If you're not really an office or 9 to 5 sort of person, what do you do?

[Quotidian]

I've always worked in professional jobs, both corporate and government. Although I've done a decent job of them I've never enjoyed any of the jobs I've done and I'm starting to think it's me, not the jobs. My current workplace is lovely but I still don't like it. I just don't enjoy the environment of offices and the expectations of 9 to 5 jobs - the smalltalk, the office politics, the obsession with procedure and the endless emails about nothing. I'd love to do something different, but I can't really think what. I'm not in an industry where freelancing is really a thing and I'm starting to think of all sorts of ideas - opening up a cafe, teaching English online, anything at all. I'd love to still make a decent amount of money though and this is what's probably kept me in a series of jobs I dislike!

Have you made a break from the 9 to 5 life and gone out on a limb and done something different? Would love to hear some stories because at present I feel stuck in a rut and can't really imagine doing this for another 30-40 years.

I don't, but jobs that don't involve sitting in an office :
Firefighter
Police Office
Paramedic
Nurse
Dozens of different 'medical' jobs - physio, SaLT, OT, theatre practitioner, etc etc
Binman
Council worker (painting lines, cutting grass)
Managing a pub or restaurant
Chef
Building and all the associated trades - plumber, electrician, decorator, plasterer, tiler
Driving - from taxi to chauffeur , from coaches to lorries.
Teacher
Early Years Practioner
Lecturer
Driving Instructor
Train Driver (or tube or tram)

I do 2 things...

one is teach gardening

and the other is manage projects from home.

I hate working in offices, even if it is a fab office. I get cabin fever around 90 mins after getting to my desk. So I don't do it.

I’m an ABA teacher working in an independent school for children with ASD. Pay is terrible, but I absolutely love my job. No day is the same and I work with a fantastic group of people. Hours are 9-4:30pm and I don’t have to take any work home with me. Lots of scope for personal development too.

I'm not really inclined towards the sciences or I might have gone into a healthcare profession. I like intellectual stimulation but I'd be happy to get that elsewhere as long as I can make a decent income I guess! Also not very outdoorsy or good with my hands so that rules out a lot of jobs

I think non 9-5 jobs mostly have all those same problems. I'm a nurse and it's endless small talk, office politics and obsession with procedure. It's just that all these things are taking place at 10pm or 3am.

Yep I agree, that's why I'm not sure retraining is necessarily the answer. I don't consider teaching for example as outside of those issues I mentioned whatsoever - the stress, politics and endless admin is enough to put me off entirely!

Yes it's a tough one. If you think of something, let me know, I'd like to get in on it as well

You could easily earn £35k plus driving an HGV?

I would love to get into this as my partner has done it and spent hours sitting in the lorry waiting to be unloaded. Imagine the books you could get through?

Im self employed and have a very short attention span/boredom threshold so I have 3 part time jobs and I’m considering a 4th to break up the existing 3 1 is cleaning, 2 is a carer role and 3 is working from home in the evenings after DC have gone to bed. I’m thinking i’d like something a bit more social as I’m very solitary at the minute.

ILove how did you go about finding a job working from home in the evening? I'm a cleaner and desperately need to break it up a bit!

I teach a language in an after-school academy. Ages 8+ (to adult, my oldest being 72). 5-9pm. Home by 9.30 to put ds to bed and walk the dog. I have the mornings/early afternoons free and don't work Thursdays.

I could fill the mornings with more work, but I don't want to.

I love procedure !
Could you go part time as pp suggested and pick up another part time job somewhere else? Are you onto keep fit? Classes in my area fill up fast.

I'm a dental nurse, I couldn't stay office work I'm more of a hands on sort of person. Couldn't see myself sitting at a desk in an office! 😬

LivedandLearned I’ll Pm you as dont want give too much outing info

I had no idea HGV drivers earned that much!

Following I need some ideas right now

I'm in health care. Professional (if FT, £36k)

Believe me, at mid 50s, thing I hate about my job is the casual acceptance that 3am is no different to 2pm.

I'd LOVE 9-5 now. I could, and did do 'all hours' when younger but it is literally killing me now.

I hated 9-5 when I worked as a secretary after uni . Felt I went from flat to tube to office in a repeat loop . I used to dread Monday mornings .
I left that and worked as an air hostess for 10 years
Lots of weekends , away at Christmas etc
I loved it though.
Endless issues with ex dh over my being away.

Stopped soon after D.C. came along
Retrained and now teach pilates and yoga . Built up own business , work most mornings and weeknight evenings .. home afternoons usually so here for after school and homework and cook early family dinner

Upside is I am my own boss , I pay others to cover when I go on holiday etc . I deal with zero office politics and most days my job makes me really happy . No crowded commuter trains or traffic .
Donwnside is I get no pension, company health insurance or holiday pay... don’t work .. don’t get paid basically .
I have no security blanket for dc and myself. I have to do accounts, tax returns and pay for my own professional insurance .

However I am so used to going to hairdresser , supermarket or IKEA on a Tuesday afternoon rather than a Saturday when it’s crowded I couldn’t bear to change it.
I also took dc with me “ guest teaching “ in summer holidays at resorts and once on a cruise ship . I get nice Xmas gifts from clients

It’s a trade off I guess .
And it’s a physically tiring profession .

Bumblina I have toyed with the idea of teaching yoga. What is your income like?

Hi I love max

It varies
I have always been restricted by childcare but it’s changing as Ds can be left now

As a guide
If you run your own class , say in a village hall
You get 12 clients at £10 each ...pay £20 hall hire so make £100 l The trick is 2 classes back to back ... beginners and intermediate . You give a discount for block bookings .. no cancellations .
Lots of premotion required
Mornings and evenings
I try to avoid weekends as a Mum

Studios and gyms pay £35 approximately a class . You usually get free membership as well .

Privates £40 . In London it’s £60 .

Remember Xmas, Easter etc it stops .

Thank you, that’s really helpful. Christmas and Easter breaks would actually be better for me than what I currently do (cleaning) as I usually have to arrange holiday childcare for DS (9) although I am thinking longer term too for when he is older and won’t need childcare. Thank you.

I'm a writer and work from home. But I branch out to do project management and consulting. That way I get to work in an office for a few days then back home again. I work part time hours mostly. Rarely have to do more than 30 hours a, week.

Do you have any creative inclinations? Working in the arts can be enormously intellectually stimulating and artistic collaboration is more satisfying than most other forms of human interaction.

Though it can take a while to earn a living ...

Police here.

I love that I'm not 9-5. Sometimes!
I love the lie ins!
Till nights . Or earlies.!

Hate earlies....up at 5.30! Not a morning person!

It has it draw backs .

I'm just about to have my evening meal.