Just recently, I heard of a new trend called 'quiet quitting' from Very Well Mind. Quiet quitting is when a professional chooses to set work boundaries and stop the over-achievement attitude. Let's pause for a second to get some context.
As you are likely aware, American work culture is hardcore. It is the belief that you will eventually succeed if you work yourself to death. It is a vicious cycle of overworking and stress that often leads workers to feel burnt out, unappreciated, and lacking in work-life balance.
While this attitude has been the most common over the past few decades, we are seeing a substantial shift. This concept of quiet quitting is especially popular for Gen Z and millennial professionals. Unlike their parents and generations before them, they reject overachievement and the constant abuse of the busy badge.
Instead, these younger professionals hold human-centered values like compassion, self-development, happiness, and social connections over materialism and wealth. Rather than wanting bigger and better in terms of housing, cars, and clothes, they are more focused on experiences, sustainable living, and creating happy memories.
What is Quiet Quitting?
So, what does quiet quitting entail? No, they are not actually quitting their jobs. Rather they are:
- Saying no to tasks outside of their job description
- Not replying to work communication outside of working hours
- Arriving to and from work on time, rather than arriving early or leaving late
- Being less emotionally investing in their projects and company in hopes of a promotion
As you can see, these changes are not unreasonable. Rather than busting their backs all day, going above and beyond, they are simply doing what a company hired them to do and nothing more. They are placing more value on themselves and what they need to achieve happiness than constantly pushing for a rare promotion.
Give Quiet Quitting a Try
I recognize that there are mixed feelings about this trend, especially older generations who feel like these young workers are being lazy. However, I encourage you to step outside the American work culture mindset. In many places around the world, such as in Europe, the work mentality is "work to live," unlike our "live to work." They focus on social connections, positive experiences, and a healthy work-life balance to promote longevity and happiness. They remain just as successful as us, but their rates of satisfaction are much higher than ours.
Whether this trend will continue is yet to be seen. I hope it does because I believe it to be a positive change that will teach new generations about setting boundaries, appropriate work methods, and Intentional Margins.
So today, how are you setting yourself up for success? Do you have boundaries on your time or commitments? I invite you to take 15 minutes this morning - an Intentional Margin - and write your top 3 things you absolutely will accomplish today at work, no matter what. And then, do those first. So, at the end of the day, you know you’ll have some wins.
Tag me @everydayhappinesswithkatie with your sticky note or planner page of your top 3 today.
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