WarningCommunication
Quiet quitting
/ˈkwaɪ.ət ˈkwɪt.ɪŋ/
Emotionally checking out of a relationship while staying in it, withdrawing effort to the bare minimum, often to push the other person to end it.
Etymology & origin
Adapted from the workplace phenomenon where employees do only the minimum required tasks without actually resigning.
✦ Relationship psychology
Motivated by conflict avoidance, fear of difficult emotional conversations, and a desire to avoid being the 'bad guy' who officially ended the relationship.
Live texting example
Hey, we haven't gone on a date in three weeks, and you barely reply to my texts. Is everything okay between us?
Yeah, fine. Just busy.
Boundary guide: how to respond
- 1Address the shift in effort: 'I feel a significant distance between us. If you don't want to invest in this relationship anymore, let's be honest about it.'
- 2Don't exhaust yourself trying to pull effort out of someone who has checked out.
#withdrawing#distance#avoidance#low effort
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