Having a proper work-life balance is one of the most important factors for employees everywhere. However, what that looks like and whether it’s even feasible, will depend a lot on the industry. Having the flexibility to work remotely can help with that. Though, in other cases, it doesn’t much soften the workload.
Redditor u/Spirited-Ambassador5 sparked a lively debate on the r/AskWomen subreddit after asking the women who earn six-figure annual incomes while working from home about what they do and what their personal life looks like. Many high-earners were happy to spill the tea. Scroll down for their stories and for a dash of inspiration that it’s possible to build a career even remotely when more and more bosses are trying to get their employees back in the office.
Bored Panda wanted to get to grips with how employees might convince management that remote work suits them better, so we reached out to workplace expert and bestselling author Lynn Taylor. She is the author of ‘Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant' and runs a popular blog on Psychology Today.
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I'm an author (nearly 30 years). I'm mainly a horror author, but I also do sci-fi, fantasy, nonfiction (science, health, human sexuality, food, gardening, techie stuff), and kids and family. I am under retainer with several video game companies around the world as well. I spend most of my time with my family and enjoying hobbies! It's awesome.
I’m a glass artist 🌸 I was raised primarily by my grandmother, who was also a glass artist. I’ve made six figures consistently for the past eight years.
I adore glass art. My mum has a huge collection of Caithness paperweights. We went to the factory in Scotland when I was 6 (I'm in the uk) to see them being made and I've never forgotten it. One of the artists made me a rearing horse which is stunning.
I work in cyber security and it’s great. Lots of extra time during work and always off on time. No late nights or weekend work
Workplace expert Taylor said that as many companies are trying to force their employees back to the office, this isn’t going over well with many of them. “Many feel their productivity has increased while working from home. They believe the push to return is a move backward to yesterday’s way of work, out of touch with today’s realities,” she told Bored Panda via email.
Of course, not all jobs can be performed well or even better remotely. However, more companies will have to be open-minded, the workplace expert said. “Some employers have more rigid policies on remote work than others, but you still have options.”
Taylor was kind enough to share with us a few things that employees can do to convince their employers to offer them ongoing remote work. A good starting point, according to the author of ‘Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant,’ is putting your plan in writing.
I work as a designer fully remote making 200K. It was supposed to be hybrid 2 days a week in the office but then I just didn’t go in and no one has really said anything about it. That job is really only 1-2 days of actual work a week but I run contract work around it so my work-life balance is tipped. I do get to walk my puppy a lot tho
I work for a software company in training and content design and make over 200k. I've been working remotely for about 11 years now, way before it became necessary in the pandemic.
My work life balance is good. It's always helped me to stick to a strict "work schedule". I work the typical 8-4, sometimes more sometimes less, but it's pretty flexible to drop my son off at school, go to apts etc as long as my work is done and projects are completed on time.
The biggest WFH rule I always stuck to was having a home office, when I'm in my office, I'm working, when I'm done working, my office is unoccupied and closed.
It got a bit hairy when my son realized I was downstairs (he has a nanny when he isn't in school) when he was about 2 he would try to come find me but he now understands that's where I work.
I'm a paralegal for the federal government making $119k a year. I have great work balance working 40 hours a week with no commute.
“First of all, it clarifies exactly what you want and why, before just asking generically for remote work. For example, would you come to the office for meetings? Once a week? Knowing exactly where you’re negotiable early on will always increase your chances of success. You don’t have to put all your cards on the table, but make sure you know your boundaries,” she explained.
“This proposal also gives you a platform to incorporate other industry research on the topic. There are many surveys and articles about the benefits of remote work—for both parties. To be fair, include some of the objections, but you can counter them, according to your own situation. Your trade or professional association may also offer statistics. Consider networking with others in these groups for additional evidence and insight on WFH.”
Next, Taylor suggests discussing this critical topic with your manager, face-to-face. Set up a meeting and talk about your proposal.
Adult content creator, and I’d say I have a pretty decent work/life balance!
Before this, I worked in accounting for 11 years, did not make 6 figures, and while I had great work:life balance, I was absolutely miserable.
I want to be a content creator! I used to be really big fans of several content creators who got me through really hard times, and it made me so happy to be able to meet them. I want to make other people that happy one day :) not to mention I could use my platform to donate to charities and raise awareness of issues like climate change or horseshoe crab abuse (look it up, it’s terrible and nobody knows it’s happening)
I’m an orthopedic physician assistant in a HCOL city. I make 168k base salary and I do one OT shift a month of home only phone call (I field phone calls overnight but never have to leave my home) which bumps me up about 8-10k a year.
I’ve been doing this for 13 years so I did not begin at this salary.
I’ve been in my position for 10 years and I’m good at what I do and have made myself very valuable to my employer. This has allowed my quality of life benefits like early Fridays and leaving when my s**t is finished. I’m efficient and get everything done in a very timely manner.
I also work for someone who has kids so he gets it- I can’t be late and I can’t miss important things like first day of school.
My job also has killer benefits. I get 7 weeks of vacation, 8 paid holidays, 12 sick days, and no holidays or weekends.
America is so broken... 8 paid holidays... counted sick days... if you're sick you're sick. I get 42 paid vacation days and can buy more if I want. That seems about right. We don't live to work.
Lawyer. Not a corporate lawyer. Work life balance is awesome. I work ~40hr weeks, have very few real deadlines or stress, work is interesting and contributes to the public good. Love it.
“Another benefit of such a meeting is, you’ll gauge the reaction you’re getting. Meeting face-to-face will allow you to pick up on nuances from your boss, which can only help you in your negotiation,” she explained to Bored Panda that employers want to know that their staff is reasonable and dedicated. “They want to be assured you’re a team player and not looking to slide or take an easy route.”
Of course, one of the best tools at your disposal here is to prove to management that your productivity has increased while you’ve been working remotely.
“For example, if you’re in sales and you’re getting more leads and closing more deals versus pre-remote, that’s powerful. If you’re producing more or higher quality reports; saving the company money; developing new products or revenue-enhancing proposals—that can be highly convincing. It’s best to document as much as you can while working remotely. It’s hard to argue with facts,” the workplace expert noted.
Something else to consider is doing a direct comparison between remote and in-office work. You could offer to spend a week or two in the office and then at home, and then let your boss decide which scenario offers greater productivity and results. “Be sure to document as much as you can so that: your test is fair and the results are detailed enough for comparison,” Taylor said.
Fully remote visual designer with 3 YOE at a chill/older tech company. I make $115-125k/year depending on the bonus. I probably work around 20-30 hours a week on average so my work life balance is very good. On top of that my company’s HQ is 3 hours ahead of my time zone, so I have my afternoons completely free since a large % of my colleagues log off earlier. On top of remote work this makes my schedule super flexible which is nice.
Paralegal, my work/life balance is pretty great. We are only required to work 7.5 hours a day. Some days I have to work longer, legal work can be unpredictable at times, but it's not that often. Since I'm home and don't have to commute, I don't really care. I can go for walks in the morning or an early exercise class or lounge in bed with my coffee before I start work. Or I can exercise at lunch. I save a ton of money on gas and meals. I get a lot done when I get up for short breaks and on my lunch hour, leaving way less chores for the weekend. I can do things after work without the commute, so more of my time is my own. My parents have needed some assistance lately and since we live five minutes from each other, I was able to help out and not affect my work.
As an attorney, I can recommend paralegal as a great career! Well-paying, and you can make a difference while doing interesting work.
Data engineer, and it varies so much day to day. Some weeks I work like 20 hours and life is good. Other weeks, like recently, I work like 70-80 hours a week.
If your priority is remote work, you may even want to consider taking slightly less pay to make this happen. Though this might be challenging because of how inflation is affecting people’s purchasing power. “Helping one’s salary go further is one of the many reasons remote work is so popular,” the workplace expert told us.
“That said, if you really love your job and prefer not to jump to another position that happens to offer remote work, it may be worth negotiating for a slightly lower salary, or at least delaying your next increase,” she said.
“Never bargain your way out of a good salary, especially in today’s tight labor market. But if remote work saves you peace of mind and reduces expenses, and you really love your job—it may be worth doing the math and considering it. Especially if it’s for a limited period of time.”
All that said, it’s vital that you remain professional when talking about these heated topics. “Don’t let your emotions enter the fray. For example, avoid complaining about others you know who are working remotely at other companies (or yours). Never threaten to resign over it. It’s better to stick to the facts and your own productivity level and contributions as you make your case.”
I work in the video game industry. I make low 6 figures and my work life balance is *chef's kiss*. Obviously it's not a lawyer or a doctor's salary, but I work about 25-30 hours a week, and I have a 7 week vacation and health insurance and a couple of sick days as well. Colleagues are chill and understanding and the workplace is as progressive as a corporation can be.
Am I the only one who's allergic to "chef's kiss"? Every time someone either uses that in a sentence or does the gesture, I just want to punch them.
I’m a healthcare recruiter. Fully remote. Work/life balance is good because I control my schedule. My normal calendar is open for interviews from 7A-7P Monday to Thursday and 7A-4P on Friday but I rarely have calls outside of traditional business hours. If I’ve got something going on and don’t want to be available I just block my schedule. I never work weekends outside of mindlessly scrolling through job boards and reviewing CVs if I’m bored on a Saturday morning.
Compensation is a base salary + quarterly bonuses based on placements. The bonus is really where I make my money- example, my Q2 bonus was decent, but not great, and it was $50K. As my pipeline sits today, I’ll probably take home around $300K this year.
It’s a great gig if you’ve got the personality for it.
'my work/life balance is good. I only work 57 minimum hours during the week and do mindless work during the weekends when I'm bored' That doesn't sound very balanced...
Software Engineer. I definitely work longer hours, but I appreciate the freedom to live wherever I want. I'm a divorced empty nester, so I do as I please when not working. I'm much more sedentary and worry about my health. Got a dog; walks and playtime help. I do miss being in the office at times, but when I go into the office (a couple of times a year), I feel like I'm not getting anything done. I've had to make a lot of adjustments to ensure I do something other than work and sleep. My office is in a room I don't spend time in except to work. I take time in the mornings to ready myself, eat, putz around. I rarely work past 6pm. The aforementioned dog is a pleasant distraction. I socialize away from home as much as possible. I have a constant bedtime and rarely have trouble sleeping. I'm not on call anymore, so that helps. Overall, I'm glad for the opportunity.
Forbes notes that the top benefits that employees value the most include flexible work hours, company pensions, and early leaves on Fridays. In fact, one survey showed that 95% of workers actually care more about flexible hours than remote work.
Meanwhile, other much-valued perks include four-day work weeks, health insurance, and paid days off to take care of one’s mental health. All of these things can motivate employees and show them that management really does care about their welfare.
I'm a counselor with my own private practice. I had no life outside of studying and work initially when I was in school, doing field placements, and setting up. I've had a waitlist since the 2nd month of opening. I do mostly telehealth, have freedom over my schedule, and work between 10-6, sometimes a bit earlier or later. I'll schedule 5-6 people per day and spend additional time doing admin work, consulting on cases, and the occasional side project from a couple of fulfilling volunteer roles. Outside of weekends I try to give myself the afternoon off of one day midweek, and whenever there is a gap between clients I can read through my clinical library or go to any appointments of my own. I don't take any federal holidays because it feels like a hassle, but I give myself a month off of vacation. I don't take more than 2 weeks off at a time for continuity's sake. There are pros and cons to working in any setting in behavioral health. Personally, I don't mind the extra work that comes with running a small business. I'd always wanted to do this and am thankful for the challenges I have. Some days are low stress while others are high.
I do the same - financially good but no one gets "rich" doing this work
I’m an engineer. I went hybrid back in 2016 and then mostly remote in 2020 after getting promoted. The trade off with this position being mostly remote is that I have to travel more when I used to hardly ever travel for work. I personally don’t mind that part too much. My work life balance is pretty good. I’m usually done with work by 6pm at the latest. My last kiddo is leaving for college this month so I don’t have any children I had to tend to. My husband’s schedule is the same every week but he works a combination of morning shifts, midday shifts, and night shifts.
I am a Sr program manager for a non profit and I make 112k. Fully remote with amazing work/life balance. 37.5 hour work week but I probably actively work 20-30 hours a week most weeks. We also have unlimited paid time off so I take 5-6 weeks off every year. I had to switch jobs A LOT to get here.
What non-profit is this and are they hiring? I'm a Director of Operations at a non-profit, and I barely make 40k a year.
Though remote work has plenty of benefits, it’s far from perfect. It can give people the flexibility to save time on their commutes, spend more time with their family, take better care of their health, and spend time on their passion projects and hobbies. However, Megan McArdle, writing for The Washington Post, points out that, in the long term, remote workers don’t build the skills and connections that can help them get a better job in the future. Remote workers can also be more at risk of being laid off when the economy goes down the drain.
According to McArdle, something that could entice employees to return to the office is making those spaces worthwhile to return to. “And I mean this literally: offices. Not open floor plans where people can hear every word, sneeze and gum-chew that comes from a co-worker’s mouth. Nor dispiriting cubicles that make them feel like rats in a maze. But small rooms with desks and doors that close,” The Washington Post writer explains.
Open offices can be incredibly noisy, hard to concentrate in, and offer little to no privacy and barely any personal space. Proper offices, possibly mixed with hybrid work, could offer a good balance between collaboration and privacy, socializing and deep, uninterrupted work.
I'm just a hair under 6 figures ($99,850) but I work in payroll management. I run the company payrolls in the US, UK and Australia. No degree, but you can get a certification called the CPP (certified payroll professional).
My company is based in the UK where work life balance is definitely more prevalent than in the US (where I'm from). We have unlimited PTO which is something I never thought I'd have. There's no guilt about taking time off, it's encouraged and not questioned.
My work life balance is better than it ever has been, it used to be awful at my previous role in the same field at a US based company. Most of my coworkers are in the UK so my mornings are more busy while they're still in the office (7 hour time difference). I'm honestly the most happy I've been at a job ever.
I’m an attorney. I have zero work life balance and work 60-70 hours a week.
The starting salary is about $215,000 right out of law school, and at my level, which is three years in, it’s $250,000. Most people leave large law firms in three to five years because it's not worth it to them. But a few people stick it out, and I guess for them it’s worth it. If you make partner at these firms, you can earn millions.
Higher education management. I go to the office when I feel like it and stay home when I feel like it. I make around $130K and work standard full time office hours so my work life balance is really good.
The thread was incredibly refreshing. The women were very open about the hours that they work, as well as how they feel that this affects their personal lives. The average employee in the US worked around 34.3 hours per week in July 2023, according to Statista. Meanwhile, the average in 2022 was 34.5 hours per week.
The female redditors who took part in u/Spirited-Ambassador5’s discussion worked a very wide range of hours. Some would work below this average, others would pull double the number of hours because of how demanding their jobs are. Similarly, everyone was very open about their work-life balance. While some redditors were enjoying how much freedom and flexibility remote work offered them, others put it bluntly that their main priority was work and work alone.
Engineering Manager at big tech company. I make $400k a year. I don’t know what life and balance are. Just work.
I work in healthcare and work remotely. About $110-$130K with bonuses. My work-life balance is now awesome, I usually take Friday afternoons off and work about ~6ish hours each day. Sometimes it gets more hectic than that. When I was building my career, I had zero work-life balance. I worked full-time while pursuing a PHD and raising a child. I have worked every major holiday more than once, as a salaried employee not hourly so I didn’t make any more money. Rarely took any time off etc. Now I am just very good at what I do and do it faster and more efficiently than most.
I work in management/strategy in tech. Some days are crazier than others, but I make it clear that nights/weekends are my own. So far, so good.
Work in tech. Always been remote: nearly 20 years. Sometimes it gets crazy, but generally, I get to shut off my "array" and put on my chef's hat by 6:30. Can't complain.
Director of analytics, strategy, pricing for manufacturing.
Balance is ebb and flow. Lots of clean laundry unfolded in baskets, dinner typically homemade, there to meet school bus I the afternoon but struggle to make time to do home work, daycare pick, make dinner all in the evening. Hubby works opposite way from daycare after taking a new job and is also working similar hours but has the added time requirement of a commute.
SaaS technical writer here. Work/life balance is excellent, I work Mon-Thu full days and a half-day on Fridays. My workload is full but it's not often that I feel a lot of pressure or stress.
My husband also works remotely so we get to spend a lot of time together. I mostly work from home though sometimes my husband and I can take longer trips interstate while working, e.g. rent an Airbnb in another city for a bit or work from our campervan.
Associate Creative Director at an ad agency. Work life balance is the best it has ever been honestly, I absolutely adore working from home and am lucky that my company is a big proponent for a healthy work life balance
I’m a counselor and I barely work and I basically have the easiest life imaginable 🥴
I'm in IT, I work in project and people management.
I struggle with working remote, but they closed my local office so I didn't have any choice. I find it very hard to separate my work brain and my family brain and the physical proximity of my work space to my living space is part of that. I've gotten better at separating them but it still creeps into my mental space!
On the plus side, it makes it a lot easier to keep on top of housework - but I do all this first thing in the morning because otherwise it stresses me out and I find it hard to concentrate on work. My house is spick and span before I go to work for the day!
It also makes the school run a bit easier, and I have an awesome espresso machine, and a WFH husband who makes the coffee for me! And, the final perk is I built a home gym so I am able to work out at lunchtime.
All in all, it's about 50/50. If I had an office to RTO to, I think I'd be fine as well. But I've learned to appreciate the good in WFH as well as try to mitigate the negatives.
Note: this post originally had 50 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I'd dispute the title "Rich" for many of these. Sure, 120/yr isn't a pittance, but nor is it a fortune. Respect for those earning that for effectively part time work from home though.
Exactly. I work in the film industry and make a 6 figure income. I live in LA so that’s really far from rich. I love my job and all but I bust my bottom working on set
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have to have a bit of a giggle at people saying "I earn a six figure income". That covers quite a range. I suppose everyone needs their ego stroked sometimes
My mother is a single 73yo “retired” artist and my husband is an EP Cardiologist. Both technically make 6 figures. But if you think those six figures are remotely close, well, that’s funny. My income is almost exactly in-between the two of theirs and I make over twice as much as hers & about half of his.
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You still could. I'm going back to school and tech classes are definitely built into my schedule.
Load More Replies... I'd dispute the title "Rich" for many of these. Sure, 120/yr isn't a pittance, but nor is it a fortune. Respect for those earning that for effectively part time work from home though.
Exactly. I work in the film industry and make a 6 figure income. I live in LA so that’s really far from rich. I love my job and all but I bust my bottom working on set
Load More Replies... have to have a bit of a giggle at people saying "I earn a six figure income". That covers quite a range. I suppose everyone needs their ego stroked sometimes
My mother is a single 73yo “retired” artist and my husband is an EP Cardiologist. Both technically make 6 figures. But if you think those six figures are remotely close, well, that’s funny. My income is almost exactly in-between the two of theirs and I make over twice as much as hers & about half of his.
Load More Replies... You still could. I'm going back to school and tech classes are definitely built into my schedule.
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