When you're working in a job that isn't working for you, it tends to affect a lot of other aspects of life.

I wake up in the morning and just kind of sit at the bed and cry.

So, you know, my mental health was definitely suffering.

It's hard not to get emotional about problems at work.

Crying or yelling.

In our reporting, we heard a lot of stories about quitting, even one about a guy who called a meeting to quit.

We literally sat there and just said, this is why I can't stand you. This is why I hate you.

This is what you do wrong and walked out.

Many of us harbor this kind of mic drop fantasy.

Don't we? Or you stomp off, trailing a bunch of papers.

So satisfying. But is it worth it?

It really isn't. You know, the truth is, you felt good for about five or ten minutes.

But all those people at that job, they saw you do that and back of their mind now is,

well, if you could do it once, you could do it again.

So, this career counselor says, there's a lot more to leaving a job than you might think.

Don't act on impulse. Don't throw it all away before you listen to this life kit,

because it might help you navigate that transition smoother.

This is NPR's life kit, and I'm Yuki Naguchi.

In this episode, I'll share what experts say about how to quit in a way that opens doors instead of slamming them.

And what you need to plan, what to tell your boss and your co-workers,

basically how to build bridges even when you might have the urge to burn them.

Because you know what they say. What goes around comes around. Your network is your net worth.

...