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“Never Had A Normal Job In My Life”: 30 Folks Who Escaped The 9-To-5 Explain What They Do For Work
Interview With Expert
We all have Henry Ford to thank for starting the 9-5 work schedule in 1926. Since then, people have either loved or hated (mostly hated) this system. Some folks simply chose not to give into the grind, and we compiled a list of their responses, some of which may surprise you.
Bored Panda interviewed Aaditya Surve, a music producer and sound designer working in the ad industry, to understand how he evaded the 9-5 work life while managing the music alias Iridescent Grapevine and band The Flying Fish. He had a lot to share!
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I’m a writer. It’s a double-edged sword. I can usually sleep in, but I’m never off work. There’s some measure of guilt involved in almost any hour I take to myself.
Shana Mustafa 1 year ago
Writing isn't really an easy job. The details you need to plan, and what you end up writing can be really different. And somehow, you know what you want to write, but how to write the words are hard to do. The writer's block will come and go with no warning. And you need to chase the timeline too...
Tim Douglass 1 year ago
Unfortunately "writer" usually means "my money comes from somewhere else".
RELATED:
#2
Cook/chef. My hours are "ugh, fine.".
ILoveMySon 1 year ago
I don't wish the hours of a chef on anyone. Eee gads. A LOT of work.
Load More Replies... #3
Comedian. I tell d**k jokes to drunk people for money.
Steve Hall 1 year ago
It's easy to get drunks to laugh, sober people are a bit more difficult.
Most people are sold the idea that working the same job 8 hours a day and 5 days a week is the right thing to do. But not everyone agrees with this idea. That’s why there are approximately 1.57 billion freelancers in the workforce, and the number is only rising. Most individuals who work like this have way more freedom to choose their hours and work days.
We asked Aaditya, the music producer, what his work schedule looks like. He said it “varies widely based on projects and deadlines. A schedule that I am trying to incorporate to enhance my productivity is 11 am to 1 pm daily creative project work. However, I sometimes start work earlier or later in the day as well, or complete projects post midnight.”
#4
Firefighter.
Ghostfish 1 year ago
Well , there's also the whole fire fighting thing, but sure.
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Kris 1 year ago
Never said they did. This is for people who dont work a 9-5. No one said anything about working home.
Load More Replies... #5
I'm a farmer.
XanthippeⓐWulf🇨🇦️️🇬🇧 1 year ago
I love living on a farm. We're not commercial, but we grow enough food to feed ourselves, 2 dogs, 5 cats, 7 horses, 3 goats, 4 chickens, 3 alpaca, 2 parrots, and a handful of random squirrels. Plus, have enough left over to send boxes of fresh fruits & veggies to the food pantry. It's not what I do for a living, but I get so much joy from being able to help feed people. If I could just feed people & take care of their animals for the rest of my life, I'd be a happy little clam.
#6
Oil rigs. 2 weeks ln and 4 weeks off.
David 1 year ago
I have seen posting for hs diploma only 80k a year for working oil rigs, with zero experience (though those said 2 week on, 2 weeks off) plus benefits, 3 year contract. Experienced can earn over 100K. Dirty, dangerous, grueling, but you can earn really well, and because you dont live near your job, your family can live in a low cost small city or rural area, and really be doing well on a one income household.
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TheGoodBoi 1 year ago
4 weeks?? I knew someone who worked two on, two off. Hard job, I couldn't do it.
As you can see in this diverse list, there are so many jobs that don’t fit the traditional 9-5 workday. Most people choose this lifestyle because of the level of flexibility it offers. People whose sole income comes from freelancing also tend to report a higher level of satisfaction with their work.
Aaditya agreed with this as well and stated that: “the good thing about it is the work is more like a sprint and not a marathon. So it’s fast-paced when work is there, till delivery, and then I can even take the next day off to relax.” This is vastly different from the daily 8-hour workday which requires people to be present and productive within fixed hours.
#7
Manly Nurse working since 2016 in different emergency Rooms.
Upstaged75 1 year ago
What does "manly" mean in this context? A male nurse? And that's a pic of a woman.
Cerridwn d'Wyse 1 year ago
Yep hours very a lot depending on the type of nursing that you do and where you work. When I started we were still on 8-hour shifts but those shift started for the day shift at 6:30 in the morning. So never been nine to five until I moved into an administrative position and then still technically it was 24/7 because my name was on the license
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
I'm confused at what a manly nurse is. But where I am a matron is the one in charge of all the nurses.
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#8
I'm a musician, so I work 24-7. But at least I'm having fun when I'm finally playing shows, instead of all the other s**t nobody tells you about 😎.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
In the Reddit, other musicians mentioned it's more than performing. You have to be able to market yourself, socialize, be nice all the time, seek the venues, set everything up for yourself, plan everything, all on your own money and efforts. If you're in a band, sure your bandmates can help, but there tends to be a lot of shaky politics that cause band members to quit.
#9
I’m a luthier. My job is also my passion. I work 8-16 sometimes longer if there are jobs that call for it.
If I wouldn’t have a family I would always be at work.
With so many “non-traditional” jobs to pick from, you might wonder how to get started or how to get out of the rat race. Aaditya shared a few tips, stating, it “depends on circumstances and whether you're in the right space in terms of responsibilities, finances, etc. to take the risk of breaking away from a fixed income job.”
“You can start your hobby/passion project on the side whilst working your 9-5 grind until it grows enough to drive in regular income to take care of your needs and regular investments. But sometimes, you have to take a leap of faith and figure ahead from there. In a way, it's like improvisation,” he added.
#10
Freelance interpreter.
When I'm needed, I'll work. When I'm not, I'll be sitting on my a*s. Guess where am I atm?
Heba Shawky 1 year ago
Freelance translator here; same stuff, but at times I had to for 24 hours to meet deadlines while at other times I get no work for weeks!
Shana Mustafa 1 year ago
At our hospital, we got many foreign patient, and we use Google Translate to communicate with them.😅
#11
Not me, but a buddy. He has worked for his dad’s pool company since he was 10. Just opening, closing, and maintaining pools. When he was still in school he worked all summer nonstop. When he graduated, he would only work 8 months out of the year, but it was a grueling schedule 12 hours a day 6 days a week. His dad paid him cash and he saved every penny.
By the time I graduated, he had about 200k saved up and started his own business away from the dad’s business. He bought a house for dirt cheap because it was 2019. The house doubled in value and now it’s worth 7 figures. His business is doing extremely well and I’m kind of jealous.
Working 72 hours a week maybe not, but I think he’s hired more people and scaled back his personal hours. Plus the in the winter he is free.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
Kids who have parents that own successful businesses have so many advantages, even I'm jealous. Or even just the kids who live at home and don't have to pay for much and work. They're able to save much of their money and just be set for life. Don't even have to have wealthy parents.
Ghostfish 1 year ago
Bruh a successful business from a parent is the ultimate cheat card. Literally, you don't need grades, school, degrees, nothing. Just learn from the parent, they made it successful, they know what's what. And it's basically guaranteed to be yours, as long as you can do the work. Literally life on easy mode.
Load More Replies...Even though we’ve been praising jobs that don’t fit the regular 9-5, there are a couple downsides to it that you should know. People who want to be their own boss often find acquiring projects a challenge. There is also a constant need to upskill and be a great communicator as a freelancer.
According to Aaditya, a few struggles with freelancing include the “uncertainty of regular work and regular income flow. It is difficult sometimes to think of taking a leave as you worry about missing out on potential new projects. Also, if there aren't as many new projects to do, it can get boring.”
#12
Military sometimes work 0 hours sometimes 24+ just depends.
Justin Tyme 1 year ago
Oh no, I wanted to write after I read the post and had a flashback of my time in the military.
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Brenda White 1 year ago
God bless our military and God damn our piece of excrement puppet president and all 80 million of the votes . World war 3 is on our doorstep and folks with TDS are still too stupid to notice
Annie 1973 1 year ago
I honestly believe that the orange man puppet of Putin will begin WW3 if he gets in. 2025 is Star Trek canon
Load More Replies... #13
Waste management - never had the makings of a varsity athlete.
ILoveMySon 1 year ago
Idk. My college sweetheart played college ball and worked as a "garbage man" in the summers off. He worked with many other athletes as they had to lift and dump in the late 80s. Great pay amd workouts too.
Carrie B 1 year ago
He used to say that to the girl cousins too. It was very hurtful.
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 1 year ago
I know of an Australian lifeguard who works as a "garbo" man during the winter because it keeps him in shape for lifeguarding during the warm season.
#14
Snow cat operator. Our hours suck. 9pm to 7 am.
#15
Caregiver for elderly patients.
Happy Onion 1 year ago
We often put our children and elderly in the care of some of the lowest paid people. Doesn't make sense
Willin 1 year ago
Sure it does. You’d have to be a millionaire to pay someone the salary of an educated or well skilled worker to be a sitter.
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Many careers on this list do offer the holy grail of work-life balance that people are desperately seeking, and others are hectic but very rewarding. No matter whether you pick a normal 9-5 job or opt for something completely different, the essential thing is you should enjoy what you do. Since work makes up a third of our lives, it’s important to pick wisely.
So, tell us, are you more of a 9-5 person or not? We’d love to hear your perspective.
#16
Hotels & hospitality ....hotels are always open so hours can be all over the place, depending on what department you work.
Upstaged75 1 year ago (edited)
I worked in a hotel when I was younger. The first year I was there I worked Thanksgiving, Xmas, NYE, Easter, Memorial Day, Mother's Day, and July 4th. Because we always had big events going on during those days. At the time I didn't mind because all my friends worked there too and it was kind of fun. I was also young and had a lot of energy. :) There's a reason many people don't stay in the industry when they get older.
#17
Social media marketing. I just work from home (always have due to a disability) and always make sure I can freely choose my worktimes as long as s**t gets done of course.
#18
I’m a exotic dancer 🫡 the hours are rough, my body aches, and still i really am thankful for the money and opportunities.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 1 year ago
I can't imagine how badly the aching must be. I don't think I could have moved like that at my healthiest.
Russell Bowman 1 year ago
Remember when there was a drive to make "pole dancing" an Olympic sport?
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
I know someone who got into this in college through a fitness class. The work was gruelling physically but she loved it.
#19
Bartender, usually around 5pm-midnight.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
evening to midnight shifts sort of suck because you need the energy to get through the shift but you don't want to completely mess up your sleep schedule. Most people are in bed when you're most wound up after the shift. If you sleep when you get home, you'll be up earlier but then you'll be drained by the last hour of your shift. If you sleep until you have to be up for your shift, you'll have to deal with the annoyance of daytime noise, phone calls, visits from the property mgmt if they need to work on something or test the smoke detectors, and just not get as good of a sleep.
#20
Run my own business- it’s more than a 9-5 job - there’s weekends, stressful nights and often 10+ hour days - but I still wouldn’t trade it for a 9-5.
#21
I’m an academic. Most days I work 10-4 plus many hours in the evenings.
Max Fox 1 year ago
Academics work 70-80 hours a week. Teaching, prepping class, grading, office hours, research, writing, publishing, mentoring students, committee meetings, and writing grant proposals.
Stephanie Trump 1 year ago
My dad was a college professor. He always had a stack of papers he was grading, would go to conferences, etc. He worked a lot
#22
Personal trainer.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
This must be a very worrisome job. You literally have someone's well-being and results on the line that they're paying for, and if they are not improving or get injured, it can feel like a reflection on you.
Rowboat 1 year ago
Yeah, you've basically got to be someone's therapist, coach, and buddy all in one, that's got to count for a lot
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#23
Mechanic. I do 9-1. Not the "1" that would make it a good life.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 1 year ago
What? They're under the sofa with everything else.
Load More Replies... #24
I make car parts for the American Working Man because that's what I am, and that's who I care about...after hours.
#25
I got this little import/export business.
#26
Retail.
#27
I'm in construction. Our hours are 7 - 3:30.
Papa 1 year ago
When I started at my current job it was also in construction, with the same hours. In 2009 I moved into the office, but kept the same hours. It works for me. I don't mind getting up early, and like being off work in the middle of the afternoon.
Just stopping by 1 year ago
I used to have a similar schedule but mine was 6am - 2:30pm. I loved feeling like I still had a majority of my day left to do whatever I wanted
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#28
Physician. And I worked a bunch of jobs before medical school. I guess the closest I came to a 9-5 job was doing 8 am to 6 pm six days a week changing tires at a truck mechanic. .
#29
Teacher in higher education. Why work 5 days a week when 3 pays the bills. Some weeks have 4 days of work some have barely 3. Pretty good gig tbh.
Lyone Fein 1 year ago
Whoa! Not sure what kind of "teacher" is being represented here? When I taught in higher education the norm was to spend a minimum of 3-4 hours of work outside the classroom for every hour spent in the classroom. When you teach a course, you have to review dozens of books and articles before you can choose which ones you're going to assign for the semester. You need to set up the class website with the reading schedule and write up every quiz/exam/assignment. Then there's actually preparing for each class meeting/lecture. And grading. Plus Office hours. . . . A full time Instructor usually teaches 3-4 courses per semester, plus serves on several faculty committees. This ends up being about a 50 hour work week, on average. "Vacation" periods need to be devoted to writing, research, and preparing for the next semester's classes. Those who do not write and publish, in addition teaching, lose their jobs.
CanadianDimes 1 year ago
Yes! Academics who aren’t on teaching-only contracts also have research responsibilities. Even those on teaching-only contracts have to attend meetings and sit on committees, etc. plus they end to teach more. I teach in HE and work 5 days a week. I’m not academic staff - most of them work 6-7 days a week.
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Oni 1 year ago
My sis is a high school teacher. She does occasionally bring work home with her and tutor for extra money, but the perks of having a big summer vacation on top of many other shorter ones seem well worth it to her. I still wouldn't trade cause I'd hate to face a class full of teenagers each day.
Charmaine van Aswegen 1 year ago
I work in the office at a school. Work until 2, friday until 12:30 and did I mention I am legally on school vacation 4 times a year! I LOVE staying busy, and earning a living AND it does not take away time I have to spend with my kids! I am also RIGHT there with them, which makes traveling a breeze since we all need to get to the same place every morning Also Im OFF on the weekends . So I vet to be a normal human and keep up with the house chores ! I LOVE IT !!!
Stephanie Trump 1 year ago
Fake. My dad was a college professor. He worked long hours, unless the person writing that is a part time instructor
Karen Philpott 1 year ago
ArrogantlyChemical is probably a substitute teacher, where you don't have the prep to do. You 'fill in' to teach.
shankShaw deReemer 1 year ago
I teach English in higher education. My job consumes me with grading essay after essay after essay. After essay.
#30
Make wood .
What do you think ?
StrangeOne 1 year ago
I've worked various shifts at a popular Canadian donut chain. The worst shift was closing with an opening shift the next morning. (It wasn't a 24/7 location. Mall hours.) I knew there was a high chance I would be the only one opening if that was my shift. My mgr didn't like doing that to me, but when no one decides they want to work their shift, I was the default, being the one living the closest to work. When I got home all I wanted to do was sleep. My mom accused me of being depressed and lazy. It was a whole s**t-show. My last job was also odd evening and weekend hours, until I was able to move to 9-5 and then 8-4. I enjoyed 8-4, since I wasn't a morning person and have no need to relish the morning before work, but get to enjoy the rest of the day an hour earlier. Now when things are scheduled, appts are made, I don't have to work with sleep deprivation.
Lyone Fein 1 year ago
I think there are a lot of misconceptions about many of these jobs. So more details from people who actually do them would be great.
Rowboat 1 year ago
I think the original posts they were likely lifted from contained a lot more info but idk, some people just don't elaborate
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Lucille Lenden 1 year ago
How about Mums, they're on duty 24/7 especially when they've just had a baby. It never stops. Some have to work in a paid job just to pay for food to put on the table as well as cleaning, washing, ironing, doctor, teacher...the list is endless. Funny how people forget this most important person in your life who we all just take for granted.
StrangeOne 1 year ago
I've worked various shifts at a popular Canadian donut chain. The worst shift was closing with an opening shift the next morning. (It wasn't a 24/7 location. Mall hours.) I knew there was a high chance I would be the only one opening if that was my shift. My mgr didn't like doing that to me, but when no one decides they want to work their shift, I was the default, being the one living the closest to work. When I got home all I wanted to do was sleep. My mom accused me of being depressed and lazy. It was a whole s**t-show. My last job was also odd evening and weekend hours, until I was able to move to 9-5 and then 8-4. I enjoyed 8-4, since I wasn't a morning person and have no need to relish the morning before work, but get to enjoy the rest of the day an hour earlier. Now when things are scheduled, appts are made, I don't have to work with sleep deprivation.
Lyone Fein 1 year ago
I think there are a lot of misconceptions about many of these jobs. So more details from people who actually do them would be great.
Rowboat 1 year ago
I think the original posts they were likely lifted from contained a lot more info but idk, some people just don't elaborate
Load More Replies... Lucille Lenden 1 year ago
How about Mums, they're on duty 24/7 especially when they've just had a baby. It never stops. Some have to work in a paid job just to pay for food to put on the table as well as cleaning, washing, ironing, doctor, teacher...the list is endless. Funny how people forget this most important person in your life who we all just take for granted.
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