Young Aussie reveals why she quit her six-figure job
A young Aussie making six figures a year has revealed why she was “over” her high-paying job and what pushed her to trying out “retirement”.
Sofie Spelta was 28 years old when she realised she was just “over” her six-figure marketing job.
The Brisbane local decided to quit her job in 2023, even with a mortgage to pay, because it wasn’t what she wanted anymore.
“I was just over it, having gone through Covid and all of that. I wasn’t enjoying it. Everything in my life had fallen into place and I’d never been more unhappy,” she told news.com.au.
Ms Spelta worked in marketing and, while her job offered flexibility, ultimately, she was always at the mercy of clients and their various needs.
She had been working in the same job for six years and in the industry for a decade and, even though she knew it might seem “crazy” to quit, especially after just buying her first home, she realised she needed to.
For the young Aussie, her decision to quit her lucrative job came down to maths.
“I was earning more money than I ever thought I’d make and I just calculated how much money I needed to pay the mortgage and live,” she said.
Ms Spelta shared that she wanted a work break and a taste of “retirement” for a few months before she got back to the grind.
She documented her journey from full-time work to embracing a slower-paced life online. A typical day now involves going for a nourishing breakfast, running with friends and having time to enjoy her life.
She realises she’s “lucky” that she can choose to walk away from the 9-5 grind, but it got to the point where she just needed a change.
The young worker said she was suffering from “performance punishment”, where the fact that she was good at her job meant she just kept being given more and more work to do.
The end result was her becoming exhausted and burnt out.
“When I was younger, you set all these goals and you want to progress really quickly. Then you get to the point and you’re thinking, am I okay? Do I have time for my friends and family?” she said.
Ultimately, Ms Spelta decided she wasn’t okay. She wanted to have the time to invest in other things, like the run club she has co-founded with one of her best mates.
“I’m not someone who lives to work. I want to do a good job and have time to enjoy my life,” she said.
Originally, Ms Spelta’s plan was to take a few months off, but she started picking up freelance work and she’s realised that, as long as she has flexibility, she’s able to embrace her career without feeling unhappy.
“I was planning on a few months off and then going back into full-time work. I started having people who want freelance work. I have clients and it is very flexible. I’m going on a holiday to Bali but I’ll also be working from there,” she explained.
Ms Spelta’s work move is part of a growing trend.
“I’ve spoken to so many people who have done the same thing. A lot of my friends are moving overseas and they aren’t moving for careers. They are moving to live,” she said.
She thinks it’s a kick-on from Covid that young people are making up for “lost time” and prioritising their lifestyle over their careers.
CEO of Employment Hero, Ben Thompson, said that young people quitting jobs is just a work normal that we need to all accept.
“Gone are the days when employees would stay in unfulfilling roles indefinitely, with almost 1 in 10 workers changing employers in the past year,” he said.
Mr Thompson said that workers are re-evaluating their priorities, and their work is front and centre of that re-evaluation.
“Today’s workforce is not afraid to make swift moves if a job doesn’t align with their career prospects and values or detracts from their wellbeing,” he said.
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