Ask HN: Took a break after burnout – what now?

I left my job a few months ago after ~10 years as a software engineer. Burnout kind of forced the decision — I didn’t plan it well, just hit a wall and stepped away. I’ve recovered a bit and now I’m trying to figure out what to do next.

I’m in my 30s, single, and have saved about $3M across taxable and retirement accounts. Mostly index funds, some cash, and a chunk in RSUs. I spend around $50K/year living in a HCOL area, and don’t own a home. So I’m in a position where I don’t have to work right away, but that hasn’t really made things clearer.

Friends have brought up FIRE, but I’m not sure early retirement would feel fulfilling. Honestly, having more options has made things feel more paralyzing, not less.

The burnout wasn’t really about long hours. It came more from feeling ineffective and having no clear direction. My role felt fuzzy, leadership was inconsistent, and I started feeling like I was falling behind while other people kept progressing. That wore me down over time and chipped away at my confidence.

Now I’m considering a few paths:

Return to my old job — I left on good terms and could probably go back. I’ve been wondering if this was more of a me problem than a company problem, and going back might help clarify that. Extend the sabbatical — travel or focus on non-career interests for a few more months, then reassess. Start job searching now — not super motivated, but with the current job market, it might take a while anyway. Career change — no clear direction or passion, just vague curiosity about doing something different.

If you’ve taken a break, pivoted careers, or dealt with burnout like this — how did you figure out your next step? Especially curious how people figured out whether the problem was the job… or themselves.