Redditor YellowJellyCube wanted to hear about the jobs we can all do where the pay is good and the solitude is preferred, so they asked:
"What is the highest paying job that requires little to no interaction with other people?"
I write from home.
I avoid people constantly.
It certainly works for me.
Good Company
Well Done Applause GIF by MOODMANGiphy"I’m a data analyst, I talk to my dog more than people most weeks."
random-bot-2
"Sounds like you have good company."
PA_Dietitian
Heavy Objects
"Crane operator. Quarter mill a year to sit by yourself all day, with occasional requests to relocate heavy objects at or near the Earth's surface. But mostly, you sit and contemplate the view from up there."
pullin2
"Guy I used to work with was a retired crane operator. He drove a forklift at a manufacturing facility and all his money went to pay for his grandkid's college. Nicest guy on earth, and just loved every day."
"When he signed his name in the Union book to retire he was the most qualified crane operator IN THE WORLD. His last job was installing new HVAC units on the Empire State Building. The dude was making $500+/hr. 12hr days. 7 days per week (when on a site). That’s over $50k per week. He said it was all waiting and about 2-3 hours of work. Read tons of books. Sat alone all day."
Sometimes_Stutters
"Patent Examiner here. I go days without speaking to someone. And then it's usually only a 30min phone call."
AddendumDifferent719
"Hey, as a patent holder, I’ve interacted with you guys via my attorney. It’s a really strange thing to stretch a debate about a couple of words in a claim over a few weeks but I respect what you do."
porcelainvacation
Pipelines
"My friend makes good money testing pressure for oil pipelines in Alberta. Every morning he gets an email with where to go and run the test. He drives 2-6 hrs each way and plugs a machine on his pickup for a couple of hours, then sends the readings and drives home."
jimbosdayoff
Graveyard Shift
Halloween Skeleton GIF by Squirrel MonkeyGiphy"Graveyard security guard, on the graveyard shift."
Borykua
"They get to talk to lots of people they’re just all dead."
LF_redit
Why work in a graveyard?
At night?
Those are people who don't fear nightmares.
Road Rules
Double Take What GIF by LaffGiphy"Over the road truck driver can pay OK and is good for anti-social folk who want to avoid human contact most of the time."
woolash
"I’ve considered this option many times. Unfortunately, I have a low tolerance for stupid drivers."
Think_Profit4911
It Was Great
"My last job. Data Entry for a private aviation company. I worked in the basement with no windows. Typing. There was no need to talk to anybody. It was the worst, or so I thought at the time."
Squidstir
"I did a job like that. My dad worked for a company that supplied pipes and valves to oil refineries. When they switch a valve out, they had to record it on a paper form. Then someone had to take the papers and input them into Excel or something like that."
"So I used to get hired during my summer break to come in, sit in an empty office and input serial numbers and other info into an Excel spreadsheet. Was so incredibly boring, but I’d just listen to my headphones. It was great. I was also a night janitor at my college, so I’d work in the middle of the night and never had to talk to anyone. Glorious. Now I’m an elementary school teacher and I talk to people for 8 hours a day."
LittleWhiteBoots
3rd Shift
"Aerospace machine operator 3rd shift I see my boss on the last day of the month to discuss what work needs to be done for the following month. I don’t have anyone else that works in my little closed-off department room on my shift. I only see people when I come in as they’re leaving. I started the job 11 years ago at $57/hr I’ve moved up into a more serious department here and now I’m making $98.01/hr and there’s double time for overtime on Sundays."
tatted_gamer_666
From Home
"I used to know a guy who worked for a hedge fund. His job was to review all the accounting laws and make sure the firm was complying with them, as the laws are constantly changing. Pretty sure he made mid-6-figures and didn't have to interact much except for normal office chit-chat. These days you could probably work from home."
PMMeUrHopesNDreams
Back to Woof
"A friend of mine is a full-time dog walker. Been doing it for so long that he has keys to the apartments of people too busy to walk their dogs. Aside from the occasional hello, he mostly talks to dogs and makes close to 80k."
beardcloset
I love dogs.
But dog walking is a lot.
The rest of this list I may try.
Do you have any positions to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.
Reddit user TheBruceDickenson asked
"What is an unfortunate reality about with Work From Home nobody talks about?"
The downsides are real, especially if you're not ready for them and armed with a battle plan for how to make it through the unique challenges.
Zoom happy hour isn't anywhere near as awesome as drinks after work... but let's be real, just as few people attend.
Home Doesn't Mean I'm Off
Working Jim Carrey GIFGiphy"When you work from home people assume you have the day off. 'Can you do...' "
"No, I'm working. I cannot do..."
"Just because I'm here working on the computer doesn't mean I can do your thing. Pay no attention to the fact that I'm browsing Reddit, it's part of my process."
- SuperstitiousPigeon5
"Oh my god yes. When I started WFH due to pregnancy struggles, I noticed that we would have a lot of people knocking on the door."
"I take calls so I’m not just lounging around. I would let the door go unanswered and then I would see my mother-in-law calling me and sending me messages that so-and-so will be stopping by for X thing."
"I would have to explain to her that I’m busy working and cannot leave my desk."
"Another thing that would happen would be her aunt, who was living with us at the time, would come to the living room to watch TV and videos on her phone. The fact that I had to tell her more than once that I am WORKING so she needs to watch TV in another room baffled me."
"I also had to explain that I have access to people’s medical information and how would she feel if she called her doctor’s office and the person she was having a conversation with was discussing her private information in front of others."
- Dreamvillainess22
"THIS. Even my family doesn’t get it."
“ 'Wanna meet for lunch?' Nope working."
“ 'Can you run to the store?' Nope working."
- dinahsaur523
Live At Work
Computer Working Late GIF by Cake FXGiphy" 'Work From Home' can easily become 'Live at Work.' "
- TanLimes
"When we went WFH in March of 2020, I went from 50-60 hours a week, to an easy 60-70 hours/week."
"Can confirm, it sucked."
"Getting laid off from that toxic place was definitely one of the best things that happened to me over the last couple of years."
- Steve_78_OH
"This was such a problem for me. I live in a studio apartment and so my computer’s always right there."
"I would find myself getting up at 2 am to just take care of something. And just going back to the computer over and over."
"I had to give up space that I had for a desk and doing hobbies to have space for work. My office at work is at least twice the size of the space I work from at home."
"The one day I had to just sit in on some stupid senior town hall type meetings where no one expected me to engage but I was supposed to be listening and I did laundry and dishes and stuff while working. On that day, it was great."
"Every other day I’ve worked from home has ended up being at least a couple more hours of work."
"It’s kept me up at night, I get way more stressed, I never move more than the 10 steps from bed to desk to bathroom and loop and done."
"Hate it. Hate it so much. I never want to work from home if possible - at least not until I have much more space."
- GenericUser435
"I have been working from home since we'll before covid. I have an office, when I am done my day, everything stays in there, including work phone."
"This is how I maintain my sanity."
- captain_redballs
Partner Perspectives
Happy Well Done GIF by LaffGiphy"When you and your partner both work from home, you miss that natural separation of your lives."
"Suddenly you have much less to talk about, because you're living your lives together more than previously, and then takes more active effort to maintain individuality and not regress into the singular relationship entity in all aspects of life which isn't healthy for anyone."
- opgrrefuoqu
"That's funny, we're sort of the opposite in that we talk a lot more than we ever did."
"It's so interesting and fun to hear him at his work and he likes to come through to my desk and have a wee rant about whatever he's been doing with."
"Also we get to go for lunchtime walks together and make each other cups of tea and I think it's really been very good for our relationship."
- bookschocolatebooks
Exacerbating Anxieties
Arrested Development Television GIFGiphy"My wife works from home and it seems like a very sedentary lifestyle."
"Sometimes, she doesn't even have to get dressed. I don't know, it just seems like if you're already anxious or depressed, you can accidentally become a shut-in."
- PREClOUS_R0Y
"Can confirm."
"I’ve had to work from home on and off the past month. The depression nest is real."
- i_am_a_toaster
"This is fascinating to me. I've been working from home for almost 2 years and I'm dreading ever returning."
"I wear comfy sweats every day. But at the same time I still shower regularly, eat normally, and maintain my regular life. I just don't have to get all put together and drive to an office for 8+ hours daily."
- Evidence-Visible
"It’s a very sedentary lifestyle while working, but not a tremendous difference from than when I was in an office."
"Oddly, it’s forced me to exercise more because I have to actually burn energy and leave my house for an hour or so."
"Working from home works for some people and not others."
"But I absolutely hate commuting. Combine that with the lifestyle choices I’ve made to stay healthier while at home, it’s made me so much happier. I can’t stress how incredible it is not to commute."
"It’s a true life-changer to get two hours of your day back."
- SPAREustheCUTTER
Sick Days
Excited I Feel Sick GIFGiphy"Working through what would have been sick days."
- whooligun
"This."
"I have COVID at the moment, first 2 days were write offs, but now I'm back to it because I can stay awake for longer than an hour at a time."
- A7exand3r
"I actually like this aspect of working from home."
"I rarely get too sick to actually work, but would still have to take time off if I thought I may be contagious. Now I can just work through those days and use my sick days as vacation on days of my choosing."
- SpaceCowboy58
Accidental Exercise
Emmy Awards Fitness GIF by EmmysGiphy"I'm missing out on a lot of 'accidental' exercise."
"I used to walk to the train station, then from the station at the far end to the office. Have a wander around at lunch."
"Now, I walk from my bed to the shower, and from the shower to my office/man cave. If I had a Fitbit, it may get as high as 50 steps by lunch."
- A_name_wot_i_made_up
"Same boat here, I used to get 10k steps minimum going into the office. Now I hit 3,500 most days."
- Lars9
"I used to take the train to Manhattan and then walk from Penn station to the office. I would get my 10,000 steps in before I even got to work. Now I am far less physically active."
- subcow
"Yeah, that’s why I got a cheap stationary bicycle in March 2020 and now I ride it whenever I’m watching TV, to make up for my former commute."
- ThePowerOfStories
Jailed
Adam Ruins Everything Jail GIF by truTVGiphy"You feel jailed."
"You work in your house, you clean the house, you cook for the family in the house and when everybody gets home from school/work you are the only one who did not get to go outside."
"Nobdy want's to come outside with you because they were outside all day."
- mageakeem
"This is my life."
"After a day inside my house looking at a computer, transitioning to being in my house to look at the TV is the last thing I want to do. I spend at least two hours just wandering around outside my house."
- reason2listen
"I’ve found that it helps to leave the house for a bit before and after work."
"Before work and the school drop off, I take a walk with the family. I don’t go back in the house until it is time for work. At the end of my workday I leave the house to do a short walk, then go back in and change clothes."
"Then I’m officially home. It sounds weird , but it works for me."
- notthatguytheother1
"I'm going to get annoyed with the place I'm working, no matter where that is."
"I'd rather it be somewhere impartial that I don't have to see when I'm not working. I don't need that negative energy towards my home, which is supposed to be my safe space."
- [user deleted]
Foregoing Fashion
Meryl Streep Sunglasses GIF by 20th Century Fox Home EntertainmentGiphy"I miss wearing my nice work outfits."
"The only reason I leave home is to pick up groceries, go to the gym, or go to church, so 80% of my wardrobe is going unworn."
"But I do NOT miss my 2+ hour round-trip commute, so I would never wear a pencil skirt again if it meant I had to go back to that traffic hell."
- DYITB
"Wow... I haven't seen a pencil skirt in real life for years now. I HAD seen a woman in business clothes around October."
"In Kroger, I heard the click clack of heels and it dawned on me what it was. A woman in a wonderful outfit was pushing a cart and talking on the phone like it was still 2019."
"It was like seeing a ghost."
- Columbus43219
"After the first few months of work from home pajamas freedom, I realized I needed to get dressed everyday to feel good about myself."
"So even though no one but my tiny group of friends see it, I still wear my work clothes and try to look nice."
"I think our very connected social media has us convinced you need to show off if you want to get dressed up, but people used to get fancied up to have dinner with their partner at home. And that just seems nice to me."
- Ihaveacatnamedslim
"Man, not wearing work clothes is like my number one favorite thing about working from home!"
"I've never liked business casual clothing and dress codes seemed so arbitrary to me. My work clothes were always in that category of 'Well I don't love it but it's good for work.' "
"Once I got a permanently remote gig I got rid of all those and got some nice, comfy lounge wear!"
- missluluh
Stranger Danger
I Dont Know Her Mariah Carey GIF by MOODMANGiphy"I love working from home but it can give you an everybody is just a stranger vibes. Loss of connection to the outside world is real."
- orange728
"I've been working from home during the pandemic long enough that I've seen people come and go from our team without ever having met them."
- bluetista1988
"Completely agree with you on this."
"I’ve drifted apart from certain friend groups simply because I work from home and since I do, I get to work extra long and abnormal hours including weekends. I don’t even want to get ready and step outside after finishing my workday."
"Also, I joined a new company back in June 2021 working remote full time. We have a team of over 10 people and I’ve only ever met the team lead ONCE in person to pick up my laptop."
"Even though we have daily stand-ups and weekly face-to-face meetings where we enable our webcams, I still feel disconnected and not as closely knit as a team should be."
- jwt155
No More Networking
Snl Networking GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphy"Every discussion needs to be intentional."
"Forget about chance meetings in the hallway. Forget about casual lunches where you build relationships. Forget about contact with anyone outside of your immediate team."
"None of that will happen without you making an effort to set up time."
"If you don't take the time to manage things, long term working from home kills networking, culture and comradery."
- hiro111
"I started a job out of college in 2018 on site, built up relationships with my team members while working and when we went hybrid it was fine."
"Started a new job this past November and feel like I only 'know' one person on my team because he’s the only one who is willing to teach or reach out to see if I’m stuck on anything."
"Even with daily meetings to start the day I don’t “know” anyone else on this team. I miss my old team and the dynamic of it so much."
- Underscore330
Must Leave Work
Joanne The Scammer Running GIF by Super DeluxeGiphy"When working in the office going back home was like a long waited nice thing to happen. I liked being back home and relax etc."
"Right now when I'm done with my work from home day job I feel like I need to leave this space because I've been sitting here all day since morning."
"I have a separate office room but still sometimes I have to leave the place for a walk, grocery etc even though the weather is bad and/or I don't need to buy anything."
"It's difficult to stay home even though I may need to do something else inside like cleaning or repairing stuff."
"I'm done working. I need to leave work."
- pawkorydzek
A Method To The Madness
Not How It Works Season 25 GIF by The BachelorGiphy"Working with people who aren’t used to working from home."
"At my old job, 50% were remote so there was just a way of doing things, even pre pandemic. Group chat (slack or teams), cc everybody on an email, rarely pick up the phone for a 1:1."
"Current job, they still behave like an office environment with one-off conversations and not keeping everybody up to speed. It’s disorienting and way more subject to Bullsh*t politics."
- pivazena
Ignoring The Chorus
Schitts Creek No GIF by CBCGiphy"My employer keeps having meetings where they try to convince us how everyone hates working from home and then just ignores the chorus of people saying that isn't true. We're good here at home, thanks."
- monosyllabicmonolith
Time Zone Trouble
Debi Mazar Aftershow GIF by TV LandGiphy"I work in a time zone that isn't the same as our company headquarters."
"If I was an in office employee, when I leave, done, no more meetings. But nothing is stopping PST folks from making a 6-7pm EST zoom meeting that I feel obligated to go to."
- NCmimsy
Separate The Stress
"When you work from home, your home and safe space also becomes your office. It’s hard to detach yourself from work stress when you just worked all day at the dining room table now you’re trying to enjoy your dinner at the same spot."
"That’s what I hated most about working from home. And this is an even bigger issue if you have a high stress job or one you dislike."
- whoknows947
The Only Negative
Surprised In Trouble GIF by NickelodeonGiphy"I started working from home in March 2020 and I love it."
"I don't have to drive an hour and a half each way anymore. I don't have to wear uncomfortable clothes. I have more time to clean the house and keep up with it during the day."
"The only negative, if you can even call it that, is that I end up working extra most days. Instead of shutting down at 4:57 to beat traffic leaving the parking garage, I'll often work until 5:15 or 5:30 or even 6 to get something done."
- Codyh630
Factions
Pirates Fleet GIF by Sea of ThievesGiphy"What I've seen around my workplace is that for those of us who, by their industry, cannot work from home, those that can are highly resented by those who can't have that luxury (and it IS a luxury)."
"When the sometimers come back into the office for whatever reason, they're shunned by those that go in every day, almost hostile towards them."
"Those that WFH a majority of time are treated like they're a part of the cleaning crew. They're in the workplace poking around a little, not talking much and then they're gone."
"There is a clear separation now between the (dare I call them) factions."
- Lincoln_Park_Pirate
If you've been working from home for a while, share some things others may not realize about it.
We'll see you (and your jammy pants) in the comments!
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Now that the whole world is at home hiding from COVID-19, a lot of people have to bust out some serious "art" seriously fast. If you've never worked from home, it can take ages to figure out how to do it productively.
This article is here to be your personal Bob Ross and remind you that anyone can be an artist.
One Reddit user asked:
You've got to keep in mind that not everyone's work style is going to be the same, so not every tip may apply to you. Your situation may be entirely different from someone else's. Maybe background music works for you. Maybe you're one of those people who can't have any on because it turns into workeoke and you don't have enough people in the house to provide solid backing vocals for when you do Bohemian Rhapsody. We don't judge. We appreciate your commitment to the high harmony.
In any case, there are a few things here that most of you will probably find useful. Doesn't mean you're going to listen to the experts, though. We get it. Chillin on the couch with a bag of hot cheetos DOES sound like a good time.
Best Use Of Time
Pick a room, close the door, and use noise cancelling headphones. Everything is a distraction when working from home. Suddenly, checking the mail and doing the dishes seems like the best use of your time.
Time To Stop
If there's one thing especially to be disciplined about it the TIME TO STOP WORKING! It's very easy to convince yourself it's ok to keep reading a report because you might just finish it today or to finish making all of the entries because tomorrow will be that much easier or you'll finally be done with a project.
Work at home starts to bleed over into your home non-work time/life very quietly and quickly. Pretty soon it will be a habit. I've worked at home for the last 15 years and got so much more work done but I had to fight hard to win this battle.
Get Dressed
GiphyDo your usual morning routine and get dressed! Be sitting at your desk by your usual start time and stick to your usual break times. It's tempting to stay in your pyjamas and work from bed but you'll feel much better if you put yourself together each day.
A 20 Year Veteran
I have been working from home for 20 years, since before my first kid was born. It has been great. My biggest habits:
- Have a dedicated space and keep regular hours.
- Make sure your family knows they can't interrupt your work unless the house is on fire.
- Keep a journal so nobody can question your productivity.
- Use your saved commute hours to read the paper in the morning and/or exercise.
- Eat lunch out of your fridge.
- Keep good coffee in the house.
You can actually be more productive at home and live a better life this way, if you stay disciplined.
Hot Cheetos
Instead of standing by the coffee machine or wasting time gabbing in someone's office I take that time and take my dog for a 10 minute walk or play some fetch in the yard, I do some stretches, work on a craft for a few minutes. Staying productive in your "down time" while working from home directly correlates to staying productive during your work time. If you take a 30 minute break to lounge on the couch and eat hot cheetos, you'll be a lot less inclined to get back into the groove of working than if you had taken that time to do something active or productively fun.
Tasks Not Time
Set tasks not time. Don't tell yourself "oh I've been working for X hours [translation: browsing reddit] , I deserve a break". Make a list of what you need to get done and don't give yourself an out till you've gotten it done.
If you can talk to your coworkers on Hangouts / Slack / whatever. Hold each other accountable to your lists.
Routine
Set a routine.
I wake up every morning, check my emails, respond to anything urgent, open up all the files I'll be working with for the day.
Then I make coffee.
Then I attend morning meetings, eat breakfast and drink coffee.
Then I take a 20 minute break.
Then it's about an hour of work. Then lunch. I'll usually pop on an episode of the simpsons while I'm making lunch (or big mouth, or disenchanted, or some anime, or whatever)
Then another couple hours of work.
Then afternoon snack.
Another hour of work, then it's time to pick up the kid from school. Bring her home, sit her in front of a movie, and bang out another hour of work.
Then it's quitting time. I shut my laptop and resolve myself to not touch it again until morning.
Yes, it's broken up a lot, but I don't have people hanging over my cube just wanting to "chat".
Not The Couch
I've been working remote for ~8 years now.
You have to have a dedicated work space. Your job happens at your workstation. Not everyone has a spare room or a desk but make it as official as possible. Do not, under any circumstances, work from the couch.
Take an hour to wake up and get moving, have some coffee, do some stretching, read the news, listen to 15-20 minutes of a podcast. Then officially start your work day. You'll really start to appreciate the time you don't have to scramble to get ready.
I don't have an opinion on showering and "dressing up". I shower most mornings but always just wear a t-shirt and joggers.
Take a break and go the fck outside to walk around, try to get at least a mile.
Drink lots of coffee because it's awesome.
Take a 30-45 minute lunch and actually cook a really good lunch. I make a salmon, potato, egg hash every day. I'll pickle some peppers, chop some garlic and really focus on cooking for a few minutes.
Don't feel guilty about taking a few 10-15 minute break. My normal work flow even when I was in the office was 45-50 minutes of actual work and 10 minutes of di*king around.
4:00 work beer
Before you go on your walk and before you start lunch throw in a load of laundry.
Without office and co-worker distractions try to get 6 solid, honest hours of work between when you start and when you finish.
You'll miss it when you have to go back in the office.
- tpxnu16
The Zone
GiphyHave sht you will get done by a specific time or by the end of the day. Not a "oh I'll do 3 hours of work". No. Get tasks ready or you will get distracted and lose focus.
Also put on some music or something that is not too distracting get comfortable and you may end up getting in a "flow" or "the zone". That is when you really get a ton of work done. You end up doing better than in an office.
- Tearaken
24 Hours Of Wear And Tear
My husband I have worked from home since 2002. Something you're going to realize: your house now gets 24 hours of wear and tear. Be extra diligent about cleaning up after yourself and putting things back where they belong, otherwise your house, especially your kitchen, will "silt up" with mess.
- Fladagal
Blocked
If you keep finding yourself on Facebook or reddit (like me when trying to do my online college course) download something like "cold turkey" to block distracting sites during certain time frames. I have 10-15min breaks in my schedule to get some down time, but other than that don't touch social media when I'm supposed to be working. Helped my productivity level a ton!
Bedroom Blues
Don't work from your bedroom. It is meant for sleep not work. You may get tired if you try to work from there.
A Trial Run
I work from home most of the year.
GET UP AND BE GRATEFUL! Wear comfortable clothes and be productive.
This may just be the trial run for tele-work that many people have been hoping for, so shine! Lots of companies have been resistant to it and now have no choice, maybe it could be the norm.
My tips:
-Set-up a desk-like area, use the same travel mug you normally do!
-Don't turn on the TV and don't work in bed!
-Take breaks and take a lunch.
-If you have pets, enjoy your time with them, this is a perk. It will make you want to work harder to preserve this.
-Keep a log of the tasks that you are getting done, at first managers are more vigilant to be sure that you are working and not slacking. Once you prove that you are working, they tend to back off.
-Stop working at the same time you normally do, don't get sucked in to working late.
-Go outside and take a walk - get some exercise so that you don't get sick of your home.
- birdvery
Communication And Availability
Be online.
Be available over whatever IM your company uses. Communicate with your co-workers at least as much as you do in the office. Write brief status reports even if nobody is asking for them.
Communication and availability are important to maintain because this is what is most at risk when people aren't in a shared environment.
Status reports are useful to help you maintain focus, but also can help your manager keep track of what's going on with people. If you have daily stand ups, then this isn't necessary. Your managers are going to get asked about how the team is doing in this new environment; give her tools to effectively answer those questions. The best updates are short and frequent; daily and brief, not an essay once a week.
- sxan
You've Left Work
Start your day exactly the same as of you were going in to work. Get up at the same time, shower, shave, put on real clothes, and eat your usual breakfast. Then 'go' to work and have the same tea and lunch break you usually would. And when the work day finishes, do NOT check your work email or answer work calls. You've left work, you're home now.
- LilMaece