‘Quiet Quitting’ Is Not The Way To Achieve Better Mental Health

In case you haven’t heard, “quiet quitting” is the new “Great Resignation.” It turns out that many people are still unhappy with their jobs, but they also figured out that being unemployed isn’t super practical. 

The solution? Quiet quitting.  

So what is quiet quitting exactly? Quiet quitting is a trend that encourages employees to do the bare minimum at work. Some might say it is just a new way of saying “to slack off,” while others argue it is a necessary antidote to hustle culture.  

The truth is that we have a mental health issue in the U.S. Anxiety and depression are both on the rise, and some experts argue that our work-life balance (or lack thereof) has something to do with that. Hustle culture is pervasive in the workplace today, encouraging employees to work to max capacity if they wish to succeed. 

Social media exacerbates this mindset and creates an unrealistic standard that many argue can only lead to burnout. We all follow successful people on social media that seem to never sleep in past 6:00 am, never eat a carb, and never take a break. How are you supposed to emulate that type of lifestyle? 

The short answer is you are not, but I am still not sure that doing the bare minimum is a good idea either. 

What is quiet quitting if not a passive aggressive refusal to speak up and voice your concerns?

Some experts say quiet quitting is often a coping mechanism to address burnout and chronic overworking. They argue that quiet quitting can be a beneficial tactic to build confidence to set boundaries at work. Another psychotherapist argues that quiet quitting can free up time for activities that benefit mental health. If we aren’t doing more than the bare minimum, we should have more time for socializing. 

But of course, there are also very real cons when it comes to quiet quitting. For one, you might put your job or career at risk. By doing the bare minimum, you could find yourself in a position where you find your job meaningless, pointless, and boring. This lack of fulfillment and sense of accomplishment in the workplace isn’t a recipe for optimal mental health either. 

The key takeway? Hustle culture probably isn’t doing us any favors, but quiet quitting seems like a major overcorrection towards the passive aggressive. Setting boundaries both at work and outside of work is important, but doing the bare minimum still just feels a bit too much like slacking off. 

If you are stressed at work, it might be an excellent time to incorporate some mindfulness practices or breathwork into your day before jumping on the quiet quitting bandwagon.

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