I know what brought you here.

You are probably thinking for some time already – is there a way out of this exhausting work life?

You know that the way out is out there, but maybe it’s a bit hard to imagine right now.

And it’s okay. I’m here to share with you The Exit Plan – that was my plan of leaving corporate job that I already did twice: in 2024 and then (after a short come back) in 2025.

So before I walk you through it I want to make one thing very clear:

It’s impossible to have it all.

Comfortable salary, clear path, predictability, job title – you have to be able to let go of these things. Are you able to do it?

People say that the pain must be big enough to finally convince you that staying where you are hurts more than leaving. And that was in my case. I reached a point where I would rather serve coffee in a cafe or fold clothes in a shopping mall rather than continue with managing projects. If you didn’t reach that place it might be hard to let go of ‘known discomfort’.

Answer the question: why you’re leaving?

Write it down. Burnout? Loss of meaning? Health? This will become your anchor, so it has to be strong enough that you stick to it. Stay with this reason for a few days, don’t overshare it. There might be people around you, who get easily scared of ‘crazy ideas’. It doesn’t matter what other’s think of it. What matters is what you feel inside.

Time for a feasibility study

So you are confident that you want to try leaving corporate – let’s see how much freedom you can afford. Here are the points to check:

• What are your minimal monthly financial needs: rent, food, utilities, insurance, transport. Not the “nice to haves.” Your minimum survival number.
• Do you have any extra financial burden? Unpaid credit cards, consumer loans, car loan? These need to be paid out before you quit, as the interests rates from borrowing are very high.
• Check the savings. Save enough to cover your minimum expenses for at least 6 months (ideally 12). This is your freedom fund. It buys you time to build your next thing without panic.
• Start your side project now. What will be your next profession? No matter whether it’s handcrafts, photography, therapy, it’s good to make things moving and build the momentum.

Here comes the sad truth: without successful feasibility study,rich parents, or a sudden inheritance, you won’t be able to leave for good.

But maybe you don’t have to. For me quitting just for 6 months, and then going back to corporate, helped with regaining balance, figuring out what I want and making more long-term plan. Sooner of later you can (most likely) find a similar job to your current one and come back to predictable salary.

I’ve paid my high-interest debts, I have savings for 6-9 months of life, and I’m working on my side project.

What now?

Share your plan with people who need to know. Can you count on their emotional support? It’s difficult to stay in this on your own or have to calm down yourself and all others around you.

Let’s assume that when you approach your close ones with a clear plan, they might have some questions but they will support you – after all, they prefer to see you energized and happy and not exhausted, right? You need other people. Their support might be critical when things get hard. It is not only roses and butterflies after you hand over the resignation letter.

Leave your job mentally before you leave it completely.

Start setting boundaries at work. Say no to extra projects. Leave on time. This is training for your new life where you decide your limits. Besides, you’re quitting soon, right? Set the earliest possible date when you can resign. Use all the vacations first.

After you resign

Give yourself some time to recover. Your body might be exhausted, you might need to catch up on sleep. Go for long walks, cook home-made meals, don’t rush immediately into your new thing 24/7, cause it will burn you out faster than a corporate job did. This is why you have your savings – to allow yourself for a different pace. Live your life as you wished for, don’t jump into hyper-productivity out of fear.

CELEBRATE small wins!!!

First client? Great! Regular posts on Social Media? Keep it up! There will not be a big win without these small wins at the beginning. Reward yourself for your efforts, you are your won boss now.

What did I forget? Let me know what else comes to your mind when you think of this transition.