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As the hustle and grind of our work-obsessed culture wears us down,
we dream of jobs that allow us to support ourselves without sacrificing all of our time and sanity.
While many lucrative careers demand 60+ hour weeks and constant 24/7 availability,
there are still positions out there that can earn you a good living within reasonable hours.
Today, we’ll share 14 jobs that come with healthy paychecks but don’t require around-the-clock dedication to your career.
Whether you want more balance, flexibility to pursue other passions, or just to reclaim your weekends,
these options can help you make a decent wage while still having personal free time to actually enjoy your life outside of work.
1. School Bus Driver
If you enjoy being around kids, a bus or van driver could be for you.
The pay is $20 an hour or more and you only work a few hours a day.
If that isn’t good enough, you have weekends, all major holidays, and summers off!
2. Insurance Sales Representative
Insurance sales representatives sell insurance policies to individuals, businesses, and other organizations.
They must be knowledgeable about the various types of insurance available and use their expertise to advise clients on the best type of policy for them.
Insurance sales representatives earn a commission from each sale they make, making this job potentially very lucrative with no cap on how much you can earn!
3. Software Developer
Software developers have also spoken up about the love they have for their jobs and their work-life balance.
As their name suggests, software developers are responsible for programming and developing software.
This is a tech job that you might have to be a little more careful with in comparison to the previous suggestion.
This is because being a software developer can be overwhelming if you’re not working for the right organization, as some jobs in tech like programming are known for their extremely long hours and arduous projects.
But if you set boundaries and make sure that you only look for positions you want, you should be able to find something.
4. Carpentry (and Similar Trades)
Trades have become wildly popular in recent years.
As many wonder whether or not college is the right choice for them, people are starting to consider trades.
Trades can pay really well over time, even though it does take some training and physical requirements to reach that point.
However, those who have managed to thrive in carpentry (in or out of the office) and similar trades like construction are very satisfied with what they earn and how much time they have off.
5. Massage Therapist
Massage therapy is rarely discussed when it comes to jobs, but it should be more highlighted.
After all, a massage therapist is able to improve the lives and physical/mental well-being of others, do work that’s not overly demanding, and find plenty of work (even on the side if you want to switch to running your own business down the road).
The only advice that people have to offer is to avoid major chains.
These massage businesses are not known to pay as well and may actually require you to work longer hours than you would like.
6. Remote Jobs for Banks or Financial Institutions
Jobs at banks and other financial institutions can be tough, but remote ones might be what you need to take control of your time.
Regardless of the position, several have boasted that jobs you can do remotely for these types of organizations tend to pay well and only take the regular workday to complete.
Some may require more advanced education while others might be a bit easier for you to get into.
If you’re more interested in hybrid positions where you only have to go into the office a few times a week, you might be able to find these in the finance industry as well.
7. Technical Writing
Technical writing is a bit different than general writing.
General writing doesn’t require as much in-depth knowledge about a specific topic, whereas technical writing is focused on explaining complex subjects, writing in a dry, direct way, and producing materials like user manuals and similar documents.
Technical writers are in-demand, and there are jobs out there for people with such a skillset that won’t require you to sacrifice your life in order to make a living.
Just expect to have an extensive portfolio in the type of writing you want to do or a degree that proves you understand the basics in whatever field you plan on writing for.
8. Local State Government Jobs
It’s important to keep in mind that, even though there are quite a few jobs on this list that have a good work-life balance, there are always exceptions to the rule in every field.
Whereas one might have a low-stress job with time to themselves, others might have a high-stress job doing the same thing.
With this in mind, one job to consider is a position working with your local government.
Local government jobs are said to offer relatively good pay and benefits while also not being too demanding.
There are even some that don’t require a degree or extensive training to get the position.
9. Car Dealership
Becoming a car salesperson might not be the first career choice.
However, a lot of people were satisfied with their decision later on.
Besides the base pay, most car salespeople earn a commission.
If you’re good at selling cars, you can make a decent amount on your sales while working a regular workday.
10. Higher Education
Teaching is a profession that many would rather shy away from currently.
Difficult parents, low pay, and minimal benefits are making people shy away from the profession.
But what about higher education?
As it turns out, that might be where those who value a work-life balance should be.
Those in higher education prefer teaching college students and value the greater freedom and benefits that come with the job.
Granted, it’s still a teaching position and will require you to have the same responsibilities.
However, it could be much better than teaching elementary school, junior high, or high school.
11. Gym Teacher
If you’ve ever taken gym class, you’ve seen how easy the job is.
Despite the position being physical education, the teachers don’t often have to do that much to get the kids moving.
It’s simple, it’s fun, and it’s not a job where you’ll be expected to work overtime or forced to stay longer than you’re supposed to.
Just make sure that you’re not a teacher who has to also teach physical education alongside the subject you were hired to teach.
12. Nanny or Housekeeper
If you enjoy spending time with children, or if you’re more at home cleaning and organizing spaces, consider becoming a nanny or housekeeper.
Nannies and housekeepers are in high demand, especially in larger cities.
You can set your own hours and rates, making it easy to manage your work-life balance while still earning an income.
Plus, it can be incredibly rewarding to see the results of your work. Whether you’re caring for children or helping to keep a home running smoothly, this is a great way to make money while doing something you love.
You should also consider becoming certified in areas such as child care and housekeeping if you want to stand out among other job applicants.
13. Data Analyst
We live in a world dominated by big data.
The more data we collect, the more help we need.
One position that people seem to be satisfied with is that of a data analyst.
Data analysts are responsible for sifting through data to gain valuable data insights that could solve problems within an organization or help it become more effective.
They’re also responsible for explaining this data to shareholders and other parties who don’t have experience working with data.
Tech is a high-paying field, and data analysts benefit from not having to be on call all the time to manage problems (such as someone in IT might have to).
14. Freelance Writer
As a freelance writer, you choose the amount of work you take on and your rate per word or article.
And since you don’t need to be in an office, you can work anywhere in the world, as long as you have an internet connection.
Inspirational Life Lessons To Remember
Life is a great teacher. We experience things and learn from them. Sadly though, the message doesn’t always come through.
So we end up repeating the same mistakes over and over until the life lesson finally sinks in. Fortunately, not all life lessons need to be experienced to be learned. Here are life lessons to learn from others.
15 INSPIRATIONAL LIFE LESSONS TO REMEMBER
Discover How To Jumpstart Your Life
Are you at a point in life where you are in a funk? You just can’t seem to catch a break or take that next step to greater success and jumpstart your life?
Here are the questions to ask yourself to flip the switch on life and get more out of it.
10 QUESTIONS TO JUMPSTART YOUR LIFE
Change Your Energy
Do you wish you could change your energy? Go from having a bad day to a good day?
It’s possible if you know how. Here is how to change your energy and enjoy life.
LEARN HOW TO CHANGE YOUR ENERGY
The Secret To Living A Happier Life
Do you want to be happier? It’s a lot easier to get than you might think.
Here is a step by step plan to help you have a happier life and get more out of every single day.
When Life Gives You Lemons
Nothing in life always works out perfectly.
Many times we hit rough patches where everything goes wrong. Learn how to handle these situations and come out better on the other side.
This thread inspired this article.
Jon Dulin is the passionate leader of Unfinished Success, a personal development website that inspires people to take control of their own lives and reach their full potential. His commitment to helping others achieve greatness shines through in everything he does. He’s an unstoppable force with lots of wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm – all focused on helping others build a better future. Jon enjoys writing articles about productivity, goal setting, self-development, and mindset. He also uses quotes and affirmations to help motivate and inspire himself. You can learn more about him on his About page.