^^^ This.

Take everything you hate about traveling (running late, waiting in a line 50 deep to depart, deicing, maintenance delays, diversions, poor sleep in declining hotels, insufficient time between flights to get food or coffee or even use the restroom, the monotony of the same thing over and over and over, waiting for rampers, the decline of civility) and multiply that times 20 legs (typical 4-5 day trip at a regional).

But you can usually take a minute and enjoy a sunset, so that's a plus.

All of this tends to kill your idealistic vision of this career (and subsequently your love of flying).

If you love flying, stick to hundred dollar hamburgers. If you already make six figures and are looking for a change, consider CRNA, PA, actuary-all jobs that earn well into six figures and aren't really affected by many of the "swan events" that can torpedo this career. You can also start earning good money in another career sooner than you can as an airline pilot.

Also, the whole idea that you don't take work home is false. You still need to do quarterly training, submit your bids, get your uniform dry cleaned, prep for trips, plan your commute unless you already live in a junior base, commute to work and then back home, live with the anxiety of losing your medical or getting busted on a bad day by a fed or check airman, take calls from the company on why you went around, file ASAPs, deal with pay disputes after a reroute or tag-on, etc.

This is from the perspective of a line holder. I haven't sat reserve since the regionals. Reserve is a entirely different level of pain, especially if you have to commute to reserve.