Better to stay put, accept slightly less money for another year and look at it again when I’ve got the time and energy to cope with it.

but Watch Out

Seriously, though, this is hitting the nail on the head. That dangling carrot of job security can be so exploitative when there’s so many unknowns (many of them confidence-based in a dev’s situation). I’ve heard that little evil voice (recently) telling me “yeah, you could probably go back to physical labor when you can’t find any more work as a dev. you’ll do okay out there”

I work hard for my company. But paying me raises to deal with inflation? Rewarding my efforts and loyalty? Why bother when they can just hold out and pay my identical wage to someone greener and less jaded in a couple short years?

And now think about, who stays in such positions. Not the ambitious people. It's the risk averse, socially inept people. They will perform just enough to get by, simply because there's zero reward for any ambition.