The two year-rule. You know, when you’re dating someone for two years and still haven’t discussed marriage, you run away. (Just kidding, that’s not a real rule, but it probably should be!) Two years is a decent amount of time to be committed to anything, whether that a significant other or a career. Generally speaking, within two years of being with someone or working for something, you have a good sense of what the future holds. You know whether there will be advancement. You know whether there will be stability. And most importantly, you know whether there is happiness. Not to be cliché, but yes happiness IS the most important aspect of any relationship – whether that may be with a significant other, or with your career. If you’re not happy after two years in either of these situations, you most likely will not magically become happy down the line. It’s here when the two-year rule comes in.
What’s the two-year rule? It’s an unwritten rule that after two years, you move on. You find a new job. You have the big “where’s this relationship going” talk. You may even find someone new. The two-year rule is all about making a change. How do you know the two-year rule applies to you? Let’s see…
If you spend more time thinking about the cons than the pros, it’s time to move on.
This one’s really self-explanatory. Are you constantly complaining about how annoying your cubicle neighbor is? Your boss is? Everyone in your office building is? Has the most recent compliment you’ve given your significant other been “oh you showered today”? Can you not remember the last time you genuinely enjoyed his or her company? I hate to break it to you, but the situation you’re currently in probably isn’t the best. Change is needed.
If you check the clock thinking ten minutes have gone by and it’s only been a minute, it’s time to move on.
Yes, fellow millennials, we get bored easily. We stare at clocks thinking that this will make time go by faster. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. Now I know we all do this, but when this becomes a daily occurrence, there’s a problem. You’re bored. It’s okay, I don’t deny it, and you shouldn’t either. We get bored of our cubicles, we get bored of the people we’re dating, and we get bored of the same old routine. The only person I have yet to get bored with is the Dunkin worker who has my iced coffee ready for me when I walk in (because let’s be real, that’s true love). Millennials like to frolic around and spread their (our) wings. Why should we submit to boredom? There’s absolutely no reason to.
If you spend more time daydreaming about other life scenarios, it’s time to move on.
Millennials don’t settle. We know that there are other jobs, and other people, out there. The job we’re currently slaving away at with no sign of promotion is not the only job in the entire world. The person we’re currently dating and still haven’t discussed the “m” word with is not the only person in the world. Between LinkedIn emailing us five times a day, friends posting status updates about openings in their companies or pictures of their attractive friends, and Tinder finding us nothing but the classiest people within a ten mile radius, millennials are aware that there is more out there. In the wise words of Beyonce, “don’t you ever for a second get to thinking you’re irreplaceable.”
If you find yourself wanting more, it’s time to move on.
The beauty of applying for new jobs is that it’s an automatic raise. Who would leave their current job for a job that pays less? No one, and companies know that as well. Well, a break up can be seen as an upgrade as well. Why would you date someone who had the same faults as your ex? They were your ex for a reason, and (hopefully) your next is an improvement!
If you find yourself unhappy, it’s most definitely time to move on.
Yes, back to happiness. I did say this was the most important aspect didn’t I?! If you can’t remember the last time you were happy, the last time you laughed until your ribs hurt, the last time you smiled because of someone or something, it’s time to something new. You deserve to be happy, it’ll make life so much better!
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