There is a new buzzword floating around: “Quiet Quitting”. Since it’s a fairly new buzzword, it’s difficult to get a proper definition for it. Basically, quiet quitting is when a person decides that they are going to do only the bare minimum at work. They’re not going to stay after hours to finish projects or tasks; they’re not going look at emails or answer calls after hours; and they’re just doing enough not to get fired.

Let’s say we have a 5-point rating for employees. A 1 means that your targets have not been met by a long shot, and you’re just about ready to get fired. At 2, you’ve nearly met your targets, but not quite. The HR department might consider sending you for training but would consider letting you go if this goes on for too long. At 3, your targets have been met, and you’ve done what was expected of you. Four is expectations exceeded. Five is expectations greatly exceeded. As a former boss of mine used to say, this is where you’re walking on water. People who quiet quit, are at around 2.5, maybe 3. They’re doing just enough to keep the job.

Firstly, I must say, that the only thing new about quiet quitting is the term. This idea of people doing the bare minimum has been around for a long time. We just didn’t call it quiet quitting. I’m not sure we had a name for it. But, if there was one, it was probably just referred to as “bad work ethic”. With so much more emphasis on mental health, it seems that more people are rethinking their work-life balance, and the term “quiet quitting” makes this behaviour appear to be more acceptable, I guess.

Why would someone quiet quit? Well, it’s mainly because of something I’ve alluded to in the last paragraph: work-life balance. I’m sure you’ve heard the analogy of the juggling balls. It goes like this: you’re juggling several balls. They could be relationships, your health, religion or spirituality, community perhaps, and work. In the analogy, most of the other balls you’re juggling are made of glass. So, if you drop them, they break and it might be difficult or impossible to repair. Work, the analogy goes, is a rubber ball. So, if you drop it, it will bounce back. The lesson is that if you’re going to drop anything, drop work.

If you’re not spending enough time with your family, drop work, and spend more time with your family. If you’ve reached the point of near burnout at work, drop work for a little bit to focus on your health, specifically your mental health. So, that’s the idea. It makes a lot of sense. But there are some issues that I have with this type of thinking that I would like to spend some time on.

Is Work Really a Rubber Ball?

Firstly, is work really a rubber ball? Will it bounce back if you drop it? If you’ve ever been on the opposite side of the interview table, where you’re actually hiring someone to do a specific job, you will know that track record is really important. If someone has a history of dropping the ball when things get rough, that person is seen as unreliable, and they’re unlikely to get the job. Now, quiet quitting isn’t actually quitting and finding a new job. Rather, it’s staying in your job and just doing the bare minimum. But think about it, things don’t always go 100% well in companies. No job is 100% secure. The day will come when some people may need to be let go, and if you’re that person who just does enough to get by, you will most likely be at the top of the list of people who can be let go. And then, good luck in finding a new job with a quiet quitting mindset.

Work may be a rubber ball. But, it only has so many bounces. If you drop it too many times, it too might become irreparable. The solution to maintaining balance in all areas of your life is not to consider one area dispensable. Rather, it’s to build up enough resilience and strength in each area, such that when there is an emergency in one area, you can draw from the reserves of another area. Another way is to put systems in place that help you manage areas in your life and reduce the load on yourself.

Quiet Quitting is Cowardly

Another issue that I have with quiet quitting is that it’s cowardly behaviour. The reason it’s called “quiet” quitting is because you’re doing it in secret. In other words, you don’t go to your boss or manager and tell them: “I’m just going to do the bare minimum”. Why? Because they’ll let you go the first opportunity they get. They’ll be looking for a reason to let you go. So, instead, you keep it to yourself.

This is cowardly behaviour because you don’t have enough courage to negotiate boundaries with your manager. The conversation could go like this: I’m able to do this, but I’m not able to do that because I don’t have the capacity right now. Well, maybe your boss is not the negotiating type. If your boss is unreasonable, then again, it’s still cowardly to quiet quit. If you’re going to quit, you should quit for real. What a miserable life it must be, doing the bare minimum for someone you don’t like. People don’t leave jobs. They leave bosses. If your boss makes your life difficult. Quit for real, don’t pretend to quit.

For you to be in a position where you can quit your job and go work somewhere that’s better for you, you need to do some extra work. You need to spend some time developing skills, getting additional certifications, fixing up your CV, and actually applying for jobs. This takes some initiative, and it takes a bit of courage. Preparing yourself for a better opportunity is far better for your mental health than quiet quitting, that’s for sure.

Reaching Further Is Good for You

Our minds are like trees. We must either grow, or we die out. If we are not getting better, then we are getting worse. Our minds do not stay static. Work is an important part of our lives that we cannot leave undeveloped. Sure, you don’t need to walk on water, but at least get to a four out of five, and then build up enough courage, and get some options, so that seniors don’t push you to do more than you can handle.

Doing the bare minimum is like saving money in the bank. It might seem like your money is safe, but you’re losing to inflation. You’re getting poorer. You need to do a bit more that what is expected of you just to break even. Reach just a little bit further than that, and you will slowly start to get ahead in life.

Consider this quote from Charlie Munger, Warren Buffet’s life-long business partner:

“Spend each day trying to be a little wiser that you were when you woke up. Discharge your duties faithfully and well…Slug it out one inch at a time, day by day. At the end of the day—if you live long enough—most people get what they deserve.”

Charlie Munger

Again, it’s not necessary to be the star performer. Just do a little more than what is expected and you will get ahead. It’s far better for your health and well-being, and it will help you when there is a downturn in the economy.

The other takeaway from this quote is that we get what we deserve. I don’t know how many people who have quietly quit are content with the lives they are living. I don’t know if it’s possible for something not to want more out of life. My guess is that anyone who says that they’re happy with their financial situation, happy with where they live, happy with the number of holidays they go on, or happy with the amount of time they get to spend with friends, family, or in romantic pursuits, is probably lying.

In terms of outcomes, we all want a little more than average out of life. Does the work that we put in match the outcomes we desire? You cannot expect to put in the bare minimum, and then expect above-average outcomes. We get what we deserve. If we put in more work than average, we can expect above-average outcomes.

Go Where You Will Thrive

Lastly, I want to say that if you’re in a position where you only what to do the bare minimum, then you’re not where you’re supposed to be. Work forms such an integral part of our lives. We spend most of our lives working. If you’re in a place where you don’t want to give your all and grow and develop, then perhaps it’s an indication that you need to be somewhere else.

The best way to find out if you’re where you’re supposed to be is to take a look at who you are as a person. Take a psychometric test, a personality test, or an aptitude test. See a career counsellor. Find out what work you can do that will make you thrive. When you find this out, try to make the transition. Again, it’s far better for your health than for you to spend your life doing just enough to get by.

I hope this has been helpful. What’s your situation? Are you quite quitting? Why are you quiet quitting, and what changes do you think you will make in the days to come? I’d love to know.