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I will admit, for a couple of months now, this sabbatical has made me think that the best thing for me right now is to give it up. It’s something I haven’t wanted to mention for fear of upsetting a few people, but I think it’s time I do. (And I tell ya, it’s such a relief to let that out in the open, as well.)

I hate the very thought of “quitting.” I’m not the “quitting type.” I’m struggling with a few things in making this decision, and part of it is the irrational line of thought that once you commit to something, you don’t quit until it’s over. But when you run your own business, you have to sometimes wonder, is it over? Or is this just a rut? A bump in the road?

Do I just need a vacation?

I have not decided, however, if this is the path I wish to take. But upon investigating my options, in hopes of making my decision, I’ve found some invaluable truths. Maybe they will help you.

1. Stress.
If you are becoming so stressed out that you are becoming emotional, that’s a warning sign. This job has given me some emotional ups-and-downs, but I think every job has that effect on you. But, I do recall once, I had a job that I had to go to every day, and I would wake up in the morning and break down in tears because I had to go there. Not many people out there in cyberspace know me as well as my family, and any one of my family members will tell you I view tears in much the same manner as I view (to put it nicely) “upchucking.” It’s not something I do – not unless I have no other choice. If it ever comes to a point where you are an emotional wreck, then yeah, it’s time to seek something else out.

2. Time isn’t on your side.
When the time in your life has become completely unmanageable, it’s probably time to stop. Sure, you can reorganize and restructure, but even then it’s hard to stick with a schedule (especially in a job where you run the whole shebang) – you end up putting things on hold for “emergencies” and next thing you know, it’s cutting into your home life – even your sleep time. And if you find yourself giving clients your hotel room phone number while on vacation “for emergencies only,” it might be time to reassess things. granted – any time you run your own business, you have to be willing to give up free time, or sacrifice some of your personal life to make it succeed – but when it overwhelms you and eats every single moment of your life, something ain’t right.

3. Time doesn’t fly.
You know the saying, “time flies when you’re having fun,” but it also flies when you are kept busy, and your skills are applied. You feel useful. But if you’re twiddling your thumbs, and trying to figure out ways to make it a short day at 9am, then it’s time to find another place that utilizes your skillset and makes you feel useful. Making you like what you do is a big plus, in my book. Boredom = just another job.

4. Stereotyping.
If you’ve become an “expert” or “the go-to guy” at a select group of tasks… well it’s not always a good thing. Think of actors who suddenly are always in action films, or the lead sappy-heart romance film, and never do anything else. I’m not saying you need to know everything about everything, but when you get pigeonholed into only doing certain things, then you aren’t given the chance to spread your wings, or to branch out and learn something new. learning new things keeps people busy, keeps them interested, keeps them alert and inspired. It helps to get fresh perspectives, and aids in keeping you “up on things.” if you can’t do that for one reason or another, then you need to be doing something where you can.

5. You feel invisible.
This is actually one I’m dealing with right now, on a certain level – but my experience with this one doesn’t necessarily reflect everyone’s experience. I do a lot more subcontracting than I do on my own. Quite frankly, I love it. (I’ve said that before, and I’ll probably keep saying it!) But a subcontractor is an “invisible man,” because they can’t claim what they do, more often than not. I try to share the things I do in the form of tutorials that solve some of my issues, but it would be really awesome if I could put some of the work I’ve done in my portfolio (my current portfolio is in desperate need of an update – but I have nothing I can show, even though I’ve done TONS of work over the last couple of years.) Because I have nothing to show for what I’ve done, I’m often considered a “wannabe,” and a lot of people aren’t aware of the things I can pull off. I’ve been called by several people I sub for their “best kept secret.” It’s flattering (and does make me feel appreciated, indeed!), but sometimes, I don’t wanna be a secret!

Now, this doesn’t necessarily have to fit your scenario – it could just be that you do tons of work, while your office partner files her nails or something, and she’s just a better “face for the media” or something and gets all the glory. Either way, appreciation, respect and being able to tout your skills are actually very nice to have. If you’re not appreciated, you start to wonder why you’re there at all, and why you’re even trying.

6. Lack of communication.
And yes, even too much communication can fall under this. If too may people are “communicating”, things get really messed up. A lot of hot air blowing around, and nothing gets done. Communication issues – either with clients or co-workers – can really contribute to stress levels, misunderstandings, and eventually end up reflecting badly on how you work – especially if you run your own business. Granted, you can restructure your efforts (if you run the business) and set rules for how communication is handled, but like #2 up there, all the scheduling and rule-setting you put in place won’t work if you don’t stick to it – and sometimes you just can’t.

7. Your gut.
Chances are, if you think you should quit, you should quit. One thing I’ve noticed during my years in this business is the “red flag” thing. If something happens with a client, and you see a little red flag waving in your head, you should never, ever, ever try and talk yourself into thinking it means nothing – because you always discover later you were right in the first place. This “red flag” is nothing more than instinct. Humans are pretty much the only species who will talk themselves into thinking their instincts are wrong. When a deer feels sure a hunter is getting ready to take a shot at her, she doesn’t tell herself she’s nuts – she runs, and 9 times out of 10, she’s right. So listen to your gut.

Now, again, I want to make it clear that I have not decided my choice of action yet. But these points – even though I don’t fall 100% into them – are good indicators that it’s time. Many of these I’ve been thinking heavily on, and I do have some counter-points (for myself, anyway) to them. But hopefully this list can help solidify some things you’ve been thinking on, and gives you some perspective.