“I Chose Myself Over Everything”: Gqeberha Woman Reflects on Quitting Toxic Job

• A woman who used to work as a cashier at a well-known major supermarket shared that she quit her job
• She shared that she prioritised her mental health and herself over the toxic work environment she was previously in
• Empathetic social media users supported the woman's decision, even though she shared she didn't have a backup plan

While people need an income to survive, some jobs are simply not worth it. One woman recently shared that she left her toxic workplace, a decision she didn't regret.

Cashier clocks out for good

Using the TikTok handle @sinesiphogift3, a former Gqeberha Shoprite cashier shared that she quit her job in October 2024 without having a backup plan as a way to preserve her mental health.

"I chose myself over everything," she shared with app users.

The appreciative woman also thanked God for the opportunity and experiences, noting that He will give her what she wants.

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Take a look at some of the pictures from the TikTok post below:

How to deal with a toxic work environment

The job search engine Indeed states that signs of a toxic work environment present themselves in different ways, such as illness and fatigue, little to no enthusiasm, a high turnover, exclusion and gossip, and a lack of growth.

Below are 17 ways to deal with a toxic work environment:

1. Find a support group outside of work.
2. Find ways to relax and unwind.
3. Stay positive.
4. Meditate during work breaks.
5. Focus, and ignore work distractions.
6. Leave work issues at work.
7. Avoid gossip.
8. Find humour and positivity in every situation.
9. Take a break to give your brain a rest.
10. Realise you can only control your actions and reactions.
11. Look for inspiration.
12. Remember your self-worth.
13. Create a to-do list to stay productive.
14. Find your identity outside of work.
15. Decorate your workspace with positive quotes.
16. Associate yourself with positive colleagues.
17. Leave your job.

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SA supports woman's decision

A few local members of the online community headed to the comments to show the woman support and shared similar experiences they had faced.

@nkanyezi793 shared with the public:

"I made the same decision on Monday. I couldn't take it anymore. Love and light to you."

@makhekhe_04 said with love:

"God will surely give you a better job, mntase."

@kay_fuzzy wrote in the comment section:

"Mna, I even wrote a letter that said I don’t want to be a cashier anymore. I’m working as a shelf packer because wow, working in front is so depressing."

@isabella.kwena_m added their story for the online community to see:

"I left my job at Woolworths mid-January. I had no backup plan, just my Jehovah, and I don't regret it because my mental health comes first. God will make a plan."

@mother.of.the.nat0 told the woman:

"I can relate, hun. When it comes to the toxicity we face in every workplace, I wish I could also have the courage to leave mine."

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3 Other Briefly News stories about cashiers

• South Africans were shocked to see a retail cashier's salary and wondered how they were expected to survive.
• An awkward encounter occurred at Steers when a nurse grossed out a cashier with the viral ice cream challenge.
• Local internet users called out a man aggressively shaking out his plastic bag in response to a cashier's question.

Source: Briefly News