Do you ever wish you had a job that doesn't require so much stress? Maybe go work in a factory?

I have often thought the opposite. During the summer I worked in a warehouse where I stacked buckets of adhesive, moved pallets, swept, and took inventory. I would always see the office workers complaining about how stressful their jobs were.

I think that it may have been even more stressful to work on the floor than in the office: the office workers were all gone by 6:00, but the permanent warehouse workers (not me, I was a temp) would regularly stay until after midnight if they hadn't met their quota.

I've worked a lower paying "stress free" job only to find myself stressing myself out performing as efficiently as possible. I work best at anything when I'm pissed off or under stress so I guess no matter what I do im a heart attack waiting to happen since my blood pressure is 160-170/80 consistently.

I think the factory idea is a step too far -- there are likely lower stress jobs available in your own field. I am a lawyer who worked in biglaw for a few years and really did not like it, despite the objectively interesting nature of the work and the great pay. Especially did not like the idea that because they paid you enough, they owned your time (like, all of your time) -- a partner actually said that to me once. Anyway, I left for a in-house counsel job at a government agency and really love it. The type of law I work with is very dynamic right now, so the work is interesting, but the job is truly 9 to 5. Unless I decide I want to work some overtime (yes, I get paid overtime), I don't even think about work once I leave to go home to my family -- the project just waits until the next day. No doubt this is why some folks despise the government, but the fact is most "emergency" projects in the workplace can wait until the next morning. I did take a significant pay cut compared to what I was making in biglaw, but I paid off all my student loans, bought a house in a great neighborhood, etc. while I did work in biglaw, and still make enough (along with my wife, another in-house lawyer) now to max out retirement contributions (not to mention I'll get a pension!) and contribute to my kids' college funds. We'll probably never be super wealthy or anything, but we'll be fine, and I really do love not stressing about work. Much better to focus my "off hours" mental energy on my family, volunteer work, and various athletic endeavors. So, my advice would be to do your research, see what you can afford, and see if you can find a "better" version of your current job where you trade some income for lower stress.

You could become a local bureaucrat in some podunk Kentucky county. Then just let them know that your religion prevents you from doing your job duties. They can't fire you, plus if you take advantage of the photo ops it's a great opportunity spring into becoming the next Joe the Plumber, easy six figure income for at least 5-10 years for doing nothing and everyone acts like everything you say is really important.

I like this thread and I agree with many of the posts here. I delivered mail for a year before moving on to a somewhat atypical but still white-collar position where I am now.

Pros: As you say, it's low stress, you don't take your job home with you. No clients, no projects, etc. Some carriers were stressed out, but that's just because they weren't good carriers - too slow and out of shape. That might hold for any factory job. For me, it wasn't boring, but an extrovert may find it so. You're on your feet all day so it's probably healthier for you (especially for city-route mailmen - you stay in great shape due to all the walking). Doing a job like this is probably good if you don't define yourself by your work*.

Cons: I always liked it, but I also sometimes felt a little like a cog in the machine - you're not going to develop yourself, learn new things, come up with something innovative, etc. Of course, the cog feeling can come in a white-collar setting as well, depending on what you do. If a major part of who you are is what you do (not necessarily a bad thing), then you probably wouldn't want this.

A possible analogy might be whether you want to be a kid or an adult. Do you want to be told what to do and have more free time or do you want more responsibility and less free time but a greater sense of importance**?

*You can and should take pride in any job you do!

**A repetitive white-collar job, Office Space style, is, as I noted, the worst of both worlds.

Dr.Trump2 wrote:

Thanks for the response. The salary I make now is perfect. If I was making more, I could see myself quitting and taking a job making what I make now. However, going back to my out of college salary seems tough. I bet you were making pretty good money at the job you left....and now you still make good money...just not as much.

I know exactly where you are coming from. Some days, i see the guys cleaning windows and think "it must be kind of nice to not have to think every day". but in the end, i know i wouldn't be happy.

one thing i found is that it gets easier to make tough decisions the longer i've been doing the job. there is less stress when i know that what i'm doing is the right thing,

What about when you're being payed just a post (under)grad salary and are also so stressed every day you want to rip your hair out?

I'm kinda stuck in that situation considering I just signed a new lease on an apartment...

Dr. Van Nostrand wrote:

I fantasize sometimes about getting a job loading sacks of flour onto a truck

Being a farm hand, working with vegetables is pretty much what you dream about. I enjoy it. The only drawback is not being compensated for overtime. Other than that it is mindless, healthty and fun.

I worked in a factory for 2 summers! One factor you should consider is can you tolerate working with the people that do these kinds of easier jobs. It's a different class of people with different personalities than the type you currently work with in the white-collar world.

I managed to lower my stress levels, work hours and now I am paid more than I ever made at my last job. I left a job of 5 years where I was working 80-90 hours per week for a "dick" boss. I helped him build the company from $100 million to almost $200M in five years and I got no increases in pay or bonus over the last 2 years. I jumped ship, moved across the country to a fabulous location and now work only 50-55 hours, got a 25% increase in pay and a promotion without the stress I formally had. Months later I am still getting calls from former subordinates asking me to help them find jobs outside the previous company. Only thing I miss are my friends back "home" but we, my wife and I are loving our new home.

I had a job like don draper in madmen. I laid around on a couch in office, drank, took long lunches ( to run ). Took extra time to have lunch after the run. I thought a great deal, sat around with other thinking creatively, listened to others ideas. Often took the afternoon off or came in late in the morning. The more I did this the higher I was paid, the more I was promoted.

The one caveat was the I had to deliver when the cards were on the table. As long as I did that I was valued. I made sure my staff was good.

When I got home I generally left work at the office. If my job was too stressful and didn't meet the above criteria I changed jobs.

One day I had enough money in the bank and I stopped working.

I sometimes visited factories and was always glad I didn't work in one,