When you're caught in the middle of a crushing situation, you don't think straight and you develop a lot of bad habits without noticing. The best thing possible

When you're caught in the middle of a crushing situation, you don't think straight and you develop a lot of bad habits without noticing. The best thing possible is to get out from under the pressure and regain some self-awareness. If you can do it, get some savings together, or find a plan to do so. With those, spend a nice long stretch of time, six months to a year, away from the "working world" (not necessarily "work," but you want to have plenty of freedom and a minimum of scheduling and responsibility) so that you can return to sanity and sort out whatever bothers you about your life and plan how you want your life to feel - small things, big things, relationships, work, children, etc. Having the longer timespan is important because your own perceptions change gradually, and what you think you want now turns out to be illusory later. Regardless of what specifically happens, what you think or do, what projects you start, whether you're well on the way to a new career or you have to take your old job again, by the end of the period of freedom, you'll have a better idea of what you're passionate about in life and can refocus around that.