Low Stress Jobs that Pay Well

Every job comes with some level of mental and physical stress. Try as hard as you may, there are simply no jobs in the world that don’t come with a free bundle of stress and anxiety.

As a matter of fact, some level of stress and anxiety is beneficial for us. That’s because some degree of stress keeps us active while anxiety can help us perform better and get tasks completed quickly.

If we look around, every person suffers from some level of stress. That’s because stress and anxiety are normal reactions of the human brain and body when they face any sort of challenges.

For example, we face challenges at work every day. This leads to some level of stress. However, this kind of stress is positive since it compels us to perform better and improve our skills.

Furthermore, there are several more reasons for stress at work too. Before I speak about low stress jobs that pay well, it’s important to know the reasons that are causing you stress and anxiety at a present job or reasons why you might wish to avoid it.

Common Reasons for Job Stress

There are as many as 10 reasons why most of us find work stressful. If we leave stress untreated or without taking proper actions for its reduction or elimination, it can develop anxiety.

High stress levels are generally unhealthy and hence the reasons causing it have to be addressed and removed immediately. This could involve changing a job or even taking new roles that are relatively low stress.

Here are the 15 common reasons for stress:

1. Ambiguous Job Roles: Persons working on jobs where there are no clearly defined roles, usually feel a high level of stress. This happens because sometimes, they might not possess the necessary skills to perform certain kinds of tasks necessary for some vague role.
2. Hostile Workplace: Some of us might have worked in hostile workplaces. At such workplaces, colleagues will be uncooperative, there could be an unhealthy level of office politics, grouping on lines of ethnicity or other factors and overall none or minimal communication between colleagues.
3. Micromanagement: At certain workplaces, we’re constantly under supervision. This leads to seniors meddling with whatever job we’re doing and giving advice frequently to redo what’s already been done. Such micromanagement causes severe stress and anxiety.
4. Working under Pressure: Some bosses wrongly believe that employees perform better under pressure. Hence, they set unrealistic targets and goals for their employees and question the progress towards achieving such bloated targets. Working under performance pressure is the surest way to attract stress and anxiety.
5. Lack of Appreciation: The primary cause of employee attrition in the US and elsewhere is the lack of appreciation by seniors and sometimes, peers too. When that happens, an employee loses the initiative to work well and comes under stress because they suspect that their skills and work are wasted.
6. Long Commutes: The average commute time in the US is about 54 minutes a day or about 27 minutes each way. In larger cities such as New York, commutes take painfully long due to traffic snarls. Long commutes to the office also add to stress and anxiety since nobody wants to arrive late for work.
7. Mergers & Acquisitions: Employees may feel redundant or even threatened by the prospect of job losses if their company has been taken over by some other owner or is merging with another organization. This is a sure invitation to stress since the job security that an employee looks for, has vanished overnight.
8. Financial Issues: Employees who feel they’re lowly paid, know that their employer is making losses or are facing personal issues with money are most prone to suffer from stress and anxiety. They lack enthusiasm and are always brooding over money matters. This overthinking over the financial situation also causes stress and anxiety.
9. Health and Safety Concerns: Workers exposed to health hazards and have serious safety concerns about their wellness at workplaces, usually suffer from stress and anxiety. This can happen even when the workers can trust their own skills.
10. Job Security: Nobody likes to feel insecure at a job. Unfortunately, certain employers aren’t able to provide job security to their employees due to the poor standing of the organization. These businesses witness high staff attrition and find difficulties in recruitment. Employees of such organizations experience severe stress and anxiety.

Then we have some more factors that cause stress at work. These include favoritism, meaning favoring one employee over others, lack of job satisfaction, job insecurity and overload of work.

While some persons can cope with these kinds of stress and anxiety, most cannot and hence look for other jobs or even wish to change careers. In some cases, it’s possible to get a job change quickly. However, career changes can take a little longer.

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Definition of Low Stress Jobs

Now that we’re aware of what causes high stress at work, let’s understand what are low stress jobs?

Basically, low-stress jobs can be defined as work where there’s zero or minimal work pressure, job-related anxiety is low or doesn’t exist, and a job with comfortable work environment.

These jobs don’t come with risks of our safety and health hazards and employers are usually stable businesses or other organizations. There are no fears of the place you’re working getting sold out or taken over by some other business and hence, your job is secure. Furthermore, your job gives satisfaction.

A low stress job could help you lead an overall happier life.

At the same time, it's important to note that what you could find stressful, another may not. Everyone has different stress thresholds. Then there are various considerations including personal preferences, own skills, and our personality that play a significant role in determining what constitutes a low-stress job for us.

Added to that are considerations such as income from a certain job, the job location, needs of our family such as education, healthcare facilities and safety, among others.

Millions of people continue with a job because the pay is superb, they don’t need to relocate anywhere and the needs of their family are met fully. In such cases, the overall happiness they get from these benefits more than compensates for any high stress they might experience at work. For such persons, even a high stress job seems like a low stress one.

Therefore, I will say with due fairness that the definition of a low stress job or a high stress job depends on each individual. The measure of stress they experience depends on individual perceptions, in most cases.

best Low Stress Jobs that Pay Well

However, if you’re looking for a job that comes with fewer responsibilities, zero risks and hazards, long relaxed hours and ease of dealing with people, there are certain careers you can consider.

Some of them require a university or college degree while others can be taken by almost anyone who has completed high school and has a few skills.

1. Librarian

This is perhaps the best low-stress job. It gives you enough time to relax in the library and also read books when possible. You’ll usually deal with students if the job is at a school or college. There are no risks and hazards to your health or threats to the job since colleges and universities are usually financially stable.

2. Bartender

A Bartender doesn’t face any stress in their job, unless they’re going to drink secretly while working. Bartenders work fulltime or part-time. This job involves making amazing cocktails and keeping guests amused when they come to take a drink or sit around the bar counter alone and expect some entertainment from you.

3. Massage Therapist

The job of a massage therapist is simple. They give a massage with or without medicated oils and that’s it. They’re not responsible whether you feel better or not after a massage. You asked for a massage and they gave it. Period. And they get paid at the end of every massage session.

4. Gardener

Generally, all professional gardeners that I’ve come across took to this profession because they love plants and landscaping. They’re well versed with stuff such as planting seeds and saplings or grafts, various kinds of soils and fertilizers, watering techniques and skills to create amazing landscapes. They enjoy their work and hence, never feel stressed.

Also Read:

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5. Entertainers

This category of jobs involves everything from actors to musicians and singers. They have skills for their profession and enjoy what they do. No actor is there in a movie or drama by force. The same holds true for musicians and singers. The only stress they feel is about giving a wonderful performance. This is positive stress or eustress as it’s scientifically known and hence, beneficial.

6. Dressmakers

Yes, dressmakers feel some level of stress but that’s again positive type or eustress. This simple and positive eustress helps them to create the best dresses for their clients. It helps bring out their creativity to the fore. Dressmakers don’t face threats to life at work or face hazards. Nor are they under pressure from bosses or fear their business would merge or be acquired by someone. This job pays well too.

Also Read: 33 Best Places to Sell Clothes Online for Extra Cash

7. Fitness Instructors

Working as a fitness instructor is superb because this job has absolutely no stress. Exercising or doing workouts with clients is by itself relaxing and destressing. A fitness instructor only trains you on how to go about in the right way to attain the desired fitness levels.

They’re not responsible to deliver any results because it’s up to their clients to obey and get the fitness they desire. A fitness instructor only shows the way. It is one of the best hobbies that make money.

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8. Clergypersons

Women and men that form part of clergy for any religion enjoy a stress free life. That’s not because of some divine miracles. Instead, it’s because they are revered in most places and hence face no threats.

They lead congregations to pray and hence, there’s nothing stressful. Some preach from the scriptures or write their interpretations. If you’re of a spiritual bent of mind, consider becoming a clergyperson.

9. Nutritionist

People wanting to control weight or get proper diets consult a nutritionist. This is a stress free job too since nutritionists assess a person’s dietary habits, counsel them on nutrition and weight-related issues and come up with meal plans for such individuals.

They study the nutritional values of all kinds of food and suggest ideal meal plans based on the needs of their clients. Nutritionists don’t have any major stress.

10. Medical Lab Scientists/ Technicians

This job isn’t easy. Yet, it comes with very little or even zero stress. Medical lab scientists or technicians have to perform simple tasks that they’re qualified for. That is, testing blood, urine, sputum, plasma and other samples and making reports requested by doctors for their patients.

They have to be astute in their tests and reporting since it helps physicians chart the best line of treatment for victims of any disease.

11. Graphics Artist

The only stress that graphic designers or graphic artists experience is trying to better their own performance. They work with paper and pens or on the computer with software to create amazing designs for companies and individual clients.

Their skills are always in demand and hence, they enjoy stability and security even when the world is hit by pandemics or economic turmoil.

12. Astronomer

Gazing at stars and other cosmic bodies in outer space to make a living isn’t very stressful. That’s exactly what astronomers do all day or night. They chart the skies and try to spot new stars and planets, asteroids, comets and other such things.

The charts they create are useful for various purposes such as creating almanacks, space research and search for extraterrestrial life, among others.

13. Weathermen

Actually, weathermen are meteorologists. They study satellite imagery and other instruments to forecast the weather in various places around the world. Based on their findings, weathermen issue alerts against storms, rough seas, hot or cold weather and lots more.

Though their work is stress free, it is very important. Weather reports are useful for all of us as well as airlines and their pilots, seafarers, agriculturists and broadcasters, to name a few.

14. Data Analysts

They collect various types of data from the servers of their employers and analyze them for various purposes. These can include analysis of data to find what products are selling well and what are the profiles of persons buying such stuff.

They work alone usually and sometimes in teams. Their analysis helps companies to change their products or service offerings, identify areas of high demand and position their products and services properly in any market.

15. Mail Carriers

Mail carriers are also known as postmen in some countries such as the UK. Basically, a mail carrier’s job is to collect mail from postboxes and send them for sorting and delivery to their recipients.

The only thing they sometimes need to fear is pet dogs loitering around in the house or garden when they go to deliver mail. They also perform some other tasks such as selling postage stamps and stationery, where possible under USPS laws.

Also Read: Where to Sell Old Stamps for Cash Near me?

Conclusion

As you can see from these examples, no jobs are 100 per cent stress free. Each job comes with its inherent risks and disadvantages. However, compared to other types of employment, you will find my list of low stress jobs useful.

As I had said earlier, some of these jobs will require a specialized degree from any university. Others do not require educational qualifications and only your skills would be enough. However, it’s always best to upgrade your skills through online or offline courses that’re now easily available.

That way, you can be assured of your skills remaining relevant in the job market for long.