Theresa Tran quit her in-house marketing job to prioritise her mental health and wellbeing. ·Source: Supplied
A young Australian has shared why she quit her job to focus on her mental health, backing the daunting decision as the best thing she could have done. Gen Z workers have gone against norms established by older Aussies to prioritise work-life balance.
Sydney woman Theresa Tran is among those who believe getting a paycheque “simply isn’t enough” if mental wellbeing is compromised. The 25-year-old resigned from her in-house marketing job last year after only three months.
“Money is important but I just don’t think a job is worth damaging your mental health,” she told Yahoo Finance.
Tran was "drained" by the overtime expected of her and found it hard to set boundaries given she was new and saw co-workers putting in long hours.
“I was working super long hours. I was feeling burnt out. I honestly felt like I was stuck in a cycle,” she said.
She initially tried to “give it a go” and “push through it” to see if she was going through a teething process.
But after talking to people in the company, she realised the long hours were just the nature of the role.
Tran said she realised something had to change when she found she couldn’t enjoy the things she loved doing like going to the gym or catching up with friends.
“On the weekends, I wasn’t able to switch off. I was constantly stressed,” she said.
“I couldn’t commit to social events because I wasn’t sure what my mental state would be like.”
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The 25-year-old has encouraged other workers not to ignore if their mental health is being negatively impacted by their job. ·Source: Supplied/TikTok
She landed another marketing job in January with an agency doing project management, which she found through her network.
Tran said she was upfront about her boundaries and expectations around work-life balance during the interview and has found she has been able to strike a much better balance with her new gig.
“I love it. I feel like it’s so aligned to my life and I have so much work-life balance, I have flexible working hours,” she said.
“I finish work and I’m able to switch off and really focus on my personal life or my side business. The company I work at now are super supportive.”
Tran said being in a better headspace means she was able to work better, which has had a positive impact on her output.
Young workers ‘not willing to compromise’ on mental health
Indeed career expert Sally McKibbin told Yahoo Finance there was a “growing trend” of workers prioritising their mental wellbeing in the workplace, particularly younger workers.
New research from the jobs platform found job stress and burnout was the number one concern for 21 per cent of employees. This came above lack of job stability or security at 17 per cent and not having a competitive salary or receiving a pay rise at 15 per cent.
In response to these concerns, nearly a fifth of workers surveyed said they would be open to changing jobs or relocating.
“The findings indicate that mental health and wellbeing at work is a key priority for employees today, and something that the majority are not willing to compromise,” McKibbin said.
But with the jobs market remaining tight and the cost of living high, McKibbin said many workers had to balance this desire with practical concerns around job security and financial stability.
“It’s a balance they’re carefully navigating, and for many, a secure paycheck simply isn’t enough if their mental wellbeing is disregarded or compromised,” she told Yahoo Finance.
Separate Randstad research found nearly half of Gen Z would quit their jobs without another role lined up, far above the national average of 39 per cent.
‘Don’t ignore it’: Do what’s right for you
Tran acknowledged that she was lucky she was able to quit her job and the decision wouldn’t be as easy for others to do.
“I feel like I’m in a position where I’m able to make changes like this but I understand for someone who is struggling or has a mortgage, there’s more pressure,” she said.
“So you need to do what’s right for you but have your mental health as your main priority.”
Tran recommended people reach out to their support network and set clear boundaries at work about their capacity. ".
“If you’re constantly unhappy or constantly stressed, don’t ignore it. If you go to bed on a Sunday night and you're already so stressed about the work ahead, don’t ignore that,” she said.
Tran recommended people reach out to their support network and set clear boundaries at work about their capacity.
“In an ideal world, your company would help navigate that and take things off your plate. But if they don’t then the question is, are they supporting your work-life balance and your mental health?” she said.
“It’s ok to pivot, it’s ok to change. You don’t need to be stuck where you are. If you don't, you’re not going to know what’s on the other side.”
