6 answers
Karlie
Student
Newton Falls, Ohio
2
Questions
Asked
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Career suggestions for a balanced life and managing yourself?
What type of careers are good for having a balanced life and being able to manage yourself?
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6 answers
Madan Khadka
Data Center Technician
6
Answers
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Updated
Madan’s Answer
Hi Karlie,
I’ll share something from my own experience. When I first came to Australia as an immigrant, I was juggling two or sometimes three jobs. I was making decent money, but after about five years I started asking myself, “What am I actually doing with my life?” My friends were progressing in their careers while I was still jumping between jobs. I had money, but very little freedom to travel, explore, spend time with family and friends, or even enjoy myself.
Things changed when I left one job and started focusing on something I genuinely enjoyed, computers and networking. I began studying just 20 to 30 minutes a day, often learning one small topic at a time. Having only one job gave me more time to study, exercise, spend time with family, and even enjoy simple hobbies like painting and sketching. I earned less for a while, but I felt much happier, healthier and more focused.
So my advice is not to choose a career based only on salary. Think about what kind of life you want outside of work too. Careers in IT, healthcare, skilled trades, education, government, engineering and many other fields can eventually provide good income and balance once you develop valuable skills.
Find something you're genuinely curious about and give yourself 6 to 12 months of consistent learning. Even 20 to 30 minutes every day adds up to a huge amount of learning over time.
Money is important, but having time to actually enjoy the life you're working for is important too. I learned that lesson a little late, so hopefully you can learn it earlier than I did.
Good luck, Karlie!
I’ll share something from my own experience. When I first came to Australia as an immigrant, I was juggling two or sometimes three jobs. I was making decent money, but after about five years I started asking myself, “What am I actually doing with my life?” My friends were progressing in their careers while I was still jumping between jobs. I had money, but very little freedom to travel, explore, spend time with family and friends, or even enjoy myself.
Things changed when I left one job and started focusing on something I genuinely enjoyed, computers and networking. I began studying just 20 to 30 minutes a day, often learning one small topic at a time. Having only one job gave me more time to study, exercise, spend time with family, and even enjoy simple hobbies like painting and sketching. I earned less for a while, but I felt much happier, healthier and more focused.
So my advice is not to choose a career based only on salary. Think about what kind of life you want outside of work too. Careers in IT, healthcare, skilled trades, education, government, engineering and many other fields can eventually provide good income and balance once you develop valuable skills.
Find something you're genuinely curious about and give yourself 6 to 12 months of consistent learning. Even 20 to 30 minutes every day adds up to a huge amount of learning over time.
Money is important, but having time to actually enjoy the life you're working for is important too. I learned that lesson a little late, so hopefully you can learn it earlier than I did.
Good luck, Karlie!
M G
Business Professional
1
Answer
Hartford, Connecticut
Updated
M’s Answer
Hi Karlie - Through my 10 year working career, striking a balance between work and career is one that is never perfect and always a work in progress. There will always be times in life where your time will be invested more in one area versus the other, but always being mindful of the competing priorities in life and knowing when to place more energy in one area or another is the key. My suggestion to anyone, including myself, is to find a career that interests you and an employer that values their employees is imperative. You could be in a career where the culture at one company is wildly different than another, which then would have an adverse impact on your perspective of the career as a whole. Additionally, you could be in a career that you chose based on the balance and those 40 hour work weeks will feel like 80 hours as a whole. It is all in the perspective that you develop around the career and the workplace, which is the most important.
Bethany Mason
4
Answers
Georgetown, Texas
Updated
Bethany’s Answer
Careers that offer a balanced life and independence usually have predictable hours, flexible work options, clear responsibilities, and limited after-hours demands. Good options for a college student to explore include:
* Data analyst: Independent, project-based work with strong remote-work potential.
* Software or web developer: Flexible schedules, remote opportunities, and control over daily tasks.
* Technical writer: Independent writing and research with manageable deadlines.
* Accountant: Structured work and predictable hours, although tax season can be busy.
* Graphic or UX designer: Creative, project-focused work that may offer freelance or remote options.
* Human resources specialist: Generally consistent business hours and clear career paths.
* Marketing analyst or digital marketer: A mix of creativity and data, often with flexible work arrangements.
* Healthcare administration: Stable work without the unpredictable schedules common in direct patient care.
* Librarian or archivist: Organized, independent work with relatively predictable hours; some roles require a master’s degree.
* Government employee: Often provides stable hours, strong benefits, holidays, and work-life boundaries.
* Occupational therapist: Meaningful work with scheduling flexibility, though an advanced degree is required.
* Skilled trades: Electricians, dental hygienists, and similar professionals may have strong earning potential and greater scheduling control.
When choosing a career, remember that the employer and workplace culture can matter just as much as the job title. Look for organizations that respect personal time, offer flexibility, provide sufficient paid time off, and evaluate employees based on results—not how many hours they remain online.
* Data analyst: Independent, project-based work with strong remote-work potential.
* Software or web developer: Flexible schedules, remote opportunities, and control over daily tasks.
* Technical writer: Independent writing and research with manageable deadlines.
* Accountant: Structured work and predictable hours, although tax season can be busy.
* Graphic or UX designer: Creative, project-focused work that may offer freelance or remote options.
* Human resources specialist: Generally consistent business hours and clear career paths.
* Marketing analyst or digital marketer: A mix of creativity and data, often with flexible work arrangements.
* Healthcare administration: Stable work without the unpredictable schedules common in direct patient care.
* Librarian or archivist: Organized, independent work with relatively predictable hours; some roles require a master’s degree.
* Government employee: Often provides stable hours, strong benefits, holidays, and work-life boundaries.
* Occupational therapist: Meaningful work with scheduling flexibility, though an advanced degree is required.
* Skilled trades: Electricians, dental hygienists, and similar professionals may have strong earning potential and greater scheduling control.
When choosing a career, remember that the employer and workplace culture can matter just as much as the job title. Look for organizations that respect personal time, offer flexibility, provide sufficient paid time off, and evaluate employees based on results—not how many hours they remain online.
BUDI KUSUMO
Review expenses and manage tax-related matters within the company
3
Answers
Fort Worth, Texas
Updated
BUDI’s Answer
Hi Karlie,
Work-life balance can be obtained when you set a boundary between work and personal life regardless any work you do. You need to know the expectations from the company you work for and how you can perform to meet the expectations. Keep improving your skills!
Work-life balance can be obtained when you set a boundary between work and personal life regardless any work you do. You need to know the expectations from the company you work for and how you can perform to meet the expectations. Keep improving your skills!
Heike Hermanns
Program Manager
13
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Heike’s Answer
You can find work-life balance wherever you are; it's your choice. Everyone has a different idea of what balance means, so be clear about what it means to you. Set your priorities and boundaries. Learn ways to manage stress, like figuring out what helps you relax when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Colleen Zou
Human Resources Administrator
14
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Colleen’s Answer
Hi, three careers that could provide work-life balance, top of mind, would be: physical therapist, mental health therapist, and human resources specialist.
For the first two, you can open your own practice, and/or you can choose your own working hours. Especially with both fields growing steadily, and if science and math is not difficult, these could be very lucrative and safe options to have a career in.
For HR work, you typically work normal corporate hours. Depending on company culture, generally there should not be very much overtime needed outside of the average 8-5.
But, many other careers can have this balance you’re looking for, and some of it comes down to your ability to create boundaries with your colleagues, and understanding you might not be receiving extra compensation (like overtime pay) if you maintain a firm boundary.
Hope this helps!
For the first two, you can open your own practice, and/or you can choose your own working hours. Especially with both fields growing steadily, and if science and math is not difficult, these could be very lucrative and safe options to have a career in.
For HR work, you typically work normal corporate hours. Depending on company culture, generally there should not be very much overtime needed outside of the average 8-5.
But, many other careers can have this balance you’re looking for, and some of it comes down to your ability to create boundaries with your colleagues, and understanding you might not be receiving extra compensation (like overtime pay) if you maintain a firm boundary.
Hope this helps!