Once the holiday glow fades and routines snap back into place, a lot of people feel their work frustration rise to the surface. Dark mornings, low energy, and that long stretch until the next paycheck can feed what many call the January blues. In that mood, quitting can start to feel like the quickest route to relief, especially with talk of “rage quitting” as a wider trend. One survey cited in Harper’s Bazaar even suggests nearly a quarter of British employees plan to change jobs this year.
Psychologist Dr. George Sik says this is exactly when people need to slow down. As the director of workplace consultancy eras, he warns that a January resignation is often driven by feelings rather than a calm plan. “After a long and demanding year it’s completely normal to feel the urge to leave everything,” he says. “But quitting in January often comes from emotion rather than a thought through decision.”
Dr. Sik also points out that burnout can blur your judgment in a way that feels oddly convincing. “Burnout can give you a false sense that everything is crystal clear,” he says. “People sometimes confuse the need for rest or change within a job with the need to leave entirely.” Instead of reacting in the heat of it, he suggests stepping back and asking yourself three specific questions before you do anything permanent.
The first one is about the life you are walking toward, not just the job you have today. Dr. Sik asks, “Do you admire the people above you and the way they live, or does their reality repel you?” It is easy to get trapped in daily tasks and never look up at the long term direction. Pay attention to your managers and senior colleagues and how they actually live, including whether they are always available and whether they seem to have a real personal life.
That question is not about judging them, it is about checking whether the ladder leads somewhere you truly want to go. If the only version of success around you looks exhausting or empty, that matters. Dr. Sik puts it plainly, “You don’t want to wake up in a few years and realize you’ve spent years working toward a version of success you don’t actually want.” Sometimes that realization points to a different company, and sometimes it points to a different role, team, or track inside the same workplace.
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The second question is more challenging because it puts some power back in your hands. Dr. Sik suggests asking whether you can change even if the job itself does not change over the next 12 months. Many people wait for conditions to improve before they feel motivated again, but that can turn into an endless delay. “If you can see room for development, more self confidence, or strengthening skills, that can be a sign the job can still give you something, even if it feels hard right now,” he says.
This is where it helps to get concrete rather than vague. Could you negotiate priorities, change how you structure your day, or build a skill that opens better projects. Could you ask for clearer boundaries, more feedback, or a different workflow that makes the pressure manageable. If the answer is yes, it does not mean you must stay forever, but it does mean you might have options beyond a dramatic exit.
The third question is the gut check that separates temporary discomfort from a true dead end. Dr. Sik frames it as, are you running from discomfort or are you genuinely stuck. He reminds people that discomfort is part of growth, especially early in a career or during periods of change. “January can amplify these feelings because we have less energy and a natural drop in motivation,” he says.
That matters because what feels unbearable in a low energy month can feel different with rest, daylight, or a clearer plan. Dr. Sik also warns that quitting purely as an escape can backfire. “If you leave a job only to avoid discomfort, it’s very possible you’ll find the same frustrations in a new place,” he says. The goal is not to tolerate misery, it is to make sure you are not treating a normal rough patch like proof that everything is broken.
So when is it actually the right time to resign. Dr. Sik says it is not when you are at the edge and ready to snap. “The right time to resign is when you can clearly explain why you’re leaving, and it’s not just the result of exhaustion, bitterness, or the desire to run away,” he says. “If your reasons are calm and specific, and not just ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ there’s a better chance you’ll make a move that genuinely improves your working life.”
He also highlights an option many people skip because it feels less dramatic than handing in a notice. Sometimes the answer is not a new job, but redefining your current role, having an honest conversation at work, and setting clearer boundaries. That might mean changing expectations with your manager, narrowing responsibilities, or pushing back on constant availability. Even if you ultimately leave, doing that work can help you leave from clarity rather than collapse.
In general terms, resignations tend to go best when they are handled like a process, not a moment. Burnout is often described as a state of emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced sense of accomplishment that builds over time, and it can distort what you think you want. Career decisions usually benefit from a short pause, a written list of reasons, and a practical plan for finances, timing, and next steps. It can also help to talk it through with someone neutral, like a mentor, coach, or therapist, so your decision is anchored in reality and not just in a bad month.
Before you do anything irreversible, try those three questions honestly and tell us what answers you got in the comments.
