Support NeoGAF

[Miles708]

Was just wondering if anyone here has, or knows, or has done in the past, jobs that are on the opposite spectrum of the competitive, grindy, soul-crushing jobs lots of people have and hate but mostly can't admit.
Don't worry about pay (as long as you're getting paid at least something), but what could be jobs that are, simply, chill and calm, even boring.

Surprise me.

 

[Hari Seldon]

I had some absolutely great jobs before I settled into my career. Probably my top 2 were working front desk at a gym, and overnight security guard at an office building.

 

[nush]

Data Entry, perfect job if you are left alone to just type numbers into a database and can just put on some headphones. I've had this job a few times working for temp agencies, boring but nobody gives you shit becuse you are doing the job they don't want to do AND they don't know how long it takes so you don't need to rush.

I'd probably put night security guard for an office or closed during the night business in the same category, that probably actually pays more.

 

[Spaceman292]

Pretty sure airline pilots don't really do anything. Just take off, take a nine hour nap then land. How hard could that be?

 

[balls of snow]

Private tutor especially for content you already mastered.

 

[Irobot82]

Have you watched American Beauty? Clearly, fast food.

 

[juliushandle]

crossing guard

 

[Aesius]

Shelf stocker at a supermarket

Local delivery person (driving a box truck instead of a semi-truck)

Or any public-facing role where the public doesn’t actually interact with you that much, or at least, rarely needs anything from you.

 

[dr_octagon]

Washing cars

 

[Zeroing]

Only fans?

 

[AJUMP23]

Engineering is pretty chill if you have good leadership. But they are not low paying jobs.

 

[Miles708]

Engineering is pretty chill if you have good leadership. But they are not low paying jobs.

High-paying jobs are pefectly fine too!

Some neat answers here, keep 'em coming! I'm totally not looking after career-switching ideas.

 

[Lunarorbit]

I work as a custodian at an elementary school. Started a year ago to get into the town employment system so I could transfer eventually but it's super chill. I work 11-7 and the kids leave at 2.

Sure it can be messy but it's not stressful (besides regular politics at work). I'm on the low end of middle wage here in Massachusetts so I'm not getting rich but I'm not just treading water.

 

[Aesius]

I work as a custodian at an elementary school. Started a year ago to get into the town employment system so I could transfer eventually but it's super chill. I work 11-7 and the kids leave at 2.

Sure it can be messy but it's not stressful (besides regular politics at work). I'm on the low end of middle wage here in Massachusetts so I'm not getting rich but I'm not just treading water.

How often does a kid puke in their classroom? I remember at least 2 kids would puke every year at school and the janitor would come in and throw sawdust on it.

 

[Prison Mike]

I do 3d printing to be fair once the machines set up I got two guys working under me so I can kick back.

 

[kingfey]

Warehouse jobs.
People make these jobs as hard jobs. But you are literally doing the same thing. Once you get used to it, it's becomes much easier and boring.

Its much relaxing than being customer service, call guy, cashier, and other jobs which you interact with people.

Some warehouse jobs allows you to even listen to your music.

 

[HeadsUp7Up]

Shelf stocker at a supermarket

Can confirm. I did this for a few months in college and it was one of the best jobs I've ever had. It was only 3 or 4 of us for a grocery store and after they got me up to speed, we all did our own thing and left each other alone. Slap some headphones in and make sure your stuff is done by 5:00am.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I dont golf so I dont care, but many buddies always wanted to chill out near retirement age picking up a job at a golf course. I think golf courses pay decent too (not min wage). Their assumption is you get paid to just take care of greens and get free golf.

 

[Dural]

My wife does quality at a dairy and is the only person in the lab so is pretty much left alone. They also make ice cream and she has to test it, so she could eat all the ice cream she wants. She does have to deal with State, Federal, Military, company, and SQF auditors every so often so that can be stressful, but the rest of the time it's cake.

 

[chromhound]

To give parking ticket seem like a chill job. You get to drive around

 

[Aesius]

To give parking ticket seem like a chill job. You get to drive around

It's a chill job until someone comes out to their car while you're writing up their ticket. I used to walk past a big parking lot that was notorious for booting people. The guys who actually attached the boots had to be physically imposing because people would lose their shit over it. With parking tickets you don't have to return to their vehicle at least, but you still run the risk of being "caught in the act" by someone who may assault you.

 

[juliushandle]

is driving uber/lyft chill? I'd imagine driving around in a comfy car listening to podcast would be.

 

[zeorhymer]

Data entry. Boring as fuck, but so easy.

 

[M1chl]

In IT were good job is being Network Admin, specially if you are going in Linux, because of scripts. You mostly work like an hour per week and taking pretty good money.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Data entry. Boring as fuck, but so easy.

Very true.

Even better, get a contract job doing this where someone can float around here and there on their own time.

Many companies have crunch time and will need workers to enter and analyze files coming. I used to do this short term gig long time ago processing RRSP and RESP documents as they'd start flooding in end of year.

And even more boring and easy job. There would be a small team of people whose job was to take all print copies of any kind of application coming in and they would sit there for 8 hours scanning them with special codes, so they can filed away digitally, while the print copy got shipped to some warehouse.

Shitty jobs, but when youre getting $15/hr CDN for this in 1997, it was a good gig if you dont have a real FT job yet.

 

[Blade2.0]

is driving uber/lyft chill? I'd imagine driving around in a comfy car listening to podcast would be.

better to be a taxi driver, though. actual benefits, and you don't fuck over your own car for little over minimum wage. hell, some cities still give driver's pensions.

 

[jufonuk]

I do 3d printing to be fair once the machines set up I got two guys working under me so I can kick back.

Is the market for 3D printed Dildos good?

Mine was weekend partine Dishwasher at a local bistro. Only Xmas time and Valentine’s Day busy. Come in wash up. Claim some food. After work chat with the owners have a free beer.

Other than that blockbuster. Yeah not super chilled as some jobsworth managers and idiot customers. But I could put a movie on and watch it, take home some films for free to watch. (Back before streaming etc it was a sweet job perk) so long as I bought them back after. Also the newest releases were a no no as customers needed them.

The other was temp work at a local council. We had to go around taking photos of the properties they rented out and add data. We managed to do the job quickly. But took our time adding the details into the data base. In the end they let us work in supervised so we chilled lol.

 

[Dural]

Is the market for 3D printed Dildos good?

Mine was weekend partine Dishwasher at a local bistro. Only Xmas time and Valentine’s Day busy. Come in wash up. Claim some food. After work chat with the owners have a free beer.

Other than that blockbuster. Yeah not super chilled as some jobsworth managers and idiot customers. But I could put a movie on and watch it, take home some films for free to watch. (Back before streaming etc it was a sweet job perk) so long as I bought them back after. Also the newest releases were a no no as customers needed them.

The other was temp work at a local council. We had to go around taking photos of the properties they rented out and add data. We managed to do the job quickly. But took our time adding the details into the data base. In the end they let us work in supervised so we chilled lol.

That sounds like fun. I know there are companies now that go in and take photos/video of homes for sale to create a 3d home tour, sounded like a pretty chill job.


My brother's ex did something with Salesforce and worked remotely, never got a straight answer on exactly what she did but she got paid a ton. She would sit by the pool and pretty much just laze about all day until someone contacted her. Seemed like help desk, but not sure if that's what it was and the pay didn't seem like help desk.

 

[Blade2.0]

my bank telling job isn't too bad. still sucks being at work for 8+ hours of my day and having to commute, but I'm in a small branch that rarely gets customers so i'm basically just watching youtube all day until someone walks in and i actually have to do something.

 

[KrakenIPA]

Retail isn't that bad when management can put together a solid team, but upper management usually cracks the whip on labor numbers to put the fun, hard-working blokes' feet to the fire.

Honestly I only started to enjoy work after I cut way back on the whiskey and vodka. Stress can kill your career/hourly, and I don't move as fast as I once did, but I'm a lot happier.

 

[Catphish]

If you don't give a shit about pay, being a gas station attendant is pretty sweet. Meet lots of people, free fountain drinks... Work for the right guy, and he might even slip you a beer or two late on second shift.

 

[KrakenIPA]

If you don't give a shit about pay, being a gas station attendant is pretty sweet. Meet lots of people, free fountain drinks... Work for the right guy, and he might even slip you a beer or two late on second shift.

I did that job for a few weeks last October. The benefits are countless, but the dowside was:

1) Getting blown up while filling a propane tank.

2) Free fountain drinks (high fructose corn syrup is the DEVIL).

3) Averting from the siren call of the smell of fried foods.

No doubt, the chicken gizzards smell like heaven, put they pass through you like hell in a handcart.

 

[Catphish]

I did that job for a few weeks last October. The benefits are countless, but the dowside was:

1) Getting blown up while filling a propane tank.

2) Free fountain drinks (high fructose corn syrup is the DEVIL).

3) Averting from the siren call of the smell of fried foods.

No doubt, the chicken gizzards smell like heaven, put they pass through you like hell in a handcart.

Sounds like a fine way to spend a Friday night

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Time critical logistics.

 

[MaestroMike]

Heard emergency room surgeon is pretty chill if you don't mind dealing with a lot of blood.

 

[Prison Mike]

Is the market for 3D printed Dildos good?

Mine was weekend partine Dishwasher at a local bistro. Only Xmas time and Valentine’s Day busy. Come in wash up. Claim some food. After work chat with the owners have a free beer.

Other than that blockbuster. Yeah not super chilled as some jobsworth managers and idiot customers. But I could put a movie on and watch it, take home some films for free to watch. (Back before streaming etc it was a sweet job perk) so long as I bought them back after. Also the newest releases were a no no as customers needed them.

The other was temp work at a local council. We had to go around taking photos of the properties they rented out and add data. We managed to do the job quickly. But took our time adding the details into the data base. In the end they let us work in supervised so we chilled lol.

Huuge market brother....... Huuuuuuuuuuuge

 

[GeekyDad]

Well, when I started my account years ago here on GAF, I wrote game reviews. That was pretty chill. Was able to make a living for a few years.

 

[nush]

Warehouse jobs.
People make these jobs as hard jobs.

Until a container arrives and you have to unload it all by yourself. Or you live somewhere that has cold winters and there's no heating in the warehouse. Also a lot of warehouse staff can be a little.... rough around the edges.

 

[kingfey]

Until a container arrives and you have to unload it all by yourself. Or you live somewhere that has cold winters and there's no heating in the warehouse. Also a lot of warehouse staff can be a little.... rough around the edges.

But they aren't stressful. You can manage them, since all you are doing is moving objects.

Dealing with people is much shit. They make you go crazy, because they dont get the simple thing. My and my sisters are guilty of arguing with cashier and customer service people, because they don't like certain products. And I feel sorry for these people, who have to put up with their shit.

 

[nush]

But they aren't stressful. You can manage them, since all you are doing is moving objects.

You've never worked in a warehouse have you? I doubt you've even had a real job.

 

[kingfey]

You've never worked in a warehouse have you? I doubt you've even had a real job.

My 1st job was a warehouse. My associate year in college was a warehouse.

I have 5 years of experience in working on a warehouse.

 

[nush]

My 1st job was a warehouse. My associate year in college was a warehouse.

I have 5 years of experience in working on a warehouse.

Ok, our experiences wildly differ then. fair enough.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Night time security guard would be great. Dog walker would be too. Almost anything at a golf course.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I worked at a skate shop when I was younger

I’m in my late 30s now and I still think about how great that job was

we’d just sit on a couch and watch skate VHS tapes, talk about skating, and sell people shit while talking about skating

second most chill job I’ve had was working behind the desk at my schools gym

I had a friend that worked at a small hipster video rental store. Whenever I visit he’d just be watching a movie. Seems super chill too

 

[Artoris]

I worked at a skate shop when I was younger

I’m in my late 30s now and I still think about how great that job was

we’d just sit on a couch and watch skate VHS tapes, talk about skating, and sell people shit while talking about skating

second most chill job I’ve had was working behind the desk at my schools gym

I had a friend that worked at a small hipster video rental store. Whenever I visit he’d just be watching a movie. Seems super chill too

"video rental store"

I did not think places like that existed any more

 

[StateofMajora]

Shelf stocker at a supermarket

Heh… not in my experience. Course one if them was walmart, but another was more local. Retail is petty as hell.

First thought was security guard, though i’ve never done it.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

"video rental store"

I did not think places like that existed any more

of course they do

you can even find VHS rental shops around here, although I wouldn’t be surprised if most died during the pandemic. I know my favorite one recently closed:

We’re sorry. We can’t find the page you’re looking for.

The link has expired or can’t be found.

yelp.to

I loved that place

 

[teezzy]

Swapping needle bins at hospitals

I slept in my car half the day every day. Never any grief

 

[jason10mm]

Can confirm. I did this for a few months in college and it was one of the best jobs I've ever had. It was only 3 or 4 of us for a grocery store and after they got me up to speed, we all did our own thing and left each other alone. Slap some headphones in and make sure your stuff is done by 5:00am.

Agreed, for the right personality the task of taking pallets of food and leaving neat shelves is kinda soothing. Worst part are the hours as it tends it be an early job.

Best part are the cashier girls

 

[Porcile]

The old folk that look after the temples in Japan seem to have a pretty chill life.