I’m a software engineer with ~9 years of experience. I recently switched to a well-known MNC and, on paper, things are going great — good salary, good perks.
But internally, it’s a very different story.
I’ve been feeling a constant sense of emptiness. I don’t feel motivated to work, and every day feels like a cycle of competing with others and worrying about being judged. Getting fired, Layoff. It’s mentally exhausting.
I keep getting this urge to just quit and take a break. But the problem is, I’m not financially independent enough yet to do that without stress.
What makes it harder is:
I don’t know what I’d do if I quit
I don’t have a backup plan or passion I want to pursue
I’m unsure if this is just burnout or something deeper
So I feel stuck — continuing in something that drains me, but not having clarity or security to step away.
Has anyone else gone through something similar?
How did you deal with this phase?
Did taking a break help, or did you find ways to cope while continuing?
How do you figure out what you actually want to do next?
Would really appreciate hearing your experiences.