Should I quit?
I’m really torn between quitting my job and sticking it out because we’re planning to have a baby next year.
I had an amazing job at a big brand for two years. It was comfortable, I had a good work-life balance, and I was genuinely happy there. I left because I wanted to try something different and challenge myself, so I moved into consulting.
I’ve now been at this company for about 1.5 years and I honestly don’t know how much longer I can take it. I’m constantly stressed, I cry because of work far more often than I’d like to admit, client demands never seem to end, and we simply don’t have enough people. I spend so many weekends either working or thinking/worrying about work. It feels like I can never properly switch off.
I’m seriously considering resigning, even without another job lined up.
Financially, we would be okay for a while. My husband has a good job and we have savings, so quitting wouldn’t put us in immediate financial trouble. But walking away from a salary without having something else secured still feels like a huge and scary decision, especially in the current job market.
The other complication is that we were planning to start trying for a baby next year. If I change jobs now, I’ll probably have a 6-month probation period and depending on the company/policy/timing, I may not qualify for enhanced maternity benefits. That could mean delaying our plans to have a baby, which I really don’t want to do just because of a job.
On the other hand, if I stay where I am, at least I’ll keep earning a salary and potentially be able to go on maternity leave next year. But I’m genuinely worried about what another year in this environment will do to my mental health. And honestly, I don’t even know how I’d cope with pregnancy while working in a job that already makes me this stressed.
I feel completely stuck between the two options: protect my mental health and leave, potentially affecting our timeline for having a baby, or stay for the financial security/maternity benefits and somehow survive another year here.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? Would you quit without another job lined up if you had savings and your partner had a stable income? Or would you try to stick it out until maternity leave?
Also, how are people finding the London job market at the moment? I work in data analysis/customer insights and would ideally be looking for an in-house role rather than consulting again.
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar, especially women who changed jobs shortly before trying for a baby. What would you do in my position?