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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
In the English language, you can, in fact, spell the word “office” without “boring.” However, you can often find both of them used in the same sentences. Social opinion finds office jobs to be boring, and it may very well be that your job, though you’re good at it, is very boring. If that’s the case, consider this: Money is essential, but happiness is motivating.
If there is a way for you to work a job you are happy with — or at least one that doesn’t bore you to death — then it may be best for your mental health and personal drive to consider it. Because one thing’s for sure — you need to have money. Most of us are paying mortgages, rent, or hoping to buy a home in the future. But where’s the balance between pay and a job you enjoy?
Well, we have some options for you. Whether you’re ready to switch your career completely and go back to school, or you just want to seek something out that’s completely different and requires no further education, there are plenty of careers you can enjoy and get paid well — without sitting in an office all day.
Construction
While it varies where you go, construction workers can make quite a bit of money. Of course, the physical labor can be taxing and takes a certain kind of endurance and persistence. But if you think you have what it takes and the strength to do so, then it may be something to look into.
Now, the pay changes place to place and, naturally, schedule to schedule. Some construction workers in Hawaii make more than $50,000 a year for instance, while others can make as low as just above $16,000 a year. So it’s wise to check that out before applying, even if you think you’re capable. If you have a knack for work in grueling heat (or even the cold at times) and are good with big machinery, this may be the job for you.
Mail Carrier
A government job that pays very well and includes awesome benefits is being a postal officer. You’ll need a high school diploma, of course. But after that, education outside of training isn’t necessary. Similar to the medical field, there are several jobs you could fulfill while working in the postal service.
For instance, you could be a mail carrier, which is what most people think of when they think of the postal service. It makes sense — that’s the face of the business. But you could also be a clerk, work in the back operating machinery or sorting mail, and other miscellaneous jobs that are between a person and the packages and letters they receive.
Medical Careers
If you hate offices, then you’ll hate studying for med school. But the payoff might be worth it. To give a simple lowdown, you need less schooling to be a nurse than you do a doctor and still get to be involved in saving people’s lives on a regular basis. A lot of communities right now are in need of family nurse practitioners (FNPs). However, if you really want to be on the floor and to be a doctor, it’s possible with the right work and time dedicated. Just make sure you calculate the costs first.
But the medical field doesn’t stop there with job opportunities! There are a lot of behind-the-scenes jobs regarding technology and equipment, administration, and the like. Each has a different set of requirements and somewhat different education processes leading up to it.
Real Estate
This might require a bit of schooling, but real estate agents make a lot of money. It’s a common side hustle for people who run nonprofit businesses that take up large portions of their time. But it’s certainly worth the time put into it (which is relatively short compared to other careers) to be able to sell real estate. Even in times when the housing market may be bad, a sale can mean a lot of profit.
However, you’ll need the skills to do so. If you’re good with people, can memorize and study well, and have charisma, this may be the job for you. If not, you may need to think of something a bit less social or extroverted. But it may be worth trying if you want to challenge yourself and put yourself out there more too! There are plenty of job options either way.
Event Planner
While this does involve a bit of office work, event planners often find themselves in the middle of the action as well. Similar to a real estate agent, they get the privilege of checking out the space in question. They get to figure out what looks best where, who to cater an event, and basically set things in place to make an event a joyful success, not just a financial one.
The best way to get the kind of experience it takes to become an official event planner is to start by planning events in anything official or professional you’re involved with: work, charities you may volunteer at, churches if you’re religious, neighborhood events, etc. By building up this experience, your event planner reputation will eventually precede you, and your resume will start looking pretty good!
Freelance Office Jobs
Some people hate the office environment for different reasons — they want their alone time, they don’t like socializing, they don’t enjoy being confined in an office space (a cubicle, for instance) — the list goes on. But maybe they like to write, crunch numbers, or the actual job aspect of what they’re doing inside of the office. Sometimes, those people are able to use these skills to make money from home.
Now often this will start as a side hustle. Getting a side hustle on the road in this case may be difficult, especially if you have signed a contract with a non-compete clause at your work. If there are other jobs you can use the same skills for that you can start exporting, it may not be a terrible idea to do so. To get into freelance work, websites like Indeed, Craigslist, and LinkedIn can point you in the right direction. Just have your resume ready and make sure to cater it to every new opportunity!
Have you gotten out of the office life? How did you do it, and where do you work now? Feel free to share in the comments below!
