By LaPora Lindsey

There is a lot of talk about “quiet quitting.” This is a newly coined term used to define employees who work the bare minimum at their jobs and seems to be an alternative for those who cannot afford to quit their jobs entirely.

This trending phrase and the correlated actions have emerged as the workforce embraces employment alternatives. The shifts within the workforce are changing daily, from the Great Resignation to the demand for more remote work opportunities and the increasing desire to focus on intrinsic motivators. Every day, a new element reshapes the workplace.

While the term is new, the actions associated with quiet quitting have been around as long as work has existed. The trends that arose during the pandemic brought attention to the actions of those who quietly quit. More people are seeking a balance between their working hours and personal lives.

Though some may see this term as a slow form of quitting, I see it as more people realizing their value is separate from their work accomplishments and recognition. Thus, more people are quitting the idea of “self-worth equals net worth.” More people now realize that worth is not contingent on proving it but rather on sharing it. Considering this, I welcome this trend and its coined term because, in one word: boundaries. In three phrases: less hustle, newly defined identity, and self-worth. But please allow me to elaborate.

Less Hustle

Quiet quitting is described as doing the bare minimum, but I don’t see that as a negative. Our society has long been entrenched in hustle culture; overworking and perfectionism are often praised. I think the work culture is finally recognizing that we don’t need to do all the extras to get the job done.

Regarding promotions and salary increases, many people work harder in a race to achieve more. However, if the new mentality is to do the job without the expectation that extra effort will lead to rewards, it offers less disappointment when those rewards—which are often out of our control—don’t materialize.

The mindset of quiet quitting eliminates a lot of unnecessary stress. If we adopt the mindset that hustle is not required for success, we won’t feel diminished when we shift from trying to prove value to simply valuing who we are.

Newly Defined Identity

Work has slowly found ways to slip into our personal lives, and as remote work became more prevalent, many people lost the ability to define clear boundaries. Quiet quitting reestablishes those boundaries. It draws a clear line that says, “I will not do these things that may potentially lead to burnout.” People are setting boundaries and refusing to tie their identities and self-worth to their work productivity.

Self-Worth

Quiet quitting is a sign that more people are recognizing their self-worth. I truly believe that, regardless of our accomplishments, we all have value—quiet quitting allows more people the opportunity to live that truth rather than just acknowledge it. Self-worth means understanding that we are still valuable, no matter what we bring to the table. Whether we meet our goals or fail to meet them, our value remains.

In Summary

Before this trend became popular, I was a quiet quitter, and if needed, I would embrace it again in the future. Even when I loved the work I did, there were times when I was tired of going above and beyond to prove my value. During those times, I decided to cut back and simply get the job done because I realized I had nothing to prove. It was during those times that I felt the happiest in the workplace. Receiving awards didn’t faze me, and I wasn’t held to an unsustainable standard.

So, while some may see this term as a form of quitting, I see quiet quitting as the realization that we value ourselves more. The workforce is doing what it should have done long ago—not constantly aiming for the top, but rather seeing the value in what we do right now.