Quiet Quitting is the latest TikTok trend that has everyone talking. There have been 40 million hits for the hashtag #QuietQuitting. Although the idea behind this viral video is not new, many people believe they are making a point.
Chronic stress is burnout. It’s so severe that the World Health Organisation (WHO), recognized it as a diagnosis in 2019. Although there are many types, the most common is workplace stress. This makes it difficult to do less, quiet quitting, a conceivable solution.
Is it just a reason to do as little as possible or a way of avoiding burnout? A life coach and boundary expert breaks down the idea and explains everything women need to know about this new workplace trend.
WHAT IS QUIET QUITTING?
Michelle Elman, a five-board certified life coach, boundary expert, and relationship expert, says that Quiet Quitting is about doing the minimum at work. This means that you have work boundaries, such as leaving when you are supposed to, and not overextending yourself.
The viral video, which has been viewed over 3.4 million times, features creator Zaid Khan. He says that the concept is not like hustle culture where you work hard for as long as you can. He says that work isn’t what defines your worth as a person.
This mentality may be an active choice to avoid overworking or working more than what they are paid for. Other videos can be found under the hashtag “Act your wage” Others, such as the 77% who claimed they are currently burned out by their jobs in a Deloitte survey, may not be aware that this is happening.
This is a sign of chronic burnout. Elman says quiet quitting can also occur when you have mentally checked out of your work environment, and you don’t care about your job or your performance. It usually happens after long periods of stress, and eventually, burnout.
WHY IS IT HAPPENING?
People are likely to quit their jobs when they experience minor stress or burnout. They use it as a way of reclaiming their normal life. You might be able quit your exercise routine if you are experiencing burnout. However, you should not use the app to distract yourself from dating problems. If you feel that you can’t resolve the problem, you should leave your partner. Not everyone can quit their job to reduce stress.
Elman says that a lot of workplace mentality stems from the extremes of our culture. He is also the author of The Joy of Being Selfish as well as Am I Ugly. “We tend to judge others’ behavior and feel that we don’t appreciate the hard work of those who do.”
CAN QUIET QUITTING HELP WITH BURNOUT?
Elman states that quiet quitting is not the best way to deal with burnout. It’s more like shutting down and putting up a wall than healthy communication, she said. This is essential for addressing the root causes of chronic stress. It doesn’t let you employer know that you are unhappy and it won’t make things better.
This is a band-aid for a larger problem. When it comes to serious mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, it doesn’t help much. Researchers from Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences studied nurses’ communication styles to determine their burnout levels. They found that better communication between nurses and managers led to lower burnout rates.
She explains that “we have taken a hard look away from hustle culture” and the “grind, grind, grind” mentality.” Instead, of silent quitting, which is the pendulum swinging the other direction, we should keep the lines of communication open. We should, for example, communicate that we are not being compensated financially.
