‘Change is messiest in the beginning, hard in the middle and most rewarding in the end’ – Robin Sharma, author of ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’.

Making life changes is never easy but it can be extremely rewarding in the long run.

A relentless work routine including demanding bosses, hectic schedules and tight deadlines can leave you feeling sapped of energy. If you have been thinking about quitting the rat race and striking out in a new direction, here are 5 reasons why you should do exactly that.

Your job saps your enthusiasm and joy

While earning a living is crucial to our lives, it’s equally important that we don’t lose our joy and energy in the process. If we are driven about what we do, work becomes a pleasure and it no longer feels like drudgery. The problem with the rat race is that we often do jobs that fail to arouse our interest and passion.

Work-life imbalance

Do you find all your valuable spare time eaten by your job? Are you constantly stressed about deadlines, balance sheets or client meetings? This could be a sign that you need to quit the rat race. It’s important to maintain a work-life balance so that you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

You begin to mentally refer to your job as the ‘daily grind’

Getting up early, driving to work amidst awful traffic jams and coming home exhausted can leave you feeling fatigued and low. Moreover, the routine repeats itself right through the week and weekends are spent catching up on household chores. If you dread Monday mornings, this is an excellent indication that you probably need to quit the rat race.

Increased moodiness, irritability and temper

Struggling to get forward in the rat race often leads to increased stress. Stress is manifested in the form of increased moodiness, irritability and a sharp temper. If you find yourself snapping at family and loved ones, it could be time to quit the rat race.

You feel you could be earning more money

If you feel that your job does not pay well or that you deserve to earn more money, quitting the rat race may be one of your best options.

Earning a living and enjoying your work need not be a mutually exclusive process. If you are experiencing any of the above it could be time to leave the rat race behind.

Did you leave the rat race behind? What was your breaking point and how has your life changed since? Share your stories (or link to them) in the comments below!