Should You Quit Your “Meh” Job? Or Is It Salvageable?

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Seven questions to help you sort it out.

April 19, 2024

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  • Bad days at work are inevitable, just as some degree of frustration and ennui is bound to be a part of almost any job. In this article, the author shares advice from two experts on what to do if you’re stuck in the gray area of deciding whether your job is merely mediocre (and could potentially improve) or downright soul-crushing (and might require a change). They offer seven questions to ask yourself to help you sort it out: 1) Is the workplace toxic? 2) Do you feel depleted? 3) Are you miserable or are you bored? 4) Is there anything about the job you enjoy? 5) Are you really giving it your best effort?  6) Do you need different friends? 7) Is there anything about the job you enjoy?

    Some days, you hate, hate, hate your job. Other days, you wonder if you’re truly unhappy or just coming to terms with the reality that workdays can often feel like a long, tedious slog.

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    • RK


      Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.


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  • New!


    HBR Learning

    Career Management Course

    Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Career Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

    What’s your next career move? Learn how to set yourself up for success.

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