First things first, you want to talk to God about it and be clear on whether He wants you to quit now, in the near future, or not yet. As a virtuous woman who believes in Jesus Christ, you’ll want to seek Him for direction because you trust His leading in your life. It can feel like you’re going in circles and not getting anywhere when you try and overstep God and do things your own way at your own time.

 

Another thing you’ll want to consider is whether or not you actually want to quit your job? Do you feel called to do something different or are you just sick and tired of your co-workers shenanigans? Quitting your job (if not thought about properly) can bring on some challenges emotionally and financially so you want to make sure that it’s something you really want and not just an escape because you’ve been having a few bad days. Sometimes after thinking about this you’ll realize that you enjoy your job and can figure out ways to make the experience better. You may even become more confident that this job is exactly what you need right now. Either way, stay true to what you really want. 

 

Simplified Action: Pray about it frequently, journal, and create moments of quietness and stillness each day and be open to what God has to say. You’ll have to be more intentional about this if your schedule is packed from am-pm. THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME EVENT. Figure out what He’s impressing on your heart,listen closely.

If it’s God’s will for you to transition out of your job at this time, or soon, then you’ll need to have a plan on what next! You DON’T want to start thinking about this after you turn in your 2 week notice, rather make a plan leading to your quit date. It can be overwhelming to come up with income ideas once you’ve quit. So thinking about this ahead of time can save you from that icky stressed out feeling you get when you’re caught in between a rock and a hard place. 

 

Simplified Action: Start by brainstorming a list of all the possible options you’d like to do once you quit your job. Don’t overthink or analyze YET, just write down every possible option that comes to mind (you’ll narrow this list after you figure out where you stand financially). 

  

 

Your finances will be a large determining factor of what you can do after you quit your job. You may realize that you’ll need to get another job before quitting, transition to part time, or you’ll be okay if you don’t have to work for awhile. There are so many options available to you, but knowing how much income you bring in and how much goes out will help a ton in deciding which option you want to take.

 

It’s also possible that God may impress on your heart to quit and it may not make sense for you financially. I actually found myself experiencing this. I did have money saved up to last me at least another 6 months to a year, but I had no idea when my next job or income would come. And that was the root of my fear and uncertainty with quitting. I’ve always been that girl that values structure and financial security, needing to know how everything is going to work out ahead of time. So this was a huuuge challenge for me and I had nothing else but to trust God and walk in faith. I’ll definitely say that I’ll always remember this step as the beginning of when I truly let go and trusted God with everything.

 

Simplified Action: Schedule a RELAXING time to evaluate where you stand financially. I’m putting focus on “relaxing” because if you get into this exercise already stressed or with something else on your mind, you’ll get overwhelmed, even if there’s no reason to. You need to know your exact income and monthly take home pay, bills, and debt (in exact dollars). An easy way to keep things organized and your figures more accurate is to use a spreadsheet like microsoft excel. I like this tool because it automatically adds and subtracts amounts as I type in new figures (eliminates all that erasing and calculator math used on paper).

 

 

I know that in our society debt is sometimes seen as normal, everybody has is. From student loans, mortgage, credit cards, car payments, etc the list can go on and on with all the different ways we “normally” collect debt and simply live with it. But I’ll tell you, debt is the last thing you want hanging over you when you’re desiring to quit your job. The more debt you have, the more income you need to pay it off. Paying off debt is not required in order for you to quit your job; it’s just better if you can. In the long run this will help you create more opportunities, invest in yourself and a future business, and do more good with the income God has provided you.

 

Just think for a second how life would be if you paid off all the things you owe? What kind of stuff will you be able to do? Would it make quitting your job an easier decision? 

 

Simplified Action: Have a plan of how you can pay it off quicker as time goes on. You may choose to have a side gig that’s solely focused on helping you reduce debt, or a tighter budget that focuses on debt reduction. 

 

 

We’ve just talked about reducing debt and what better way to do that than to develop a budget. Now, this budget isn’t only looking at debt repayment, it’s main focus is to figure out how much money you need for your basic necessities (needs not wants). In theory, after you see where you stand financially it can seem like you need way more money than you actually do. Having a budget will help fix that so you can truly know what amount of income will be enough for you to take the leap. A lot of times our income is spent on so much randomness that adds up at the end of the month. From eating out, starbucks drive through’s, shopping on amazon, and getting those shoes just because you have a $10 off coupon…it all adds up!

 

Simplified Action: Create a budget (based on ONLY NECESSITIES) and stick to it for at least 2-3 months to see how much income you truly need to survive. This is one of the greatest tools to transitioning smoothly from your day job. 

 

 

Yup! Start saving because murphy’s law likes to sneak up when you least expect it. What’s murphy’s law? Well, it basically states that “what can go wrong, will go wrong”. Knowing that you have some extra money on the side can ease some of the stress that comes with quitting your job. You don’t have to intend on using the money at all, but it’s nice to have it there for any expenses that come up. Save save save honey! As much as you can!

 

Simplified Action: Open an account that’s only focused on savings. If you have a card associated with the account, leave it at home and not in your purse so you ease the temptation of using it. Once you deposit that money, think of it as non-existent until an emergency comes up and you have NO OTHER CHOICE but to use it. Make sure you check the policies at your bank regarding taking money out of your savings. You should be able to take these funds out or transfer them whenever you like.

 

You may want to quit your job so you can focus on starting a business. To do this, you’ll need to have a clear business idea (the brainstorm you did earlier can give you some clues). Having a clear business idea will keep you focused and help you not waste time. It’s easier to get clarity on your business idea when you’re not in panic mode and when you have more time to actively figure it out without pressure. The best time to do this is when you’re still working, way before you quit. If you feel like you’re burnt out and overwhelmed already, still set aside a couple of hours a week to figure out your business idea. Even though you may think its just another thing added to your load, it may not actually turn out that way. Something about researching and being active in figuring out a business idea can bring about hope and give you peace knowing you have another option (that you’re actually passionate about).

 

Simplified Action: Think of creative ways to get clear on what you want. One thing that worked well for me was putting together a lifestyle board that allowed me to have a tangible reminder of what I wanted to accomplish. It was a lot of fun creating it and it gave me hope and something to look forward to. Also, get on pinterest and start pinning all the things you’d like to do when you quit your job and see what opportunities are out there so you can make it happen.

 

 

Unless you have a way to fund your business outside of your day job, then you may consider waiting it out until you get some upward movement in your biz. Your business will need money to keep running. Even though its possible for you to minimize your costs and keep them low, you’ll still need to fund those “low” costs. And the truth is, as your business grows, your costs increase as well. If you’re overwhelmed and working full time, you can also opt to switching to part time, or looking for another “low stress” part time job as you build your business. A lot of my client’s have done this and it has worked out well for them.

 

I quit my job cold turkey without knowing when I would get my next job and that was very nerve-wracking. Not having a side job when I started my business came with some internal struggles that could have been less. Also, starting a business while you work on the side can help you remain authentic and not start changing your business structure frequently just so you can make more money and live. If you’re financially able to support your business and your life without working a job, then that’s great too and it can allow you to work full time in your biz. Either way, make sure you have income and you’re not relying on your biz to pay your rent from the beginning. 

 

Simplified Action: Spending even 2 hours a day working on your business can give you the momentum you need for it to grow until you have more time to spend on it.