What are some examples of good, non-office jobs that don’t wreck your body over time?

40 comments

  7. Best-paying (also easiest) non-office job I ever had was bartending for weddings. Only work weekends, 5 hour shift average, last call at 10pm, and everybody tips graciously because it’s their daughter’s/son’s wedding.

    Bonus: I didn’t have to get any licenses or take any training like a traditional bartender because I worked under the company’s license. Event-style bartending is usually simplified because of high volume, so I never had to memorize dozens of complicated drinks.

  8. Problem is most jobs destroy your body in one way or another. Office jobs are horrendous for backs with all the sitting for hours on end. Trade jobs, well, they fuck up your body all around haha just a matter of what gets you first there (knees, rotator cuffs, back injuries, head injuries, cancers from all the chemicals and glues). Even retail, you’re on concrete floors all the time and that can fuck up your knees, hips, and back. I’m getting into being a letter carrier hopefully (worked in trades and fucked my back over bigtime so it’s one of my only options), and I’m certain all the walking will catch up with me.

  12. Work is trading your well being for cash. There’s really not an escape to this except becoming part of the investor class.

    Best bet is to figure out how to get the most for it.

  13. It’s a very small workforce (so there aren’t many opportunities) and quite competitive, but Countryside Rangers.

    It’s quite a healthy job all told, as you get a good amount of exercise without really having to do much in the way of frequent heavy labour.

  14. I’ve switched to exclusively standing at my office job. It takes some getting used to but my back pain has completely gone away. I also exercise 4-6 hours a week.

  15. School teacher. As a retired teacher most of my day was spent on my feet, (that was my teaching style) but I wasn’t doing any damage to my body.

  17. Constant labor with no rest will wreck your body as fast as no labor sitting at a desk with no exercise.

    So you’re looking for a job that’s kind of like crossfit I guess. SOME trades are sweaty labor for 20 years then die, but quite a few are that mix. Industrial maint anything (machine maint, electrician, etc) has a good mix of sitting in a chair vs labor.

  18. Teaching. You spend a lot of time standing and there’s a fair bit of non-screen time.

    Barbering/hairdressing. On your feet all day, although maybe it’s not great for your back to always be leaning around a customer.

  20. Health inspector. I love it because I’m out and about all day meeting people but the actual job isn’t rough on the body. You also work for the government so the benefits are amazing

  21. Medical jobs.

    Due to Dr.’s taking most of the spotlight for hospital work, it’s left a metric fuck ton of job openings and shortages of critical hospital systems.

    Most of them start off at $70k and only need a HS or Bachelor Degree depending on the complexity, with some of the more higher paying stuff needing a Master’s Degree or Work Cert. (By higher paying, I’m talking $90k-$200k out of the gate)

  22. Operating room technician. Pays 50-60k and doesn’t require experience. On the job training. Only requirement is that you can lift 50lbs. That’s pretty rare.

  24. Most of them, if you wear your PPE and follow proper procedures and health and safety legislation.

  25. A guy I fish with is in nature restoration or something like that. So he basically works to restore environments back to what they should be. Works outside and says he loves it.

  26. Cook it’s a great way to both have control in your life and have creativity to spark you

  27. I sell paint.

    Low volume retail environment where 80% of your customer base are regulars.

    I do lift heavy pails of paint, but it’s more of a workout at work than destroying my body, I don’t consider it an office job, but your definition may differ.

    I am good at what I do and make $23.50/hr in the northeast USA + benefits + profit sharing.

    Your mileage may vary, I work for a good company.

  28. Stationary engineer . Qualifications in most places require you to pass a math test and do an apprenticeship.

  29. If you don’t take care of yourself then basically every job can be bad for your health. Office workers have to stay active. People with technical jobs need to stay fit so that their bodies can cope with the strain of daily functions. If you have a job that’s between sitting all day and balancing technical tasks than you need to stay active and train to handle the work load. At the same time, work helps keep you engaged. But there really is no one perfect job. Everything has pros / cons, and some situations will be better tailored to certain individuals.

    Find a lifestyle that lets you live a balanced life. Although, that’s easier said than done.

  30. Inspector for an engineering firm/ can be 50/50 in office on site work. Surveying is another one

  31. Influencer just don’t be a predator or racist and upload 10min vids everyday until you die or get canceled

  36. That Practical Engineering guy from youtube keeps pushing water treatment tech/engineer as a good career option, that doesn’t even require college. Although it probably helps to get your foot in the door. Seems like he might be right, lots of demand, good variety, inside/outside (not a desk job), not physically demanding, etc. Only downside is you’ll have to be near smelly stuff sometimes.

  40. I would say my job as a crematory operator at a pet cremation center but I’d be lying. Alot of jobs that people don’t want to do anymore will eventually wreck your body. My job consists of a lot of heavy lifting, loading and unloading crematory units that sometimes are 800 degrees or more. Oldest son is starting an HVAC apprenticeship and that is going to wreck his body as well eventually. Alot of jobs that people don’t want to do now pay well and have great benefits and opportunity for ot. But in the long run will wreck your body. I’d suggest depending on your age going to trade school and finding something that will pay well that you want to do and be able to stand to do for awhile. I did automotive for around 20 years and that racked up alot of miles on me. Now I do pet cremations because it pays more and is less stressful.

Leave a Reply
You May Also Like