Quiet Quitting

Quiet Quitting (noun / Internet Slang)

(Also heard as: Quiet quit, Quietly quitting, Acting your wage)

Definition:

Quiet quitting means doing only what your job requires, with no extra effort, overtime or unpaid favours. You do not actually quit; you just stop going above and beyond.

Where Quiet Quitting Comes From:

It went viral on TikTok in July 2022 and soon spread to newspapers and workplaces. It reflected burnout and a push for better work-life balance after the pandemic.

How People Actually Use Quiet Quitting:

Used by workers to describe setting boundaries: “I’m quiet quitting, I log off at 5”. Managers sometimes use it as a complaint about low engagement.

Is Quiet Quitting Rude?

Not as a phrase. Some employers see the behaviour as lazy, while others say it simply means doing the job you are paid for.

Examples in the Wild:

• “I stopped answering emails after hours. Quiet quitting.”Meaning: I am keeping to my contracted hours.
• “Half the office is quiet quitting.”Meaning: They are doing the minimum.
• “It’s not quiet quitting, it’s setting boundaries.”Meaning: It is a healthy limit, not laziness.

Similar Slang:

Hustle, Adulting, Skive, Bed Rot

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