Five Tips That will Prepare you for Quitting Your Job

There is nothing scarier in life than making the decision to quit your job. This is the place that pays your bills, enables your lifestyle and relies on you. You probably have a relationship with the people for whom you work, and you have a vested interest in the success of your company (and then there are those who hate their jobs and coworkers and employers and don’t need our advice). My oldest daughter is going to be 7 in July, and when I was 29 weeks pregnant with her, my husband and I decided it was time for me to leave my office job. I was tired, overworked and ready to be home with our kids. It was the scariest and most difficult decision I’d ever made. I loved the people I worked for, but I wanted to be home. I wanted to work, and I’m very fortunate to be able to do that from home now that I’m an established mom, but leaving was difficult. We have some tips that can help you as you prepare to quit your job.

Talk to Your Spouse

Your spouse is someone who must be on board with your decision since it does affect your entire family. This means you should make the decision together, and only then decide to leave your job. Quitting is a strange and scary moment in life, but you can do it when you have your partner’s support.

Be Financially Ready

The most important thing you can do is get your finances in order before losing one income. This means pay down your debts, minimize your bills, learn to coupon or do whatever you need to do to make your lack of job less stressful on your family.

Have a Plan

What will you do next? Are you quitting because you hate your job and want another? Are you leaving to stay home? If you’re leaving because you hate your job but you need to work, you will need to have another job lined up. You need a plan before you quit.

Pen a Resignation Letter

Now is the time. You might desperately want to go out and tell your boss where he or she can shove it, but it is inappropriate and it will burn bridges. Your best bet is to pen an appropriate letter of resignation that details nothing more than the fact that you are leaving and when. Details are not necessary, and neither is an explanation.

Prepare to be Let Go Immediately

Depending on where you work, your two weeks’ notice might be cut short due to privacy issues. For example, my husband is a banker and anyone that resigns and gives two weeks is usually let go that day so that they lose access to client information immediately.

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