The Rise of Quiet Quitting: A New Term for an Old Struggle?
The whisperings started online, rippling through social media feeds and sparking countless think pieces: “Quiet Quitting” was the latest workplace phenomenon, and everyone had an opinion. But was this a revolutionary act of employee rebellion or simply a catchy new phrase for an age-old struggle?
Quiet quitting, at its core, involves doing the bare minimum at work. No going above and beyond, no burning the midnight oil, and certainly no unpaid overtime. While it may sound like slacking off, proponents argue it’s about establishing healthy boundaries and reclaiming personal time in an era of ever-increasing work demands.
From Hustle Culture to Boundary Setting: Understanding the Shift
To understand quiet quitting, we need to look at the backdrop against which it emerged. For years, “hustle culture” reigned supreme. We were bombarded with messages glorifying the grind, celebrating those who went the extra mile (often at the expense of their well-being). Work-life balance felt like a myth, replaced by the pressure to be “always on.”