I worked my way up to general manager at one of my first jobs. I was being paid very little for what I did but I loved it the first year. The second year was different but I agreed to two years and I needed a solid recommendation from them to get out of the service industry, and have a real shot at a job that would pay enough for me to get back in school. I just white knuckled it every day for the last six months because it was important to leave on good terms.
I forced myself to sit down to make a list of what needed to be done the next day every night before I would allow myself to do things like eat dinner, and I just tried to power through my list as fast as I could every day. If I had a day or two where I actually felt motivated I had to take full advantage of it because I knew it wouldn't last long. I did okay, but things did slip through the cracks sometimes. More often than was really acceptable the last month.
I felt like I was on the verge of a breakdown for a long time. I let them know that I was leaving as soon as the two years were up. My replacement was fired after a few months because she just couldn't handle it, the managers before me made it about a year before quitting. They just weren't willing to pay us a fair wage for what we did, and that gets under your skin when you're the one who keeps the books so you can see that the funds are available. I saved up some money, and sold some non-essentials to take a break from work for a couple weeks before looking for something else which was risky, but I had enough to tide me over for a several months.
Looking back I wish I understood how temporary my situation was and tried to finish stronger so I could at least be proud of it now. I'm REALLY glad that I didn't just let myself get fired, because I would probably find myself back in the same exact boat a few years later.
It did work out, I was able to leverage that experience into an entry level position in a field that I want to stay in long term, and my chances of being promoted are pretty good because the grueling shittyness of my last job built a pretty solid work ethic. It's easy to put in 110% at a job that sets realistic standards now, and I'm excited to finish up my education too so I can be eligible for bigger promotions in a few years.
It feels good to write this down...