanding, that when they take and take and take, sometimes the last bit of taking is the last straw.
All that being said, I am NOT saying be lazy and don’t do your job. I am saying do the job you were hired to do. Learn if you need to, put in those extra hours if you really think it will solidify your position if it isn’t concrete. But by no means does that give the right for coworkers, employers to not respect the boundaries you set.
I feel in my bones that businesses need to start sharing their profits better with their hard workers, those that decide to keep plowing through and working hard? Power to you! But don’t forget the little pieces of your “muchness” as you do, because before you know it, your light will start to dim, and that will be all you have left. If businesses/and business owners could understand anything about quiet quitting, it’s in our right to do what the job entails, and respecting the boundaries of when the work day ends, the work day ends. P.s. benefits are really important.
The Whistling Pen 