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Aha, so there’s a term for it. I could not figure it out. My generation was all about “if you don’t hustle, you don’t eat,” but some of today’s generation is about “I’ll do just enough not to get fired.” And – according to Google – it’s the new “it” thing. People, welcome to the world of “quiet quitting.”

Maybe the term leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but when it is broken down, it seems that people have stopped working themselves into the ground for others and are choosing to FORCE the “work-life balance” that employers promise, but don’t always implement.

As explained on Today.com, the new trend has sparked more than 3.9 million video views on TikTok as well as articles from The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and other websites. Hundreds of quiet quitters are speaking out about how they’re working harder to retain healthy work-life balance, and less on surpassing expectations outside of their job descriptions, all while staying at their current jobs.

“People aren’t going above and beyond — they’re not bending over backwards for their employers anymore and sacrificing their mental and physical health,” Allison Peck, a career coach with more than 400,000 followers on TikTok, told TODAY. “They’re doing what they’re getting paid for.”

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So basically, when the clock strikes 12, Cinderella’s stagecoach doesn’t turn back into a pumpkin because she didn’t get out on time, the new Cinderella has already shut down the computer, gassed up the getaway car and left her “see you tomorrow,” note in the Microsoft Teams chat.

Before the rush hour traffic can even get underway, quiet quitters are already halfway home, or meeting up at their nearest happy hour bar for a meeting with friends.

To be honest, as a person who has worked overtime for so many unappreciative bosses in my career, I guess I have no serious issue with it. But this does have a flip side.

Contractually, it is up to the employer to hire more people to work those extra hours of operation, if they are to continue operating.

Just know one thing, when it is time for promotions and other advancements with the company, the person who does the bare minimum – or who “appears” to do the bare minimum – likely will not be the person who will get the extra perks.

As for me, I am still the “if you don’t hustle you don’t eat” person. This time around though, my full focus is on creating a legacy for my children by building my own business, rather than giving my full 24 hours of time and energy to someone else’s business that I have no stake in (other than a company 401K).

One thing about me is that, I put 100 percent of myself into any task that I do with seamless execution, so I feel comfortable going home and DOING ME!

Word of caution, people. Quiet quitting can be a double edged sword. Some folks are just lazy and subpar workers – so hollering the “work-life balance” excuse is not going to last long. If you are not a top producer and have no desire to be one, you need to leave the place you are at and go find another way of survival.

Just my two cents.