Advertising account manager Ira* worked up to 16 hours a day, double than what he's paid for, all in the name of hustle culture, until he realized going above and beyond was costing him his mental stability and ultimately, the joys of young adult life.
Until he's ready to join his peers in the global phenomenon that is "The Great Resignation", the 22-year-old is jumping on the "quiet quitting" trend that he learned about on Tiktok. The first to go was his people-pleasing mindset.
"'Yung malalang practice of overtime, it feels inevitable given my role as a project manager. Plus, I was told and made to feel na this is the norm, especially when you work in a field like advertising. Grind culture talaga kumbaga," he told reportr.
"The idea of quiet quitting really resonated with me kasi oo nga naman, why do I have to sacrifice my personal time for a job? I know it's such a privileged take, but to let this go on would only make things worse for me in the future. I need to value myself now," he said.
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What 'Quiet Quitting' means
As explained by a viral Tiktok video, quiet quitting is essentially the rejection of the idea that work has to take over your life, which has long glorified that act of going above and beyond your role for the sake of recognition.
"The reality is, [work is not life] and your worth as a person is not defined by your labor," user @zkchilling explained in his viral video.
@zkchillin On quiet quitting #workreform ? original sound - ruby
This idea is now driving people, mostly young ones, around the world to take a step back and revert to only performing duties prescribed by their job descriptions. This also entails declining more responsibilities to make room for what many are realizing life is really for, which the late American writer Toni Morrison had put into words long before the Great Resignation — "You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.”
Since the pandemic, many now "put more value on self love, self care, our personal relationships and passions," life coach Myke Celis told reportr.
As some may think quiet quitting as a negative and irresponsible thing to do, Celis said it's really "just giving what is due at work, what is expected at the very least, for as long as the output is passable."
"And for me, that's not quitting at all; it's actually quietly just pushing through while trying to manage and balance everyday stress and pressure from the overwhelming work load and changing times," he added, noting that the onus of setting healthy boundaries between work and life is on companies in the first place, not employees.
Companies should make the mental well-being of their employees a priority by givine considerations such as remote work, mental health leaves, and other forms of appraisals, he said.
"Today, relationships with self and loved ones matter more to a lot of workers versus exerting more effort at work which they see as something that just pays the bills, but do not really matter when times are really hard," he said.
As an employee, he suggests setting boundaries that will let employers know what your willing to tolerate:
Schedule a hard stop
Avoid taking home work, checking emails past your work schedule, or habitual overtime. You should also alloting time for exercise and meditation in the morning prior to starting work, as this will prepare your mind for the day ahead.
When at work, give your best still
This is so you can still grow professionally. Outside of it, be 100% present in pursuing your passions and building your relationships so you can grow in harmony with them. You deserve those.
Remember: your work can wait, but your life can't
Focus on each task during designated times. Don't ever feel guilty when it's time for you to shift your attention to other things that don't involve your job.
If you need the help of a career coaching professional, you may reach the life coach cited in this story, Myke Celis, through his website.
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