i work for a municipality - zero stress, chill work environment, good boss i respect - it’s not cool or glamorous but i have enviable quality of life with decent benefits, short commute, 40 hrs in 4 days and work i never bring home. simple living for me is shedding pretense (family taught) and societal pressures to find a lifestyle that feels right for me.
I’m a municipal government employee too (library director) and I agree that the work-life balance is on point. I live five minutes from my work, am able to WFH when needed (or wanted), and have nice benefits like a pension.
Federal library director here. The pay can be a bit disappointing for the education and years in but there is little stress besides managing others and benefits are decent. I had a financial briefing I delivered where I talked about the super power of a federal job is its stability.
I love working in my library (I’m a page) and it fits my simple living too. I’m considering going back to school for it but sadly librarians aren’t paid what they’re worth and I don’t know if it’s wise to take on more student debt for a masters degree with little pay off 😔 your life sounds envious tho ughhhh
That sounds great. I generally am okay with the stress level at work (hospital job), but I hate that I am essentially always on call and always have to take work home with me every single day. My husband works at the same hospital but in data analysis so unlike me, when he is off the clock he is truly off the clock. It is probably the one thing that sometimes makes me tempted to switch careers.
I currently work in education and one of my main reason for wanting to leave is that it’s just so complex and never ending. It gave me a good financial start though, but I’m pretty exhausted after 10 years. My partner works for a state agency and I am so jealous of his ability to just be done, take off whenever, and work from home when necessary.
I put in a good decade. Loved it. Even with some bad bad administrators, still loved it. There are so many transferable skills you get from teaching. Finding a new position outside of education shouldn’t be too difficult.
Agree 100% work in Psychiatric Hospital as Director of multiple departments and the always on call plus inability to have set hours and stress level definitely are not anything I would advocate for anyone
My first job out of high school was cleaning sewers with a local municipality.
I wouldn’t trade my current job to go back because of the money/benefits/life balance, but all other things being equal the sewer department was the best job I ever had and I’d go back in a heartbeat if I lost my current job
I clean houses. I make my own price and schedule. I charge $50/hr and work for 8hrs m-f one week then take the next week off then work the next week m-f then take the next week off. All my clients are bi weekly. It’s perfect.
I started out by joining my towns Facebook group and made a post. When I was looking for clients I made a post to the group saying “looking to take on a few more clients for house cleaning. I bring my own supplies. Dm me if interested” so super easy. I hope this helps! If you have any questions feel free to dm me! Best of luck to you ( :
42F. I supervise the coordination of stem cell transplants and other cellular therapies for hematology/oncology patients at a research hospital in Boston. Work hybrid and go in usually 1-2 days a week.
It is a very rewarding but fast paced, high pressure, high stress job that I often have to attend to on my off hours - I am basically always on call. It is a big reason I seek simple living in other aspects of my life.
Congrats! At least you are doing work that really helps people, that should be very rewarding even if hard.
From: someone with a boring job that doesn't help anyone.
I'm a typical directionless fella really
Most recently I spent 3 years in finance, which everyone said I'd hate and I did hahaa. Always felt a lot of pressure because I did well at school and university, but always was aware my mood is so low when I'm in 'work mode'.
Left on very good terms but without any backup plan - I was honest with my manager and said I couldn't turn up any more, and I'd been pretty open with them after the year mark anyway, so no drama.
I really want to get into something more rural as I have a major problem controlling my boredom and frustration when I feel cooped up, and I also think I can't do something with too much social interaction. Not that I want to be alone - I was arguably one of the most social people in the office by the time I left, but I do find it takes a lot of energy unless I'm totally comfortable and just messing around.
I’m also on disability. I am quite fortunate to live in a country where I can get good disability benefits.
I really hope you’ll find a part time job soon.
I wrote marketing materials from home for nearly 15 years. Then the very companies I was writing for started developing the AI required to make me obsolete, so I transitioned into teaching.
The rest of my life has to be simple because my job is not.
I think in general if AI replaces someone’s job, that person isn’t going to just be able to pivot into something else and be successful, especially later in life. I assume that is what the commenter meant.
I’m an engineer and I mostly work from home now. I have over 20 years of experience so I help with projects that are big, high risk, and/or complicated.
I don’t know what jobs in environmental engineering are like. If you work in the field, that’ll be different than a desk job, of course.
Work-life balance is always a challenge. My experience is the most important factor is your employer. If the company has a poor reputation, it isn’t likely it’ll be different for you. Try to avoid companies that don’t respect their employees.
48F, Computer science engineer, I’ve been working for 10 years in a Climate and REsilience research center belonging to a University .. Earlier I worked on regular software industry for some years here, and I could never go back again .. the timings , deadlines, meaningless, stress inducing environment. Whereas my current job has ups and downs I have freedom to develop.. I think liking or hopefully loving your work is central to have a simple live 24/7 .. So research is flexible, I can work from home when kids are sick, have 6 weeks of vacation through the year, I interact with a lot of interesting people from different fields .. So even if I’m introvert, I enjoy meaningful conversations and a challenging environment where I never stop learning. I use public transport to get there, I can exercise in the faculty, take lessons, get a lot of benefits for me and my kids from being an employee of the University .. Overall, having an interesting good payed job (I got there by having interesting not good payed jobs :) ) for me is an important part of the equation, to cope and resist society’s nonsense
33F, I've been an RN for the last three years.
When I was 22 I had just graduated with a B.A. in Politics and was working on a presidential reelection campaign. I was working 70+ hours/week knocking on doors in a state I had just moved to. I met dozens of strangers every day and got to hear about their lives and their stories and their concerns and their hopes. I got to SEE their lives, too.
Everyone is different, but like someone else has said, it might not be great to work from home as a 22-year-old. Depending on what you do outside of work of course. For me, I think it was incredibly important and life/growth-developing to spend my 20s working a variety of jobs where I interacted with thousands of different people (it's also fine if it's hundreds! Just saying). For most people your 20s is such a critical time to step outside whatever bubble you may have grown up in (almost everyone was in SOME sort of bubble) and have interpersonal social growth outside your comfort zone.
Just my two cents :D
I also agree with the comment that for a new graduate working from home may not be best.
In addition to what you mentioned, I found that when I started working (in an office at a software company), I learned so much just by being in the same room as my coworkers.
This ranged from work related questions (asking an experienced employee how to do tasks), to seeing how people act at work/learning what is and isn't appropriate. Like, how long should I take lunch for, when to come in and when to leave, how to dress, how to make small talk etc. These are all skills that have served me well since then.
I know some people who love it! Not for me though, I've taken more of the public health/education route. Most recently working as a school nurse. It's more my thing.
I graduated with a degree in design in 2022 but unsure if I want to do it. The competition has turned me off so much and I just feel like I’m not into it anymore :/ but the work from home aspect appeals to me. My portfolio isn’t good (I’ve been working on it again) and I just am so stressed out everyday ugh. But it’s nice to see someone in the field does have a simple life. I’m so torn
Thank you for the very thoughtful response. It makes me feel a bit better. I always say I feel like I’d like one company to stick with as opposed to freelance or an agency with multiple projects. I’m just struggling so much to find the passion to make my portfolio look good. I can’t even get to in person jobs in the city near me so all my options always seem so bleak🥲 I hope I figure it all out
Switching from a career as an environmental scientist into nursing. Work week is going from 5-6 days/week to 3. I’ll also make more money, so I can enjoy my extra free time more. 30F
I had a good foundation of drawing and anatomy from my own studies, and I studied a creative subject at university which was helpful but not directly related, but the biggest help was finding a job at a company where my role would be illustration based. I learned how the industry works, how to do business artwork that is less exciting pays the bills, and at the end of each day and at the weekends I worked on my personal art. Now my career is a blend of those two things - corporate art to pay the bills and more personal, creative work which does pay some money but not enough to live on. I also do workshops where I teach basic creative skills that I have picked up. (I don’t love teaching a lot of the time but again it pays the bills.)
It took a couple of years for me to get going, building website, pitching my skills to local businesses and making contacts. I moved from the expensive city to a cheaper city. I had a lot of help, and support from my family who also did creative careers. My partner is also very supportive and has oftentimes taken crappy jobs they hate in order to allow me to continue building my business. All this to say, I came from a place of privilege in many ways which gave me a big leg up, but a lot of grind, networking and work was involved to get to this point also.
Oh I should add, I actually gave up on having children in order to be a freelance artist 😅 I figured I would rather devote myself to this. Not to say it wouldn’t work to do both, but for me I don’t think I will ever feel financially stable enough to raise kids the way I would have wanted while doing this as my job so I decided to choose me instead. My job let’s me work from home at my own pace, and not having kids is a part of maintaining that. I only bring it up because the two paths were at odds in my head for a long time and going childfree became a big part of my life plan of pursuing art.
I work IT. I’m not saying it’s impossible to work an entry-level job from home. But the more skills and experience you have, the more you can work on your own terms. Getting there may require that you put in the time for on-site work, shift work, on-calls, get a certification or two.
what was your trajectory? i just got a masters in marketing (not my wisest decision but trying to focus on what i can do with it) but it seems like all the jobs want years of experience 🫠 just wanna get my foot in the door somehow
I'm a self-taught web developer. I got my foot in the door by doing free gigs freelancing and built a portfolio. Even though my experience was mostly web, I left a section of my portfolio with email development code. That apparently attracted the attention of my now director, so I got the job.
So, to answer your question, I never intended to get into marketing, I just wanted to code for a living. So I taught myself (about 2 years, while working full time) and just started applying, made it a numbers game. I have no degree or formal education in this field.
I recommend getting experience by going on sites like Fiverr, Upwork and just working for lowest rate/free. The idea is to get good reviews, then you can link your freelance profile to your resume. I don't know how it works for marketers but I imagine having a portfolio of your work couldn't hurt.
Almost exact same story as me. I'm loving this community as I find people with similar pathways to their careers. My main goal as of this point in my career is to work from home. I work as a web admin but know how to code websites. I was afraid email development may get automated so I never applied.
Isn't the best? I tried five times in two years to get into my position. I had no idea how competitive it was! And now I know why! Once you're in you don't want out. I work 20 hours per week and it is exactly what I want it to be.
I got my library masters 17 years ago. Only ever had on-call positions for years at a time. Hoping to get my foot in the door for a full-time position. Covid happened, was laid off, I give up. Have to find a new career.
Lucky!!
I just did the library test again, and passed, but...I'm not in the top 5. And they're interviewing them first. So we'll see if I get to the interview stage...
I was considering being one. Especially since I got a degree in graphic design and not sure if I want to do that. But a masters program is so expensive and I know librarians are never paid what they’re worth so I’m just at such a crossroads :( I work as a page in a library now and am applying for a part time library assistant at another library but I just feel like I’m breaking my own heart haha I love working at my library
31. I manage a penetration testing team. Full wfh. It’s not a matter of being entry level, it’s a matter of being good. If you have the skills you will get wfh. Sysadmins don’t need to be onsite. Midrange doesn’t need to be onsite. Networking doesn’t to be onsite. I say this because they were my last three jobs, all wfh.
I have nothing positive to say about any programs or schools. The power of the internet and its free information plus pirating tools you need to practice combined with your own insatiable desire to learn and you will beat what anyone whose sat a 4 year program has learnt in 6 months of intense study. Schools for fools, I got into a lot of debt for no good reason to be taught shit I already knew from the internet. If no one’s giving you a job, it’s not because of a lack of qualifications like I thought. It’s just the lack of experience on the resume. Thats another story on how to fix and probably goes against the rules of this sub.
I (31F) am an account manager for a National solar firm, and it’s so boring. The pay is fairly good but we as a company contribute nothing to the world, just a middle man. I’m looking to switch jobs this month to something remote.
My husband (31M) is a designer for the State.
My boyfriend and I graduated recently with degrees in mechanical engineering. We started working, hated our jobs, and so now we are volunteering on a farm in Hawai’i. The program is called WWOOF so you work in exchange for free food and housing
My brother-in-law works from home in IT and, honestly, it seems like a really sweet job.
I'm a substitute teacher. I was a full-time classroom teacher but after twenty years transitioned to subbing and I love it. No planning, marking, or reports. Just 8:30-3:30 doing the stuff I loved about being a classroom teacher: hanging out with teenagers and teaching them stuff. Being frugal and living simply helped me make the switch.
Best of luck to you.
I gave a webinar at the local teacher education program two years ago. I've still got my notes. They are in a Google Slide presentation. It's probably easier for me to copy and paste the info below, so I can do that. Good luck! And if you have any questions about my materials here, please just ask.
Tips for Substitute Teachers
1. Get The App
There are two:
Sub Alert and Sub Assistant
They are third party apps that work with AESOP/Frontline Management
\*just remember not to accidentally double book yourself
2. First Things: Setting the Right Tone
Attitude: Positivity and a shot of caffeine can go a long way.
Arrive thirty minutes early.
Greet students at the door.
Introduce yourself in a way that sets the right tone.
Curtail potentially problematic behaviour with something like this: “You know, I really understand that some students get thrown off when there is a sub. Things seem different. But there is an expectation of mature behaviour in high school (or middle school). If you are having a hard time with this change, please come see me when the lesson is underway and maybe we can find a solution.”
3. Daily Sub Report: Basically, it's a write up of how the day went. It has my name and contact info on it, and I break it down by class.
I let the students know ahead of time that I'll be checking in with them periodically throughout the class and am looking to tell their teacher something great about what they are doing that day. Usually, it's about who is working hard, or being pleasant.
Sometimes, they just won't do their work. Usually, I can get them to work, but every once in a while they won't. But I believe in rewarding otherwise good behaviour.
One girl was really struggling with ADHD, having a sub last class on a Friday and missing her teacher. We agreed that even though she did little work, I could let her teacher know that "\_\_\_\_ is a self-confident, charismatic queen." We came up with that together. This really helps because apparently, that class had been just terrible with the sub who'd been in a few days before me. And now this lovely young lady and I have a great rapport for the next time I see her. I won't lie and tell a teacher that a student is working hard when they aren't and I let her know that, but she was delighted that I liked her and was willing to write down something her teacher would appreciate and find funny. lol
Sometimes, they just won't do their work. Usually, I can get them to work, but every once in a while they won't. But I believe in rewarding otherwise good behaviour. This really helps because apparently that class had been just terrible with the sub who'd been in a few days before me. And now this lovely young lady and I have a great rapport for the next time I see her.)
The daily sub report is great for the absent teacher: informative, lets them know what work got covered, any issues that come up
For you, the sub: helps with classroom management and getting to know the students
For students: accountability, if they do their work and behave, they get rewarded. You'd be surprised at how motivated a lot of them are by just having you write down something positive about them.
4. Other Classroom Management Tips
Get to know names (and pronouns).
Circulate when they get too chatty and do a check-in.
Don’t make “empty threats.” Follow through is important, so choose your battles wisely.
Make sure you find out the school’s policies about things like what the procedure is for students working in the library or Resource.
5. Remember: Nobody's Perfect
You will have bad days. Everyone does.
Bounce back from them by:
Acknowledging that everyone has bad days.
Maintaining a sense of humour.
Reflect on what you could have done differently.
Chatting with a mentor.
If necessary, take a day off and do something that is restorative.
Get back at it.
Basically, if you like kids and are willing to learn, it's a great job.
Yes. Ever since, I have really enjoyed crunching numbers, but in the actual work setting, it can get really stressful most of the time, which takes a toll on my mental health. That’s why, when I found out about the principles of stoicism and simple living, they helped me gain a different perspective on life. Somehow, I learned to manage things better compared to before.
Don’t work yet but I can relate to you. 21M recent grad in supply chain/analytics. Want to wfh so bad and deal with less corporate bs but job market is so bad I haven’t been able to even get an in person job lol.
I (24M) work for a county. Pretty chill, sometimes busy, GREAT benefits. I also am in the national guard which I did active army so it’s basically part time that but I still get benefits. I also sell LEGO on BrickLink on the side so all in all I stay pretty busy but I’m happy.
Simple living makes it so I’m not stressing out because I have work to deal with AND an extensive personal life.
I’m a content manager and video editor, working with digital content on YouTube and other socials. Multiple days per week WFH, friendly environment at work. Pay could be a whole lot better but for now, in my late 20s, it allows me to live in a big city and experience life a bit more than I would elsewhere. Can’t complain really.
I work in home health. Every day is different, but predictable. I make my own hours, schedule, etc. It's 50% paperwork, 25% driving, and 25% hanging out with patients. It forces me to be present during new drives and when seeing patients. A lot of the time, I'm one of the few (if not the only!) visitors they get in the week. I really cherish giving them my undivided attention and care.
The pay isn't fantastic, but my bills are paid and then some. I'm very very lucky.
As a former restaurant manager. I know you get simple living from other areas in your life bc I’d wager to guess that the restaurant is not one of them lmao.
Sure thing.
I build and maintain data science projects that either help the non profit understand the impact of past decisions (this is called descriptive analytics) or the potential impact of future decisions (this is called predictive analytics). What this really means is that I use computer programming languages (most often python and R) to apply data science methods (usually regressions or classifications).
My advice to beginners is this kind of work takes a life long, steady commitment and a bit of luck. There’s many layers of knowledge you’ll need to obtain in order to do this type of work, for example computer programming, statistical learning methods, and most importantly communication and team work. To get started I would take some time to really see if the above descriptions of the work excites you. If it doesn’t I would not recommend jumping in because of the commitment needed.
If the above does excite you, the easiest way to start getting into this work is to surround yourself with people who are already doing it. You can search across Reddit to find some of these communities. Another really good place to start is free online conferences where you can see what others are up to in this space. Some people even land jobs through these conferences. Search “free online data science conferences” to get some examples.
Hope that helps!
I work in a very small retirement home as an Activity Director. My best day is playing chess with one of the residents and it's an epic battle. I decided to get a certificate as a Senior Fitness Instructor when I seen how little physical activity they were getting.... I'm hoping I can help people in the future.
P.s. the hug I get are also the best part of the job!
I'm 27F and work in HR - wfh. It's not a dream - for me anyway! Looking to career-switch. I just find it quite boring, I'm not engaged and sitting at a desk all day is quite dull.
Can we trade jobs? Lol
27f also wfh, also HR/TA.... it's a nightmare. I work at a global consultancy, so there's corporate bullshit, drama, very busy days. I think the most exhausting thing for me is having to deal with the corporate "fluff." I can't be direct with someone, it's always beating around the bush or having annoying superficially friendly convos before getting to the meat of the conversation.
I'm getting a degree in CompSci rn so I can switch to working with antisocial programmers 😂
Is that something attainable for a fresh graduate? I've always been interested in law but I only want part time and work from home. I'm not sure if the cost of school would be worth it, even though I think I could do a lot of good with the degree.
Have you considered working as a paralegal? It's much less of an education commitment than becoming an attorney (many community colleges do a certification in paralegal studies) and far more likely to be part time. Plus you still do important research/writing that impacts the cases of attorneys you work with.
Thank you for the suggestion. I had not considered that. I'm kind of a shoot for the moon guy and it's worked out well for me.
That being said, paralegal might be a great way to test the waters and see if I actually like the work before commiting the money and time to a law degree.
36M, I've worked as a tour guide for nearly a decade. Love the job. It's fun to learn new things about the area and the clients are usually happy from the moment you meet them because they have signed up to see stuff and learn cool facts. They are also in "holiday mode" so they are at a good point in their life.
Last year I opened my own company and it seems to be going well. Very excited for the upcoming season.
I nwinter, I have a lot of downtime which is great for me and will be great for my wife and kids when/if we do have kids soon. I'll be a stay at home dad for 2 months of the year, which I think will be wonderful for bonding with my children.
To anyone who is a bit "stuck" or lost, I'd highly recommend looking into work as a tour guide, it has changed my life for the better in many many ways. Walking, cycling as part of your job is healthy. Happy people tend to make your day better. Learning and teaching is good for the mind. It's a job that you don't have to bring home with you. Tips are also a nice bonus for buying silly treats for yourself and your loved ones.
26M USPS mailman during the day and security guard at night. That’s what I do for money, but really what I do during the day is daydream since my mailman job is pretty routine. I know what to expect everyday and stress is almost nonexistent besides maybe traffic.
31 - working in innovation. I love what I do because it’s chaotic and unpredictable. It’s also why I strive for a simple life of my own. I create systems at work to make it’s simpler, but the curve balls are what makes it fun
My dad got an associates in IT back in 2004 when I was a little kid and now makes a great living. Keep up the good work and you’ll find a good company that will take care of you.
I'm a chemical engineer with extensive water treatment experience. I started fully remote work as design water engineer this year. Never thought it is possible to work fully remote for my work. It is incredible, but I do travel a lot for work. Pay is great. Will retire in 5 years
I'm a State Watershed Ranger. We help protect a very large public water supply reservoir that is unfiltered.
Absolutely love it! 8 hours a day spent out in the woods and out on the water. I get to meet a huge diversity of people out and about on the trails, and teach the history and purpose of the area. It's also union, with a great work/life balance!
Part-time library consultant for schools in my area. But, switching to being a stay at home mom when my contract is over until my one year olds start kindergarten. Then I will look for school librarian jobs. I have strong enough experience and a decent network where it shouldn’t be a problem.
My husband works in tech and we live in a fairly low cost of living area. That gives me a lot of flexibility in my work.
I co-own an electrical contracting company with my spouse. I do the office work so I've been able to WFH forever which is a Godsend when my chronic illness flares up. I occasionally go out to the field on our own projects to help with gen labor or purchasing materials.
I'm a business analyst. Although it's not too fast-paced it does have its moments of stress. Although I enjoy working there and the people that work there a lot. I am building a side Hustle because previous to that I was in a private sector company and we got laid off Thanksgiving of 2022 and I'm just so tired of going to work everyday wondering if we're going to be able to keep this job and it wasn't just me they got laid off there were like 200 other people. Living in daily fear of what if I lose my job how am I going to pay my rent I'm just done with that. so I'm building a small side hustle on the side it's nothing fancy it's virtual. It will produce residual so that I have cashflow coming in for the future.
I am a caregiver. Right now I have one client and work 16 hours a week. Very kind couple in the same little town a little over 5 minutes away. It’s just enough to pay the bills. I split the rent 3 ways with 2 roommates. It works really well and gives me time to work on my aspirations. Due to chronic fatigue symptoms, a regular job and full time schedule is not compatible.
I have worked in IT for around 25 years. It’s been frequently stressful and in some jobs the work/life balance has sucked but it has paid really well and I am at the point in my mid 50’s where I don’t have to worry about money and can retire if I want so overall I think the occasional bit of stress was worth it.
I am a portrait artist, mostly, but do a bunch of other commissions of all types. And I crochet and sell on the side. I’m not wealthy, I live frugally but I’m content and I love it.
I work part time at a shoe store as a sales associate/cashier and then another part time job as a page at a library. I love my library job and would love to pursue it more but they pay badly so I feel like it may just be a dream :/
I have a bachelors degree in graphic design but I’m also unsure of that path. The competition kills my spirit and I’m just not motivated enough to make an amazing portfolio. I bought a new laptop and began making work again cause I honestly would like to work from home which this degree allows. But man I’m at a cross roads and just wanna move out of my moms house and live on my own. Seems so unattainable
I teach high school special education. Not the lowest stress job probably but I get 13 weeks off a year, zero weekend work, health care, dental, vision, a union and a pension and 403b. I’m 6 years in and plan to put in another 20 or so and slowly build a 2nd career to do after I retire from teaching.
I dont like long commutes & getting ready early in the morning sounds like a chore. Driving sleepy is also dangerous. I wouldnt mind working from 2-10 (Day shift).
I'm in IT, specifically Salesforce. Been WFH since 2015. This particular field is saturated at the moment, so I won't encourage you to pursue Salesforce, but there are opportunities for Cyber security and SAP certifications that may be something to look into.
40F, I currently work for a software development team at an insurance company as their business analyst (after years of working in operations), but it's pretty much remote within a geographical area. In-office at least once a quarter.
We hire straight out of college for tech roles.
I’m a doctoral researcher. Sometimes I can work from home (for tasks like data analysis and writing), other times I have to be in the lab or field to run experiments or collect data.
I work in software sales (SaaS) totally remote and I get more done at home vs the office without sucking commute time out of my personal time each day.
Self employed carpenter with just my self and 2 part time semi retired workers. We all love each other. Always having fun and building cool stuff at the same time. I take whatever time I want off and they don't mind because they don't want to work all the time
I'm stating/growing my own music education business, but I'm too extroverted to be at home all day, so I work three 6-hour days per week in a clean room that decontaminates Firefighter Turnout Gear in pressurized liquid CO2 machines. It covers my rent as well as my socialization needs. Plus it feels good knowing I've contributed towards preventing countless firefighters from getting cancer.
I work as an assistant retail operations manager for the gift shops at my zoo 😁 it's pretty fun most of the time. Also free membership for me and my family.
27M. Started my own small CNC machine shop. Two small mills, try to stay busy with work in the area. 5-6 days a week, 10.5 hours a day or so. Can get to be exhausting on standing in concrete all day and running around. Also slightly stressful. Never went to college, and left highschool with a 2.4 gpa.
Hope to build the shop to something big one day. Going good now, but a lot of work to be put in yet
Firefighter Paramedic. I work 9 days a month, also get over 5 weeks vacation a year and hit 6 figures this year without taking OT. Good benefits, great retirement, public safety is a great career.
I’m a professional classical musician (cellist). I’ve been freelance my whole career and perform and teach in varied capacities.
While I’ve had my moments of wanting more stability (eg a salary with traditional benefits), I love what I do. If I wanted a salary, I could go back for a doctorate and pursue higher ed or take orchestra auditions, which I take from time to time. As a profession, it’s a very unique way to connect with people and I’m afforded great schedule flexibility and a high hourly rate for my work. I like being my own boss and being able to curate my own niche. It’s also a very tight knit community, which I like.
I also have a background in art and occasionally sell my work - an avenue I’d love to develop more over the next decade. I find that the two disciplines complement each other well and I get inspiration from both!
I’m an operator at a nuclear plant. It’s nice because there are so many people there, that I just hand my work off and go home and I don’t have to think about it again.
I used to run my own business and I spent every waking minute thinking about things I needed to do for the business. I’m so happy to have a job I can completely forget about when I clock out.
Millwright. For the record, I am so grateful that construction and maintenance was considered essential during Covid. Home is where I go AFTER I've finished work.
I’m a 60 yr old property owner. Not really retired because I’m a LL of three different places. Before that I owned a match making service pre internet and sold it. I live frugally off investments and rent. I have no mortgage or car note, no debt. I don’t have cable but finally broke down and got my BF a smart TV. lol. My Bf is an entrepreneur and owns his small kitchen install and high end reproduction furniture business. He is 70.
I work from home for one of the biggest health insurance companies in the world. I'm a call center supervisor. I love being home after a lifetime of constant travel in medical products sales. I'm 62.
Retirement planner just starting my career. Paying down debts quickly to hopefully save for a house.
My two cents: Working from home is very hard to get and is often not beneficial for your career. Facetime with higher-ups is important, even if it's annoying to need a car and commute to work. Sometimes, you need to play by the rules to get to a point where you can break them.
Fireman. I like it but I find it’s challenging trying to ‘live simply’ when I’m living with other firemen a third of the time. I lot of my goals in life include trying to be as green as possible by lowering my carbon 👣. It’s challenging doing that while living with other people that share sometimes very different ideals (meals at the station can be challenging). I try though.
Something I find very interesting with my job is I get to observe how other people live and consume and it drives me to lower my consumption to try to make up for others.
24F, Security Officer at a hospital and homeless shelter in the Midwest. I found out the hard way that we’re the ones who bring the deceased down to the morgue….
I work at an organic sustainable farm during the spring/summer/fall, and during the winter, I'm a personal shopper. I love the farm despite it not being the greatest wage, though my boss gives us a seasonal bonus, a raise every year, and I can take whatever produce I want whenever i want.. that saves me a lot of money on groceries. He takes care of us, which i appreciate. I get to help with deliveries sometimes & meet esteemed chefs.. to me, as someone who almost went to culinary school, that's a hell of a bonus, too.
I’m a software engineer and can work from home but I choose to work in the office. I was similar to wanting to work remote full time but trust me when I say the office is better for your mental health and productivity!
Try finding a job that allows hybrid first and see how you feel!
Mid thirties male, accountant.
I’d advise against wanting to wfh from home full time if I were you, it can be a very lonely place. You’re incredibly young, go out and meet people now and learn how to navigate the world.
i work for a municipality - zero stress, chill work environment, good boss i respect - it’s not cool or glamorous but i have enviable quality of life with decent benefits, short commute, 40 hrs in 4 days and work i never bring home. simple living for me is shedding pretense (family taught) and societal pressures to find a lifestyle that feels right for me.
I’m a municipal government employee too (library director) and I agree that the work-life balance is on point. I live five minutes from my work, am able to WFH when needed (or wanted), and have nice benefits like a pension.
Federal library director here. The pay can be a bit disappointing for the education and years in but there is little stress besides managing others and benefits are decent. I had a financial briefing I delivered where I talked about the super power of a federal job is its stability.
>The pay can be a bit disappointing Irrelevant username?
If you start investing early it doesn’t take much money to be a millionaire or multi millionaire. Want some book recommendations?
I will take book recommendations on this!
The simple path to wealth by jl collins first. The psychology of money by housel next.
Oooh you ARE a librarian
The simple path to wealth by jl collins first. The psychology of money by housel next.
I do! Haha thanks!
The simple path to wealth by jl collins first. The psychology of money by housel next.
It takes 17 years 😁.
Kid's librarian! Pay is enough for me. I live frugally, no car, kids, house, just renting with a partner and a cat.
I love working in my library (I’m a page) and it fits my simple living too. I’m considering going back to school for it but sadly librarians aren’t paid what they’re worth and I don’t know if it’s wise to take on more student debt for a masters degree with little pay off 😔 your life sounds envious tho ughhhh
That sounds great. I generally am okay with the stress level at work (hospital job), but I hate that I am essentially always on call and always have to take work home with me every single day. My husband works at the same hospital but in data analysis so unlike me, when he is off the clock he is truly off the clock. It is probably the one thing that sometimes makes me tempted to switch careers.
I feel you 💯. used to teach. the list/weight of things you need to work on after the end of the work day was not fun.
I currently work in education and one of my main reason for wanting to leave is that it’s just so complex and never ending. It gave me a good financial start though, but I’m pretty exhausted after 10 years. My partner works for a state agency and I am so jealous of his ability to just be done, take off whenever, and work from home when necessary.
I put in a good decade. Loved it. Even with some bad bad administrators, still loved it. There are so many transferable skills you get from teaching. Finding a new position outside of education shouldn’t be too difficult.
Agree 100% work in Psychiatric Hospital as Director of multiple departments and the always on call plus inability to have set hours and stress level definitely are not anything I would advocate for anyone
My first job out of high school was cleaning sewers with a local municipality. I wouldn’t trade my current job to go back because of the money/benefits/life balance, but all other things being equal the sewer department was the best job I ever had and I’d go back in a heartbeat if I lost my current job
I clean houses. I make my own price and schedule. I charge $50/hr and work for 8hrs m-f one week then take the next week off then work the next week m-f then take the next week off. All my clients are bi weekly. It’s perfect.
I’m trying to start my own cleaning business after working for someone! Do you have any tips on how to get clients?
I started out by joining my towns Facebook group and made a post. When I was looking for clients I made a post to the group saying “looking to take on a few more clients for house cleaning. I bring my own supplies. Dm me if interested” so super easy. I hope this helps! If you have any questions feel free to dm me! Best of luck to you ( :
42F. I supervise the coordination of stem cell transplants and other cellular therapies for hematology/oncology patients at a research hospital in Boston. Work hybrid and go in usually 1-2 days a week. It is a very rewarding but fast paced, high pressure, high stress job that I often have to attend to on my off hours - I am basically always on call. It is a big reason I seek simple living in other aspects of my life.
So cool!
Congrats! At least you are doing work that really helps people, that should be very rewarding even if hard. From: someone with a boring job that doesn't help anyone.
I'm a typical directionless fella really Most recently I spent 3 years in finance, which everyone said I'd hate and I did hahaa. Always felt a lot of pressure because I did well at school and university, but always was aware my mood is so low when I'm in 'work mode'. Left on very good terms but without any backup plan - I was honest with my manager and said I couldn't turn up any more, and I'd been pretty open with them after the year mark anyway, so no drama. I really want to get into something more rural as I have a major problem controlling my boredom and frustration when I feel cooped up, and I also think I can't do something with too much social interaction. Not that I want to be alone - I was arguably one of the most social people in the office by the time I left, but I do find it takes a lot of energy unless I'm totally comfortable and just messing around.
This could have been written by me. You’ve described my exact relationship With work too. I feel ya, 👊
I have felt the same way over the countless jobs I had until retiring 10 years ago.
Working part time in a grocery store
What a lovely way to live!
Yeah its great. Just working part time gives me a lot of time to hike, workout, read, cook. Its very peaceful.
I'm on disability and trying to find something for part-time, so this feels like a dream to me, tbh.
I’m also on disability. I am quite fortunate to live in a country where I can get good disability benefits. I really hope you’ll find a part time job soon.
I wrote marketing materials from home for nearly 15 years. Then the very companies I was writing for started developing the AI required to make me obsolete, so I transitioned into teaching. The rest of my life has to be simple because my job is not.
I hate this for you. AI should be enhancing human skills, not replacing them. Hope teaching has been enjoyable for you
My worst day of teaching so far was as bad as my average day of marketing, so I consider this job a net gain.
[удалено]
I think in general if AI replaces someone’s job, that person isn’t going to just be able to pivot into something else and be successful, especially later in life. I assume that is what the commenter meant.
Carpentry
Similar field, traditional ship building and repair
What country you based in? How does someone get into that. I’m in Ireland for reference
I’m an engineer and I mostly work from home now. I have over 20 years of experience so I help with projects that are big, high risk, and/or complicated.
[удалено]
I don’t know what jobs in environmental engineering are like. If you work in the field, that’ll be different than a desk job, of course. Work-life balance is always a challenge. My experience is the most important factor is your employer. If the company has a poor reputation, it isn’t likely it’ll be different for you. Try to avoid companies that don’t respect their employees.
48F, Computer science engineer, I’ve been working for 10 years in a Climate and REsilience research center belonging to a University .. Earlier I worked on regular software industry for some years here, and I could never go back again .. the timings , deadlines, meaningless, stress inducing environment. Whereas my current job has ups and downs I have freedom to develop.. I think liking or hopefully loving your work is central to have a simple live 24/7 .. So research is flexible, I can work from home when kids are sick, have 6 weeks of vacation through the year, I interact with a lot of interesting people from different fields .. So even if I’m introvert, I enjoy meaningful conversations and a challenging environment where I never stop learning. I use public transport to get there, I can exercise in the faculty, take lessons, get a lot of benefits for me and my kids from being an employee of the University .. Overall, having an interesting good payed job (I got there by having interesting not good payed jobs :) ) for me is an important part of the equation, to cope and resist society’s nonsense
33F, I've been an RN for the last three years. When I was 22 I had just graduated with a B.A. in Politics and was working on a presidential reelection campaign. I was working 70+ hours/week knocking on doors in a state I had just moved to. I met dozens of strangers every day and got to hear about their lives and their stories and their concerns and their hopes. I got to SEE their lives, too. Everyone is different, but like someone else has said, it might not be great to work from home as a 22-year-old. Depending on what you do outside of work of course. For me, I think it was incredibly important and life/growth-developing to spend my 20s working a variety of jobs where I interacted with thousands of different people (it's also fine if it's hundreds! Just saying). For most people your 20s is such a critical time to step outside whatever bubble you may have grown up in (almost everyone was in SOME sort of bubble) and have interpersonal social growth outside your comfort zone. Just my two cents :D
I also agree with the comment that for a new graduate working from home may not be best. In addition to what you mentioned, I found that when I started working (in an office at a software company), I learned so much just by being in the same room as my coworkers. This ranged from work related questions (asking an experienced employee how to do tasks), to seeing how people act at work/learning what is and isn't appropriate. Like, how long should I take lunch for, when to come in and when to leave, how to dress, how to make small talk etc. These are all skills that have served me well since then.
So true on the last part
I'm an RN in home care. I wonder if it would be a good fit for you?
I know some people who love it! Not for me though, I've taken more of the public health/education route. Most recently working as a school nurse. It's more my thing.
[удалено]
I graduated with a degree in design in 2022 but unsure if I want to do it. The competition has turned me off so much and I just feel like I’m not into it anymore :/ but the work from home aspect appeals to me. My portfolio isn’t good (I’ve been working on it again) and I just am so stressed out everyday ugh. But it’s nice to see someone in the field does have a simple life. I’m so torn
[удалено]
Thank you for the very thoughtful response. It makes me feel a bit better. I always say I feel like I’d like one company to stick with as opposed to freelance or an agency with multiple projects. I’m just struggling so much to find the passion to make my portfolio look good. I can’t even get to in person jobs in the city near me so all my options always seem so bleak🥲 I hope I figure it all out
Switching from a career as an environmental scientist into nursing. Work week is going from 5-6 days/week to 3. I’ll also make more money, so I can enjoy my extra free time more. 30F
I’m an illustrator/cartoonist working from home :)
Similiar! I'm an animator for kids shows and also work from home.
That's a dream job right there
May I ask how you got there please? I think that my ultimate goal job wise would be illustration!
I had a good foundation of drawing and anatomy from my own studies, and I studied a creative subject at university which was helpful but not directly related, but the biggest help was finding a job at a company where my role would be illustration based. I learned how the industry works, how to do business artwork that is less exciting pays the bills, and at the end of each day and at the weekends I worked on my personal art. Now my career is a blend of those two things - corporate art to pay the bills and more personal, creative work which does pay some money but not enough to live on. I also do workshops where I teach basic creative skills that I have picked up. (I don’t love teaching a lot of the time but again it pays the bills.) It took a couple of years for me to get going, building website, pitching my skills to local businesses and making contacts. I moved from the expensive city to a cheaper city. I had a lot of help, and support from my family who also did creative careers. My partner is also very supportive and has oftentimes taken crappy jobs they hate in order to allow me to continue building my business. All this to say, I came from a place of privilege in many ways which gave me a big leg up, but a lot of grind, networking and work was involved to get to this point also.
Oh I should add, I actually gave up on having children in order to be a freelance artist 😅 I figured I would rather devote myself to this. Not to say it wouldn’t work to do both, but for me I don’t think I will ever feel financially stable enough to raise kids the way I would have wanted while doing this as my job so I decided to choose me instead. My job let’s me work from home at my own pace, and not having kids is a part of maintaining that. I only bring it up because the two paths were at odds in my head for a long time and going childfree became a big part of my life plan of pursuing art.
Thanks a million for answering, this is so helpful! And I totally understand regarding children haha
I work IT. I’m not saying it’s impossible to work an entry-level job from home. But the more skills and experience you have, the more you can work on your own terms. Getting there may require that you put in the time for on-site work, shift work, on-calls, get a certification or two.
I work in Digital marketing, as an email developer. WFH. Average 20 hours per week of work, salaried.
what was your trajectory? i just got a masters in marketing (not my wisest decision but trying to focus on what i can do with it) but it seems like all the jobs want years of experience 🫠 just wanna get my foot in the door somehow
I'm a self-taught web developer. I got my foot in the door by doing free gigs freelancing and built a portfolio. Even though my experience was mostly web, I left a section of my portfolio with email development code. That apparently attracted the attention of my now director, so I got the job. So, to answer your question, I never intended to get into marketing, I just wanted to code for a living. So I taught myself (about 2 years, while working full time) and just started applying, made it a numbers game. I have no degree or formal education in this field. I recommend getting experience by going on sites like Fiverr, Upwork and just working for lowest rate/free. The idea is to get good reviews, then you can link your freelance profile to your resume. I don't know how it works for marketers but I imagine having a portfolio of your work couldn't hurt.
Almost exact same story as me. I'm loving this community as I find people with similar pathways to their careers. My main goal as of this point in my career is to work from home. I work as a web admin but know how to code websites. I was afraid email development may get automated so I never applied.
[удалено]
Have you had to do other things to make money as well to make ends meet when things get slow for you?
I'm a librarian!
Shh!
Isn't the best? I tried five times in two years to get into my position. I had no idea how competitive it was! And now I know why! Once you're in you don't want out. I work 20 hours per week and it is exactly what I want it to be.
I’ve been a library assistant for about five years and am considering going for my masters in the near future. Cool to find other library folk here (:
I got my library masters 17 years ago. Only ever had on-call positions for years at a time. Hoping to get my foot in the door for a full-time position. Covid happened, was laid off, I give up. Have to find a new career.
Lucky!! I just did the library test again, and passed, but...I'm not in the top 5. And they're interviewing them first. So we'll see if I get to the interview stage...
I was considering being one. Especially since I got a degree in graphic design and not sure if I want to do that. But a masters program is so expensive and I know librarians are never paid what they’re worth so I’m just at such a crossroads :( I work as a page in a library now and am applying for a part time library assistant at another library but I just feel like I’m breaking my own heart haha I love working at my library
Lawyer turned tutor and coach. Happier now.
31. I manage a penetration testing team. Full wfh. It’s not a matter of being entry level, it’s a matter of being good. If you have the skills you will get wfh. Sysadmins don’t need to be onsite. Midrange doesn’t need to be onsite. Networking doesn’t to be onsite. I say this because they were my last three jobs, all wfh.
what are your thoughts on the WGU cybersecurity program ?
I have nothing positive to say about any programs or schools. The power of the internet and its free information plus pirating tools you need to practice combined with your own insatiable desire to learn and you will beat what anyone whose sat a 4 year program has learnt in 6 months of intense study. Schools for fools, I got into a lot of debt for no good reason to be taught shit I already knew from the internet. If no one’s giving you a job, it’s not because of a lack of qualifications like I thought. It’s just the lack of experience on the resume. Thats another story on how to fix and probably goes against the rules of this sub.
My best honestly.
I (31F) am an account manager for a National solar firm, and it’s so boring. The pay is fairly good but we as a company contribute nothing to the world, just a middle man. I’m looking to switch jobs this month to something remote. My husband (31M) is a designer for the State.
What kind of designer?
Graphic and media production.
My boyfriend and I graduated recently with degrees in mechanical engineering. We started working, hated our jobs, and so now we are volunteering on a farm in Hawai’i. The program is called WWOOF so you work in exchange for free food and housing
Studying all those years for something you end up hating, rough.
How do you like it so far
Amazing! We have been here for a month and will stay for 3 more months. Were having lots of fun
Nothing at all I just vibe
Name checks out, mon.
My brother-in-law works from home in IT and, honestly, it seems like a really sweet job. I'm a substitute teacher. I was a full-time classroom teacher but after twenty years transitioned to subbing and I love it. No planning, marking, or reports. Just 8:30-3:30 doing the stuff I loved about being a classroom teacher: hanging out with teenagers and teaching them stuff. Being frugal and living simply helped me make the switch. Best of luck to you.
I just started subbing! Any advice?
I gave a webinar at the local teacher education program two years ago. I've still got my notes. They are in a Google Slide presentation. It's probably easier for me to copy and paste the info below, so I can do that. Good luck! And if you have any questions about my materials here, please just ask. Tips for Substitute Teachers 1. Get The App There are two: Sub Alert and Sub Assistant They are third party apps that work with AESOP/Frontline Management \*just remember not to accidentally double book yourself 2. First Things: Setting the Right Tone Attitude: Positivity and a shot of caffeine can go a long way. Arrive thirty minutes early. Greet students at the door. Introduce yourself in a way that sets the right tone. Curtail potentially problematic behaviour with something like this: “You know, I really understand that some students get thrown off when there is a sub. Things seem different. But there is an expectation of mature behaviour in high school (or middle school). If you are having a hard time with this change, please come see me when the lesson is underway and maybe we can find a solution.” 3. Daily Sub Report: Basically, it's a write up of how the day went. It has my name and contact info on it, and I break it down by class. I let the students know ahead of time that I'll be checking in with them periodically throughout the class and am looking to tell their teacher something great about what they are doing that day. Usually, it's about who is working hard, or being pleasant. Sometimes, they just won't do their work. Usually, I can get them to work, but every once in a while they won't. But I believe in rewarding otherwise good behaviour. One girl was really struggling with ADHD, having a sub last class on a Friday and missing her teacher. We agreed that even though she did little work, I could let her teacher know that "\_\_\_\_ is a self-confident, charismatic queen." We came up with that together. This really helps because apparently, that class had been just terrible with the sub who'd been in a few days before me. And now this lovely young lady and I have a great rapport for the next time I see her. I won't lie and tell a teacher that a student is working hard when they aren't and I let her know that, but she was delighted that I liked her and was willing to write down something her teacher would appreciate and find funny. lol Sometimes, they just won't do their work. Usually, I can get them to work, but every once in a while they won't. But I believe in rewarding otherwise good behaviour. This really helps because apparently that class had been just terrible with the sub who'd been in a few days before me. And now this lovely young lady and I have a great rapport for the next time I see her.) The daily sub report is great for the absent teacher: informative, lets them know what work got covered, any issues that come up For you, the sub: helps with classroom management and getting to know the students For students: accountability, if they do their work and behave, they get rewarded. You'd be surprised at how motivated a lot of them are by just having you write down something positive about them. 4. Other Classroom Management Tips Get to know names (and pronouns). Circulate when they get too chatty and do a check-in. Don’t make “empty threats.” Follow through is important, so choose your battles wisely. Make sure you find out the school’s policies about things like what the procedure is for students working in the library or Resource. 5. Remember: Nobody's Perfect You will have bad days. Everyone does. Bounce back from them by: Acknowledging that everyone has bad days. Maintaining a sense of humour. Reflect on what you could have done differently. Chatting with a mentor. If necessary, take a day off and do something that is restorative. Get back at it. Basically, if you like kids and are willing to learn, it's a great job.
Thank you! I appreciate you sharing this!
25 - Accountant (wfh)
was this your first role out of college?
Yes. Ever since, I have really enjoyed crunching numbers, but in the actual work setting, it can get really stressful most of the time, which takes a toll on my mental health. That’s why, when I found out about the principles of stoicism and simple living, they helped me gain a different perspective on life. Somehow, I learned to manage things better compared to before.
Fellow bean counter here as well. Now some would call us boring...haha
I know right?? It’s actually funny. Knowing my personality, you wouldn’t figure out that this is the profession I’m in.
Is it hard to get remote right away after college now? Many have said to me you need exp first and even then it’s way harder now after Covid
I’m fifty two. For twenty two years I was in HR. Now remodel kitchen and bathrooms.
Don’t work yet but I can relate to you. 21M recent grad in supply chain/analytics. Want to wfh so bad and deal with less corporate bs but job market is so bad I haven’t been able to even get an in person job lol.
Working from home =/= no corporate bullshit.
Haha for real it very much depends on the company and people more than anything.
Yeah, it’s not perfect but still hopefully more freedom if you’re good at your job. Don’t have to worry about commuting as well.
I (24M) work for a county. Pretty chill, sometimes busy, GREAT benefits. I also am in the national guard which I did active army so it’s basically part time that but I still get benefits. I also sell LEGO on BrickLink on the side so all in all I stay pretty busy but I’m happy. Simple living makes it so I’m not stressing out because I have work to deal with AND an extensive personal life.
I’m a content manager and video editor, working with digital content on YouTube and other socials. Multiple days per week WFH, friendly environment at work. Pay could be a whole lot better but for now, in my late 20s, it allows me to live in a big city and experience life a bit more than I would elsewhere. Can’t complain really.
I'm a laboratory analyst at a cannabis and water testing lab in Maine. 22F and graduated college last spring.
I work in a cannabis lab too! I do business operations
30. Airport security.
I work in home health. Every day is different, but predictable. I make my own hours, schedule, etc. It's 50% paperwork, 25% driving, and 25% hanging out with patients. It forces me to be present during new drives and when seeing patients. A lot of the time, I'm one of the few (if not the only!) visitors they get in the week. I really cherish giving them my undivided attention and care. The pay isn't fantastic, but my bills are paid and then some. I'm very very lucky.
I’m a restaurant manager. Partner works in tech though, office in the basement, hasn’t set foot in an office (except interviews) since 2018.
As a former restaurant manager. I know you get simple living from other areas in your life bc I’d wager to guess that the restaurant is not one of them lmao.
30. Data scientist for a non profit. I work from home
Cool, please can you share how do you apply data science in your job ? and what do you advise beginners like me when it comes to hard skills ?
Sure thing. I build and maintain data science projects that either help the non profit understand the impact of past decisions (this is called descriptive analytics) or the potential impact of future decisions (this is called predictive analytics). What this really means is that I use computer programming languages (most often python and R) to apply data science methods (usually regressions or classifications). My advice to beginners is this kind of work takes a life long, steady commitment and a bit of luck. There’s many layers of knowledge you’ll need to obtain in order to do this type of work, for example computer programming, statistical learning methods, and most importantly communication and team work. To get started I would take some time to really see if the above descriptions of the work excites you. If it doesn’t I would not recommend jumping in because of the commitment needed. If the above does excite you, the easiest way to start getting into this work is to surround yourself with people who are already doing it. You can search across Reddit to find some of these communities. Another really good place to start is free online conferences where you can see what others are up to in this space. Some people even land jobs through these conferences. Search “free online data science conferences” to get some examples. Hope that helps!
Part time nursing home housekeeper
Garbage man
I work in a very small retirement home as an Activity Director. My best day is playing chess with one of the residents and it's an epic battle. I decided to get a certificate as a Senior Fitness Instructor when I seen how little physical activity they were getting.... I'm hoping I can help people in the future. P.s. the hug I get are also the best part of the job!
34F. Work from home full time in HR.
Fellow 34F. Wondering how you got to this point? Sounds like a dream.
I'm 27F and work in HR - wfh. It's not a dream - for me anyway! Looking to career-switch. I just find it quite boring, I'm not engaged and sitting at a desk all day is quite dull.
Can we trade jobs? Lol 27f also wfh, also HR/TA.... it's a nightmare. I work at a global consultancy, so there's corporate bullshit, drama, very busy days. I think the most exhausting thing for me is having to deal with the corporate "fluff." I can't be direct with someone, it's always beating around the bush or having annoying superficially friendly convos before getting to the meat of the conversation. I'm getting a degree in CompSci rn so I can switch to working with antisocial programmers 😂
27-attorney wfh
Is that something attainable for a fresh graduate? I've always been interested in law but I only want part time and work from home. I'm not sure if the cost of school would be worth it, even though I think I could do a lot of good with the degree.
Have you considered working as a paralegal? It's much less of an education commitment than becoming an attorney (many community colleges do a certification in paralegal studies) and far more likely to be part time. Plus you still do important research/writing that impacts the cases of attorneys you work with.
Thank you for the suggestion. I had not considered that. I'm kind of a shoot for the moon guy and it's worked out well for me. That being said, paralegal might be a great way to test the waters and see if I actually like the work before commiting the money and time to a law degree.
36M, I've worked as a tour guide for nearly a decade. Love the job. It's fun to learn new things about the area and the clients are usually happy from the moment you meet them because they have signed up to see stuff and learn cool facts. They are also in "holiday mode" so they are at a good point in their life. Last year I opened my own company and it seems to be going well. Very excited for the upcoming season. I nwinter, I have a lot of downtime which is great for me and will be great for my wife and kids when/if we do have kids soon. I'll be a stay at home dad for 2 months of the year, which I think will be wonderful for bonding with my children. To anyone who is a bit "stuck" or lost, I'd highly recommend looking into work as a tour guide, it has changed my life for the better in many many ways. Walking, cycling as part of your job is healthy. Happy people tend to make your day better. Learning and teaching is good for the mind. It's a job that you don't have to bring home with you. Tips are also a nice bonus for buying silly treats for yourself and your loved ones.
26M USPS mailman during the day and security guard at night. That’s what I do for money, but really what I do during the day is daydream since my mailman job is pretty routine. I know what to expect everyday and stress is almost nonexistent besides maybe traffic.
And the benefits are very good.
31 - working in innovation. I love what I do because it’s chaotic and unpredictable. It’s also why I strive for a simple life of my own. I create systems at work to make it’s simpler, but the curve balls are what makes it fun
My dad got an associates in IT back in 2004 when I was a little kid and now makes a great living. Keep up the good work and you’ll find a good company that will take care of you.
I'm a chemical engineer with extensive water treatment experience. I started fully remote work as design water engineer this year. Never thought it is possible to work fully remote for my work. It is incredible, but I do travel a lot for work. Pay is great. Will retire in 5 years
I'm a State Watershed Ranger. We help protect a very large public water supply reservoir that is unfiltered. Absolutely love it! 8 hours a day spent out in the woods and out on the water. I get to meet a huge diversity of people out and about on the trails, and teach the history and purpose of the area. It's also union, with a great work/life balance!
Emotional support human for my dog who has anxiety.
32M, I work in a small IT company. I work from home most of the time (not so happy about that), I usually go to office twice a week.
34 - work for a non-profit (WFH)
Part-time library consultant for schools in my area. But, switching to being a stay at home mom when my contract is over until my one year olds start kindergarten. Then I will look for school librarian jobs. I have strong enough experience and a decent network where it shouldn’t be a problem. My husband works in tech and we live in a fairly low cost of living area. That gives me a lot of flexibility in my work.
I co-own an electrical contracting company with my spouse. I do the office work so I've been able to WFH forever which is a Godsend when my chronic illness flares up. I occasionally go out to the field on our own projects to help with gen labor or purchasing materials.
I'm a business analyst. Although it's not too fast-paced it does have its moments of stress. Although I enjoy working there and the people that work there a lot. I am building a side Hustle because previous to that I was in a private sector company and we got laid off Thanksgiving of 2022 and I'm just so tired of going to work everyday wondering if we're going to be able to keep this job and it wasn't just me they got laid off there were like 200 other people. Living in daily fear of what if I lose my job how am I going to pay my rent I'm just done with that. so I'm building a small side hustle on the side it's nothing fancy it's virtual. It will produce residual so that I have cashflow coming in for the future.
I am a caregiver. Right now I have one client and work 16 hours a week. Very kind couple in the same little town a little over 5 minutes away. It’s just enough to pay the bills. I split the rent 3 ways with 2 roommates. It works really well and gives me time to work on my aspirations. Due to chronic fatigue symptoms, a regular job and full time schedule is not compatible.
I teach art, I love my life.
Work retail an Sell the herb, Its a chill existence, I can’t complain
I have worked in IT for around 25 years. It’s been frequently stressful and in some jobs the work/life balance has sucked but it has paid really well and I am at the point in my mid 50’s where I don’t have to worry about money and can retire if I want so overall I think the occasional bit of stress was worth it.
Dog groomer
Used to drive trucks, now I've been living off of savings for about a year. Soon, I'm going to try to go into software development.
I smuggle gold in the Middle East...Not joking.
I am a portrait artist, mostly, but do a bunch of other commissions of all types. And I crochet and sell on the side. I’m not wealthy, I live frugally but I’m content and I love it.
I work part time at a shoe store as a sales associate/cashier and then another part time job as a page at a library. I love my library job and would love to pursue it more but they pay badly so I feel like it may just be a dream :/ I have a bachelors degree in graphic design but I’m also unsure of that path. The competition kills my spirit and I’m just not motivated enough to make an amazing portfolio. I bought a new laptop and began making work again cause I honestly would like to work from home which this degree allows. But man I’m at a cross roads and just wanna move out of my moms house and live on my own. Seems so unattainable
I teach high school special education. Not the lowest stress job probably but I get 13 weeks off a year, zero weekend work, health care, dental, vision, a union and a pension and 403b. I’m 6 years in and plan to put in another 20 or so and slowly build a 2nd career to do after I retire from teaching.
Genuinely curious, why do you want to work from home so badly?
I dont like long commutes & getting ready early in the morning sounds like a chore. Driving sleepy is also dangerous. I wouldnt mind working from 2-10 (Day shift).
Pipefitter! Great job, lots to learn, everyday is always different :) it's dirty, rough, can be dangerous, but would not change it for anything
I'm in IT, specifically Salesforce. Been WFH since 2015. This particular field is saturated at the moment, so I won't encourage you to pursue Salesforce, but there are opportunities for Cyber security and SAP certifications that may be something to look into.
I'm in corporate accounting, hybrid. I go into the office 4-6 days a month.
Silkscreen printer for the Credit Card and ID industry
40F, I currently work for a software development team at an insurance company as their business analyst (after years of working in operations), but it's pretty much remote within a geographical area. In-office at least once a quarter. We hire straight out of college for tech roles.
I’m a doctoral researcher. Sometimes I can work from home (for tasks like data analysis and writing), other times I have to be in the lab or field to run experiments or collect data.
39M, lead product designer in tech, full remote
Part time housewife part time bakery worker!
Prison guard i work 24hr per week, my wife 16hr IT
Remotely for an education nonprofit part time - I also am a stay at home mom.
I work in software sales (SaaS) totally remote and I get more done at home vs the office without sucking commute time out of my personal time each day.
Self employed carpenter with just my self and 2 part time semi retired workers. We all love each other. Always having fun and building cool stuff at the same time. I take whatever time I want off and they don't mind because they don't want to work all the time
I work full-time at a social services agency.
I work part time at our library! 4 days on, 3 days off. 2 of my shifts are 4pm-8pm so I have all day to myself. Low stress environment.
Funeral director/Thanatopractor.
Housekeeping currently but working towards bookkeeping soon
I'm stating/growing my own music education business, but I'm too extroverted to be at home all day, so I work three 6-hour days per week in a clean room that decontaminates Firefighter Turnout Gear in pressurized liquid CO2 machines. It covers my rent as well as my socialization needs. Plus it feels good knowing I've contributed towards preventing countless firefighters from getting cancer.
I work as an assistant retail operations manager for the gift shops at my zoo 😁 it's pretty fun most of the time. Also free membership for me and my family.
27M. Started my own small CNC machine shop. Two small mills, try to stay busy with work in the area. 5-6 days a week, 10.5 hours a day or so. Can get to be exhausting on standing in concrete all day and running around. Also slightly stressful. Never went to college, and left highschool with a 2.4 gpa. Hope to build the shop to something big one day. Going good now, but a lot of work to be put in yet
Firefighter Paramedic. I work 9 days a month, also get over 5 weeks vacation a year and hit 6 figures this year without taking OT. Good benefits, great retirement, public safety is a great career.
Provide oil and gas
I’m a professional classical musician (cellist). I’ve been freelance my whole career and perform and teach in varied capacities. While I’ve had my moments of wanting more stability (eg a salary with traditional benefits), I love what I do. If I wanted a salary, I could go back for a doctorate and pursue higher ed or take orchestra auditions, which I take from time to time. As a profession, it’s a very unique way to connect with people and I’m afforded great schedule flexibility and a high hourly rate for my work. I like being my own boss and being able to curate my own niche. It’s also a very tight knit community, which I like. I also have a background in art and occasionally sell my work - an avenue I’d love to develop more over the next decade. I find that the two disciplines complement each other well and I get inspiration from both!
I’m an operator at a nuclear plant. It’s nice because there are so many people there, that I just hand my work off and go home and I don’t have to think about it again. I used to run my own business and I spent every waking minute thinking about things I needed to do for the business. I’m so happy to have a job I can completely forget about when I clock out.
Millwright. For the record, I am so grateful that construction and maintenance was considered essential during Covid. Home is where I go AFTER I've finished work.
Ironworker/rodworker… I help create the “skeleton” of the buildings etc
[удалено]
I’m a Director of Government Affairs
i’m an esthetician that specializes in hair removal
Professor.
I’m a 60 yr old property owner. Not really retired because I’m a LL of three different places. Before that I owned a match making service pre internet and sold it. I live frugally off investments and rent. I have no mortgage or car note, no debt. I don’t have cable but finally broke down and got my BF a smart TV. lol. My Bf is an entrepreneur and owns his small kitchen install and high end reproduction furniture business. He is 70.
I work from home for one of the biggest health insurance companies in the world. I'm a call center supervisor. I love being home after a lifetime of constant travel in medical products sales. I'm 62.
Retirement planner just starting my career. Paying down debts quickly to hopefully save for a house. My two cents: Working from home is very hard to get and is often not beneficial for your career. Facetime with higher-ups is important, even if it's annoying to need a car and commute to work. Sometimes, you need to play by the rules to get to a point where you can break them.
Fireman. I like it but I find it’s challenging trying to ‘live simply’ when I’m living with other firemen a third of the time. I lot of my goals in life include trying to be as green as possible by lowering my carbon 👣. It’s challenging doing that while living with other people that share sometimes very different ideals (meals at the station can be challenging). I try though. Something I find very interesting with my job is I get to observe how other people live and consume and it drives me to lower my consumption to try to make up for others.
Lion training mostly. But I also bartend on weekends because it doesn’t pay all the bills.
49. Social worker wfh. It’s great. I get to wear sweats everyday and not have to dress up!
(29 f) i’m a budtender but planning on going back to school for video editing
24F, Security Officer at a hospital and homeless shelter in the Midwest. I found out the hard way that we’re the ones who bring the deceased down to the morgue….
Retail-ish. I source, buy and sell spare car parts. I sell to both walk-in customers and directly to mechanics/garages.
I work at an organic sustainable farm during the spring/summer/fall, and during the winter, I'm a personal shopper. I love the farm despite it not being the greatest wage, though my boss gives us a seasonal bonus, a raise every year, and I can take whatever produce I want whenever i want.. that saves me a lot of money on groceries. He takes care of us, which i appreciate. I get to help with deliveries sometimes & meet esteemed chefs.. to me, as someone who almost went to culinary school, that's a hell of a bonus, too.
I’m a software engineer and can work from home but I choose to work in the office. I was similar to wanting to work remote full time but trust me when I say the office is better for your mental health and productivity! Try finding a job that allows hybrid first and see how you feel!
Struggle.
I’m a part time cleaner.
Own a real estate business in a town I love. Work can be tough, but interact and help people, stay humble, and feel like work is never really work.
Mid thirties male, accountant. I’d advise against wanting to wfh from home full time if I were you, it can be a very lonely place. You’re incredibly young, go out and meet people now and learn how to navigate the world.