Quiet Quitting: How to Rediscover Your Spark in Midlife
What Is Quiet Quitting and Why Is It So Common Now?
Are you holding part of yourself back at work? Getting the essentials of the job done but not going the extra mile, and feeling mentally detached from the role and the organisation?
This is “quiet quitting”, and it has been a growing trend since the pandemic.
Research by Gallup suggests that around half of the workforce is not engaged at work, meaning they are psychologically disconnected from their role.
Why Quiet Quitting Feels Worse in Midlife
Quiet quitting is especially problematic in midlife.
There is often a sense of guilt about not giving more. And there is also typically a feeling of being burnt out and confused about how to escape the current situation.
In this article I look at what’s driving quiet quitting, and how to rediscover your spark in midlife. So that you feel more energetic and alive again.
What’s Driving the Rise of Quiet Quitting
“Quit quitting” is a new phrase for a long standing issue - having low engagement with your role or career. This is something that has been spoken about and measured by the HR community for decades.
Gallup has tracked this for a long time through its Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report.
The term “quiet quitting” exploded in social media posts, especially TikTok, during the pandemic. In 2023, “what is quiet quitting” was also one of the top Google search queries.
The trend of quiet quitting has several themes:
A conscious action of self-preservation - to protect a person’s mental health as a result of burnout, and to protect them from work environments that are misaligned to their needs and strengths
A response to poor leadership and management
The rise hybrid and home working
Is Quiet Quitting Really Increasing?
Is quiet quitting growing?
This is a tough question to answer.
Quiet quitting is certainly prevalent - Gallup surveys have consistently found that a significant proportion of employees are disengaged at work, with engagement levels declining further since the pandemic.
Major disruptions like the pandemic have certainly triggered questions that people had previously ignored or pushed below the surface.
Quiet quitting hits people in their 40s and 50s especially hard because this is a stage of life where expectations and reality can collide. You may have worked hard, built experience, and made sacrifices - yet find that the role no longer fits who you are or what you value. At the same time, financial responsibilities, family commitments, and fear of “starting again” can make change feel risky, which leads many people to stay physically present at work while slowly withdrawing emotionally.
What to Do If You’re Quiet Quitting in Midlife
What should you do if you are experiencing disengagement at work?
Quiet quitting recovery starts with acknowledging the problem
The first thing is to acknowledge that emotional withdrawal from work is happening to you - and that it is not going to go away on its own.
Hope is not a strategy.
The key is to accept that quiet quitting is a signal that something in your career is not working for you right now. And that you need to start taking action on finding a solution.
Finding a fulfilling future beyond quiet quitting
The second step is to have faith that there is a more fulfilling and energising future for you - provided you are willing to work to identify it and make some changes.
This step sounds easy, but can be very hard in practice. There are many forces in midlife that can converge to keep you stuck in a bad situation. Practical pressures such as mortgages, dependents, golden handcuffs, identity tied to status, and a reduced tolerance for risk can all conspire to keep you stuck in roles that no longer serve you.
It will take a bit of effort to push through these barriers - but the rewards are definitely worth it. And the consequences of remaining trapped will, unfortunately, become increasingly painful.
I have been in this situation myself and found a way through. So you can too. (Here’s a link to my own story).
We are never really as trapped as we think we are.
Thirdly, identify the root cause……
As with any problem, finding the underlying root cause is key.
In my experience, career disengagement is rarely about laziness or lack of ambition. More often, it stems from one or more of the following:
Not being clear on what you are good at, your needs, your values, and your “ideal role”
Lack of clarity about the options that are open to you
Not realising that you have changed and how over the past 5-10 years
Other barriers such as Ignoring your intuition, not giving yourself permission to get your needs met, fears, procrastination or unhealthy boundaries with work.
For more details about this, read Not Motivated to Work: Midlife Solutions
Finally, accept that you might not be able to figure it out on your own.
There is no shame in admitting this. There are times in life when we all need some help.
How much this level of disengagement is costing you? If you are struggling to identify a way forward, maybe it is worth investing a bit of money to help find a solution.
For a deeper dive on this, read Career Transition Coach: Are They Worth It?
If you might be interested in some support, take a look at my coaching packages and schedule a discovery call if it resonates.
About the Author: Tim Storrie
I’m an ICF-accredited career coach with an Oxbridge education, an MBA, and a corporate background. Drawing from my own mid-life experience of burnout and transition to a more fulfilling career, I help men over 40 who feel lost or frustrated to find a career that excites them through clarity and confidence.
My coaching approach is both nurturing and challenging, combining structured, exercise-based reflection with deep personal insight.
If you would like to understand how career coaching can help you get clarity on a more fulfilling future, book a free Discovery Call.