HOW TO QUIT BETTER

Not every job is meant to be yours until the day you retire. 

Change is a constant, and it’s completely normal to outgrow certain kinds of work, move away from particular industries, or rethink the way you operate your business. Even so, because FOMO is among the most powerful forces in the universe, it can still feel hard to walk away from things you know that you no longer want. 

If you’ve been agonizing over whether it’s time to separate yourself from work that isn’t serving you and then double-agonizing over how to act on that choice, know that how you quit matters. 

Freelancers aren’t following the same predictable script as traditional employees. Instead of giving two weeks’ notice to HR, quitting may look more like not renewing a contract, declining a new project, or firing a client. As a business owner, you’ll have to negotiate transitions in a way that avoids burned bridges and hard feelings. 

Good freelance quitting etiquette will liberate you from the wrong work without harming your ability to find the right work. Here’s how to put it into practice:

1. Know what you’re quitting and why.

It’s not enough to run from “bad feelings” in search of “better feelings.” Before you quit, make sure you can articulate what it is, specifically, about your current situation that’s no longer working for you. 

Maybe it’s the time commitment. Maybe it’s the rate of pay. Maybe it involves a kind of work you’re no longer interested in doing. Whatever your answer, make sure you understand how moving on solves a problem. Knowing what you’re leaving behind will keep you from recreating the same satisfying situation in the future. 

2. Ask: Could I make this better?

Sometimes the line between quitting and fleeing discomfort is remarkably thin. Once you know what isn’t working, consider whether you’re better off fixing your current situation than leaving it. 

There’s nothing wrong with needing a change, but if you’re quitting because of an issue that could potentially be fixed with an assertive conversation, ask yourself why. At best, you’ll no longer need to quit, and at worst, you’ll have made a good-faith effort to resolve things. Knowing that you did what you reasonably could before moving on can save you from a lot of what ifs down the road. 

3. Don’t wait for desperation.

Every assignment and client relationship will have stressful moments. Don’t base your decision on those alone. Instead, pay attention to how you feel on a regular Tuesday. Are you inspired by the work, neutral, or quietly seething with resentment? 

If you discover that you have baseline feelings of frustration or dread, there’s nothing to be gained by letting them boil over. Quitting before you absolutely can’t take it anymore will preserve more options, give you time to plan, and make it much easier to handle the situation with professionalism and grace. 

4. Build a runway. 

You can’t control how other people will react to being told that you’re quitting, but you can do your best to make the transition a smooth one. 

Before you make any announcements, think about what you’re willing to offer to minimize disruptions. This can look like providing a certain amount of notice, sharing your processes, or even referring another freelancer who can pick up where you leave off. 

Business relationships end for a lot of reasons, but clients always appreciate knowing that you’ve considered their needs in your decision. 

5. Don’t over-explain. 

You may have a lengthy list of very valid reasons for quitting, but think twice before sharing them. If relationships have gone sour or you’re leaving due to unresolved frustrations, it can be tempting to unload them on your way out the door. 

Unless your soon-to-be-former point of contact has requested your feedback, it’s smart to weigh the potential benefits of speaking your mind against the drama it could create. Virtually no one is the villain in their own story, and what feels like standing up for yourself may only serve to put others on the defensive. 

Sometimes a simple, unqualified “I’ve decided to head in a different direction” is the best way to make a clean break. 

6. Leave the door open if you can. 

The freelance world is small, and you never know who you might run into again (or under what circumstances). 

If you’re in a position to do so, try to stay in the orbit of former clients and colleagues. Occasional friendly messages and quick catch-ups can prevent your decision to quit a particular job from shrinking your network. 

Even if you don’t think you’ll ever do business together again, maintaining amicable relationships can’t hurt — and might help in ways you haven’t considered yet. 

7. Fill the space. 

Quitting isn’t just about bringing an undesirable situation to an end. It’s about creating space for opportunities that are better suited to your goals.

If you fail to think beyond the quit, all you will do is create a vacuum. Determine what you want to do instead of what you’re currently doing, and decide how you’ll make it happen. Good quitters leave with professionalism, but great quitters plan for what’s next.