Since most of these answers are tech-related, here's my financial services perspective. I spent two years working as an auditor for a large public accounting f

Since most of these answers are tech-related, here's my financial services perspective. I spent two years working as an auditor for a large public accounting firm. This was my first post-college job. I disliked the job from the beginning, but was not confident I would find another good entry level job, so I stuck with it until I burnt myself out. Covid resulted in more work hours than usual. Compensation per hour was terrible for the number of hours worked, and I felt like I was wasting my life. Near the end (August 2020), I struggled to do anything. Since I didn't have strong relationships with coworkers, I quit without much discussion or a plan. It was easy because: the parents paid for college, I don't spend much, I have minimal monthly expenses, and I have no major commitments. After quitting, I drove around the US for two months seeing cool places and old friends. Eventually I was offered a short-term contract as an auditor again, and I took it. I really didn't want to be an auditor, but the hourly pay was great, and it was a promotion. Turns out, higher compensation made me a happier auditor. Bonus points, after that contract I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, which I just finished. The 6 month gap from the hike did not cause any issues when finding a new job, and actually made interview conversations fun and easy.