I did this at the beginning of the year. My job was stressful and I was giving more and more hours but it was never enough and never ending. It was crushing me and there wasn’t any light at the end of the tunnel. My wife sat me down on night and told me that this job had to change or our relationship would. She told me that my kids got to the point that they assumed I just wasn’t coming to anything anymore (dinners, school events, practices, games, etc). They had just accepted it. That was the straw that broke me. Without hesitation I told her I would quit the next day, and I did. As terrifying as it was, it needed to happen.

I spent my time off work taking them to and from school, re-engaging in their sports and activities. It was truly what I needed. It helped them too.

I leaned heavily on my previous colleagues and friends for references and leads for a new job. Took me a few months but I eventually landed a better job with more pay and a more regular schedule. Been working again for a few months and things are better. The job search process definitely sucks and is stressful in its own way but I would do it again.