What does it look like and is it necessarily a bad thing?

I (Bec) was catching up with a friend I hadn’t seen in ages, plenty of texting, but no proper girl catch-up for far too long. We finally managed to align trains and used the commute home to actually talk. And almost immediately, something became obvious: we were both just… hanging in there at work.

As we compared notes on our frustrations, we realised we were tired of always being the ones who picked up the extra work, stayed the extra hours, cared about the timelines, the outcomes, the details. Somewhere along the way, without even noticing, we’d both started pulling back. Not slacking off- just quietly stepping away from the “above and beyond” that had become expected rather than appreciated.

It wasn’t lost on us that our extra effort rarely led to recognition or reward. Meanwhile, others doing far less were being paid more or praised more. So why were we still pushing so hard?

At first, I assumed it was burnout, that familiar desire to do less because you’re running on fumes. But then the term quiet quitting started popping up in my LinkedIn feed and social media ads (proof the devices really are always listening). For once, I was grateful for the algorithm. A quick search turned up article after article describing exactly what we were feeling.

Quiet Quitting

Quiet quitting isn’t about quitting at all. It’s about doing what’s required, and not automatically doing more. It’s setting boundaries for self-preservation. It’s recognising that you don’t have to be everything to everyone, all the time.

I felt relieved. I wasn’t alone. It wasn’t a “me problem.” It was a much wider shift, and one that deserves the attention of business leaders.

Workloads haven’t just increased, they’ve crept up quietly, almost invisibly. Entire project teams have disappeared, but the projects themselves haven’t. They’ve simply been absorbed into what’s now considered the “normal” workload… the same workload that was already overflowing. Companies are downsizing, restructuring, or leaning on offshore teams and half-baked tech solutions. The work still needs doing, but the support, context, or capability isn’t always there. And the expectations? Still sky high.

So who fills the gaps? Usually the people who care the most.

Yes, I’ll take on that extra project. Yes, I’ll do the presentation. Yes, I’ll grab the groceries on the way home. Yes, I’ll help with the fundraiser. The list goes on. We say yes because we don’t want to let the team down, because we want to be seen as capable, because we want to learn quickly and be self-sufficient.

But is that always the best approach?

By saying yes to everything, am I blocking someone else from learning? Am I creating an expectation that I’ll always be the one to step in? Am I making myself the default solution simply because I’ve always been willing?

When you’re constantly asked to do more with less, your willingness to go above and beyond naturally fades. Not because you’re uncommitted, but because you’re exhausted. And that’s where quiet quitting becomes a boundary. A gentle but firm declaration: I’ll show up. I’ll do my job well. But I won’t sacrifice my wellbeing to compensate for structural issues I didn’t create.

It’s not laziness. It’s not disengagement. It’s a recalibration, a recognition that loyalty is a two-way street, and that constantly over-delivering in an under-resourced environment isn’t sustainable for anyone.

Quiet quitting is the moment you choose yourself, your energy, your time, your sanity. And honestly, that’s not quitting. That’s self‑preservation. That’s clarity. That’s quietly, but firmly, drawing the line.

Is it as simple as saying, That’s it, I’m done, I’m choosing me? Not in my experience. Some days I stand strong and don’t automatically say yes. Other days, choosing myself leaves me wrecked with guilt and self‑doubt. And then there are the days where I feel completely at peace with my decision.

What I have found, though, is that the more I practice, whether it’s biting my tongue, saying no, or sitting on an email or text before responding, the easier it becomes to shift the dial and stop slipping back into old habits.

I (Caro) have loved reading what Bec has written. I have to admit I’ve been quietly “quiet quitting” for years now, I just hadn’t called it that. I used to be a great gap filler.

Followers of Jesus are told to: “Look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of the others.” [Philippians 2:4].

For me, sometimes it’s in my best interests to say “no”. And sometimes it’s in the best interests of others that I say “no”. A thoughtful “no” is better than an automatic “yes” when it comes to gap-filling. And that still allows room for a thoughtful “yes” if I am able to go the extra mile.

I don’t get it right all the time. But what helps me to think more clearly is knowing that God has my best interests at heart. He will look after me. I matter to him. And that really helps to take the heat out of gap-filling for validation. Which let’s face it, that’s what a lot of gap filling was actually about for me.

Reflections

1. Have you ever felt that going above and beyond became the expectation rather than the exception? How did that impact your motivation?
2. Have you ever found yourself quietly pulling back at work without realising it? What triggered it for you?
3. How often do you say “yes” to extra tasks out of habit, guilt, or expectation rather than genuine capacity?
4. Do you think quiet quitting is a healthy response, a warning sign, or something else entirely?
5. If you stopped automatically saying yes to everything, what might open up for you and for others?

Article provided with thanks to City Bible Forum.

Feature image: Canva

Jesus’ life shows us that who we are matters far more than what we do, and that God can use us in any profession.

I was sitting at the table one evening having dinner with my parents when the home phone started ringing. My mum answered the phone and after a few moments, looked directly at me. 

Uh-oh, I thought to myself. I think this call is about me. But who is it? What had I done to make them call during dinner on a weeknight? 

Mum took the phone with her and left the room. I continued to wrack my brain, but to no avail. After some time, Mum re-entered the room with the phone in her hand. She was looking at me again. 

“Who was it?” I asked, somewhat gingerly. It was one of my teachers from school. Okay, so it was about me. 

I was in Year 12 and it was toward the end of the year, but a phone call to my parents on a weeknight was certainly not a regular occurrence. My curiosity was piqued, as was my unease. Which teacher was it, and what did they want? Mum proceeded to tell me that it was my Bible teacher. 

That’s weird, I thought to myself. I quickly ran through all my Bible assessments in my head and my most recent classes. Everything was up to date; nothing was out of the ordinary. As Mum continued, I realised he was also the guidance counsellor for our Year 12 class. He was responsible for making sure that we had submitted our university preferences for the following year. He had called my parents because apparently, I was the only one in my class who had not done it, which was not like me. His concern had led him to call my parents to see if I was okay and to discuss my plans for the following year. Unfortunately for him, my parents didn’t know what I was thinking. Nobody knew. 

I had been praying about what I was going to do and the only idea that I had come up with was to study law. But where had that come from? I didn’t know any lawyers. What I did know is that lawyers had quite the reputation for being dishonest and were not well-liked. Even my future father-in-law used to love telling unflattering jokes about the similarities between lawyers and catfish. And I was a Christian. I genuinely wondered if I could be an honest lawyer and a practising Christian, not to mention what everyone else would think.

I genuinely wondered if I could be an honest lawyer and a practising Christian

I kept praying about it and eventually I submitted my university preferences (just before the deadline). A Bachelor of Law was my first preference. After I accepted a position at my chosen university the following year, I gradually began admitting my plans to anyone who asked. I received some interesting feedback as well as unsolicited advice as I revealed my chosen career to some. Regardless of their opinions, I continued praying throughout my studies to reaffirm whether I was headed in the right direction or not, and after five long years, I graduated. 

Your vocation is more than a job

Thankfully for me, I was reminded that while He was on earth in the first century, Jesus showed us that your job is not what defines you. Even though He is the Son of God, Jesus worked as a tradesman. When He began His ministry, He travelled around teaching and healing with some of His closest followers: people also from mainstream jobs, such as fishermen and even a tax collector.

Jesus further demonstrated that our lives are not determined by our careers through His interaction with anyone and everyone that He encountered, including soldiers, politicians, religious leaders, prostitutes and even criminals. Jesus showed us that people are more important than their profession or their past. He also showed that each of us has unique needs. For example, when interacting with religious leaders, Jesus often challenged them from Scripture (Mark 7:6–13). Whereas, when Jesus met a man with leprosy, it was His physical ailment that Jesus healed (Matthew 8:1–4). 

We are also called to follow His example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual needs of humanity. Whether you are a Christian or not, I’m sure you would agree that doing so is a worthy calling, wherever you find yourself professionally. 

From theory to practice

I now work as a family lawyer. Of course, that just happens to be the one area of law I consistently maintained I would never work in throughout my studies. I have worked in various law firms throughout my career and in doing so, I have interacted with so many different people I would never have met otherwise.

While I certainly do not walk into appointments telling new clients or other professionals that I am a Christian, I do maintain my personal beliefs. In a secular workplace, my lifestyle choices alone are certainly enough to stand out, which creates many opportunities to explain the faith foundation that informs those lifestyle choices.

To my surprise, even when I have had a purely professional relationship with clients, God has still been present in those exchanges. At the conclusion of one of my court cases, I received a card from one of my clients thanking me for my work. Inside the card, they wrote that I had been an answer to their prayers. I had never spoken to that client about religion or the fact that I was a Christian but unbeknown to me, God had still used me in their life to strengthen their faith in Him. 

It is through our actions to others that Jesus will use us

While He was on earth, Jesus encouraged us to meet others where they are and to help them with what they need. Someone sleeping in their car may not be ready for a Bible lesson, but they might need a blanket to get them through a cold night.

Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:35,36). And, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). 

It is through our actions to others that Jesus will use us. No matter your profession, your background or where you are, God can find a way to use you to meet the needs of others. Sometimes it will be obvious when God creates those opportunities; like in conversation with your co-workers when you are asked why you attend church on the weekend or pray before you eat (if you’re a Christian).

Even if you aren’t a Christian, you may be going about your regular job on a normal day and might have no idea that God is using you in that moment. All God needs from you is for you to be willing and open. If you are, He will find a way to use you wherever you are.

Article supplied with thanks to Signs of The Times

Feature image: Canva