‘The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you are still a rat!’ Lily Tomlin

The tedious struggle to buy a home, put your children through school and save for retirement can turn into a relentless nightmare. You may have reached a point where you are heartily tired of the 9 to 5 drudgery and are now ready to explore new, more exciting ways to earn money.

Here are 5 tell-tale reasons that indicate that you are ready to quit the rat race:

Lack of motivation

You no longer feel motivated or interested in your job. Interestingly, research indicates that although money is a motivating factor, it’s not the most important. There is a strong likelihood that you feel disinterested and burnt-out. You are ready to invest your time and effort into something new.

Lack of Time for Loved Ones

If you find yourself left with no time for your spouse or children, it may be serious reason to quit the rat race. Love and happiness are the most important things in life and rate much higher in importance compared to an expensive home or a fancy car.

Physical and Mental Health Condition

One of the biggest realities of earning a high salary (read more hours and higher stress levels) is that it begins to take its toll on your mental and physical health. When you start out, your objective is to provide well for your family and live a healthy, happy life. Common by-products of prolonged stress typically include anxiety, depression, hypertension and headaches.

Increased Alcohol Consumption

If stress and long hours have led to increasing dependence on alcohol, then it’s definitely time to quit. If you notice that your social drink has turned into something more serious, it’s time to leave the rat race.

Relationship Problems

Job stress and tension invariably makes its way home. You find yourself irritable, moody and constantly snapping at your spouse and this eventually leads to cracks in your relationship. If you find your marriage under strain, then it could be time to consider quitting the rat race for good.

If you find yourself sacrificing your health, happiness and peace of mind for your job, it is time to take proactive steps to quit and explore better, newer opportunities to earn money.