If you’re in your 40s with 5 years of seniority, this is purely an emotional choice that you may only break even on and will likely cost you more days away from home due to loss of seniority/PBS in what’s left of your career. If you’re hanging on to some sick time, it’s an even unwiser choice to leave. I know my sick bank combined with my retro check is valued well north of 6 figures. You’re leaving that on the table to make half of what you are now over the next couple of years, a true 2 weeks of vacation due to PBS, and a zeroed out sick bank.

Use your sick time to keep yourself mentally healthy, enjoy your eventual 5 weeks of vacation a year, which combined can result in 4+ months off per year, and come to terms with the fact that maybe you should have gone somewhere else, but that ship has sailed. It’s just a job, no where near as good as we all had hoped. Our product is embarrassing, and it’s hard to come to work, but I think my overall QOL would suffer to start over again. Not worth it to feel better about the times I am at work.

It’s only worth it to avoid the commute.