Are you craving work-life balance? Perhaps you’re working a job that demands too many hours outside your 40-hour work week. Or, perhaps you’re work currently feels like it isn’t challenging you enough or fulfilling enough; perhaps you’ve lost a sense of purpose and meaning through your work, and you feel it’s time for a change. Whatever the reason, having a solid work-life balance should help you feel good—both at work and at home. If you want to genuinely enjoy your job and still have time to spend with your family or on hobbies and activities outside of work, you should consider a career that ensures work-life balance.
Careers that offer good work-life balance don’t just give you more flexibility and family time; they can also provide you with more job satisfaction and a better quality of life. In this article, we will discuss what having a healthy work-life balance looks like and give you tips on how to find one that fits your personal and career goals.
What is Work-Life Balance and Why is it Important?
A career with good work-life balance allows you to prioritize the demands of work and the demands of your personal life in a more balanced way, without requiring you to sacrifice one over the other. Many career paths, ranging from tech to arts to commercial jobs, can offer you a healthy work-life balance, but you also have to be willing to set boundaries and avoid overworking yourself to the detriment of your personal life.
Some days may require you to spend extra hours working, so you must take steps to learn how to properly manage your time. You will also need to figure out the most important things and focus on them. This will enable you to spend less time on less relevant activities, giving you more free time in the process.
10 Work-Life Balance Careers to Consider in 2025
There are different types of jobs to choose from if you are looking to strike a healthy balance between career and personal life. Some of these job options are listed below.
Substitute Teacher
- Median Annual Salary: $37,3801 (As of May 2023)
- Job growth: N/A
- Education needed: High school diploma or GED and teaching license
A substitute teacher stands in for permanent teachers when they are absent from school for reasons such as vacation, illness, or maternity leave. Substitute teachers take full charge of the classroom without requiring constant supervision. They are responsible for the students and the classroom for periods that can range from a day to a year.
Some duties of substitute teachers include interpreting lesson plans swiftly, managing classroom behavior, and making reports for the permanent teacher, informing them of student success. Generally speaking, substitute teachers have a great work-life balance due to the job flexibility.
Paralegal or Legal Assistant
- Salary: $61,0102 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 0%
- Education needed: Associate or bachelor’s degree
Paralegals and legal assistants work at law firms and help lawyers prepare for trials, hearings, and corporate meetings. There are different career stages in the legal industry, and working as a paralegal can give you an overview of that work environment and help you climb the law career ladder.
Paralegals employ technology and other software to manage and organize documents and data collected during a case. Many paralegals employ software to review and group documents for specific keywords or subjects.
Recruiting Coordinator
- Salary: $72,9103 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 6%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
A recruiting coordinator is a human resources specialist who serves as a medium between prospective employees and businesses. They are in charge of reviewing applications and resumes and conducting interviews until they find the right person for the job.
Recruiting coordinators must be knowledgeable in human resources best practices and must be adept at critical thinking, artificial intelligence, and applicant tracking systems to find good candidates. Having solid computer skills and communication abilities is vital to the success of this role.
Copyeditor
- Salary: $75,2604 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 1%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
A copyeditor reviews, proofreads, and modifies content for their clients. Some of the materials they work on include books, articles, video scripts, and other forms of web content. Editors ensure that documents are readable, grammatically correct, and align with the brand image and target audience of the company they work for. They use style guidelines to decide on word choice, formatting, voice, and other variables.
Professional copy editors typically hold a degree in communication, journalism, English, or other related fields. They must be extremely meticulous to identify and correct errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. This work can usually be done remotely, offering a lot of flexibility.
Computer Programmer
- Salary: $98,6705 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: -6%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree or coding bootcamp
The job of a computer programmer is to create or improve computer applications and software. These professionals use a variety of programming languages to communicate with computers and provide them with instructions. They are also responsible for testing and troubleshooting any issues that might come up.
Programmers closely work with software developers and their duties overlap in some cases. For example, much like software developers, programmers can be involved in program design.
Marketing Manager
- Salary: $159,6606(As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 6%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
These professionals are tasked with promoting an organization’s products or services through advertising directed at a specific target audience. They work closely with advertising agents, financial staff members, and art directors. This role can sometimes overlap with the duties of a content manager or social media manager.
An advertising manager works with sales staff to come up with great ideas for an advertising campaign. They are in charge of the staff that develops the campaign. These professionals are also involved in budget and cost estimates for each campaign and work closely with the finance department for this.
Project Manager
- Salary: $100,7507 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 6%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
A project manager is responsible for planning and overseeing projects and ensuring that they are completed within budget and on time. The duties of a project manager include planning, allocating resources, monitoring progress, preparing budgets, and keeping supervisors and other stakeholders informed about the status of their projects.
Many project managers decide to go for a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to sharpen their skills.8 To qualify for this certification, you must have a degree and relevant work experience.
Data Scientist
- Salary: $112,5909 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 34%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree or coding bootcamp
Data scientists collect, analyze, and interpret large datasets. The information is used to develop data-driven solutions for challenging business problems. A successful data scientist requires certain technical skills, including coding languages, statistics, databases, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
A data scientist works with stakeholders in a company to find opportunities for leveraging company data to generate solutions, mining and analyzing data from company databases to push optimization, and improve product development. Some companies allow people in this role to work from home.
Front-End Developer
- Salary: $95,38010 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 7%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree or coding bootcamp
Front-end developers are responsible for planning, building, and implementing the user interface of software programs, websites, and web-based applications. The main goal of a front-end developer is to provide a great user experience without errors or downtime.
Front-end engineers usually have a background in software development and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field. These experts must be excellent in using programming languages, including CSS and JavaScript. As a front-end developer, it is possible to work remotely and have a lot of flexibility in terms of how you manage your time.
Accountant
- Salary: $81,68011 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 5%
- Education needed: Bachelor’s degree
Accountants carry out a variety of finance-related tasks that mostly involve preparing financial records. These responsibilities include organizing and maintaining financial records, computing and preparing tax returns, and making sure financial statements are accurate. Accounting professionals in the U.S. must abide by the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
10 Work-Life Balance Careers That Don’t Require a Degree
Perhaps you do not have a degree and may be wondering if you can access jobs that allow for a balanced lifestyle. You’ll be happy to know that there are jobs that can give you the time outside of work that you desire to build a fulfilling life without a college degree. Some of the job options are listed below.
Firefighter
- Salary: $59,53012 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 3%
Firefighters are trained to handle various emergency situations, including fires, that threaten life and property. Firefighters usually require some training in emergency medical services and, in most cases, they attend a fire academy.
Firefighting can be a stressful career that will demand night, weekend, and holiday work; however, work hours can be very flexible, allowing firefighters to have a lot of free time during the day. This offers the ability to strike a balance between work and home life.
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Bookkeeper
- Salary: $49,21013 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: -6%
Bookkeepers are in charge of maintaining financial records for their clients, whether they are organizations or individuals. These professionals need to have an eye for detail, as their job requires great accuracy, and mistakes can carry severe consequences. Overall, the job is pretty straightforward and, in some cases, bookkeepers are able to work remotely—allowing for a great work-life balance.
Local Delivery Driver
- Salary: $42,77014 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 8%
Local delivery drivers, also known as short-haul drivers, work within a short distance from their home location, usually around 150 miles. Because they don’t need to go too far, these professionals are able to complete several deliveries each shift. One of the advantages of this type of delivery job is that you are not stuck in your cabin for long hours, which can have negative effects on your physical health in the long term.
Local delivery trucking combines the freedom of the open road with stability and home time that drivers with a family desire. A major reason for this is that they don’t travel as far as long-distance truck drivers.
Receptionist
- Salary: $37,23015 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 0%
Receptionists are the face of an organization as they are usually the first point of human contact. They carry out tasks such as receiving visitors, answering phones, and providing the public with information about the organization they work for. Receptionists must be very articulate and must possess good communication skills.
Hairdresser
- Salary: $35,42016 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 5%
Hairdressers mainly work in salons, although they can also serve clients in their private homes. Physical stamina is a requirement for this job, as hairdressers spend most of their shifts on their feet. A hairdresser can choose to work full-time or part-time, for a salon or for themselves.
Hairdressers do not always have a typical Monday through Friday work schedule. They can work at different periods, including weekends. One thing about this profession is that hairdressers do not always have set hours and rarely bring work home.
Fitness Trainer
- Salary: $46,18017 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 12%
Fitness trainers instruct, lead, and motivate people or groups during exercise activities. They work in places such as health clubs and recreation centers. Fitness trainers don’t need a college degree, but can get certified to show that they are capable of doing their job.
These professionals may have to work additional hours at night, during weekends, and during the holiday period. On the plus side, the job involves a lot of flexibility. You’re likely to get a free gym membership as a fitness trainer, helping you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Tour Guide
- Salary: $36,66018 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 8%
These professionals guide visitors through a tourist attraction while explaining interesting facts about it. To work as a tour guide, you must have a great knowledge of the local environment and be able to communicate clearly and freely with people. Tour guides have flexible schedules and can plan their activities in such a way that work does not affect their personal life. The best time to work as a tour guide is during holiday periods.
Real Estate Agent
- Salary: $58,96019 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 3%
Real estate agents help clients to buy, sell, and rent properties. In some cases, they can also help manage these properties. To be a successful real estate agent, you must have great interpersonal skills. Real estate agents are usually self-employed, meaning they enjoy a flexible schedule.
Secretary
- Salary: $47,46020 (As of May 2024)
- Job growth: 0%
Secretaries carry out routine clerical and organizational duties for a company. They can work in almost every industry, and many have full-time contracts. Secretaries must have basic computer skills, such as proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software. Most secretaries learn their trade on the job, spending several weeks in training. Legal and medical secretaries may need more training to master industry-specific terminology.
How to Find Work-Life Balance Careers
Finding careers that allow for a healthy work-life balance can be tricky, but highly possible. You will, however, need to take some steps in order to be successful in your search.
Personalize Your Resume and Cover Letter
To put yourself in a great position to land the right job for you, you must keep your resume up to date. If you have identified a job opportunity that will allow you to have the work-life balance that you desire, make sure to personalize your resume according to that specific role—use ChatGPT when needed.
Also, make sure you submit a strong cover letter, as this also increases your chances of being noticed and called for an interview. Some things to do to optimize your resume include adding relevant keywords, fixing your formatting, and rejuvenating your work experience section.
Research the Company and the Role
When you’ve identified a role or company that you’d like to work for, make sure to take time to do some research. Find out what type of staff the company is seeking and what skills you are expected to have. Learn about current staff and corporate culture to find if you’d be a good fit. Many job-hunting apps can help you get the information you need.
Take Stock of Your Current Skills
It is very important to give your potential employer an idea of what you have to offer. You should list all the skills that you have gained that are specific to the role you’re applying for. Some other skills that should be on your resume include interpersonal skills, critical thinking, teamwork skills, problem-solving, communication, and creativity.
Get Relevant Training
If you need to gain new skills or boost existing ones, there are many options to choose from, including online courses, certification programs, and coding bootcamps.
Work-Life Balance Careers FAQ
How do you get a job with work-life balance?
You can get a job with a good career and life balance by focusing on a job that plays to your strengths. For example, if you’re not great at graphic design, outsource it to avoid wasting time. You have to prioritise your time. A great way to do this is to have a to-do list. Learning how to effectively manage your time can help you strike an excellent work-life balance.
What job offers the best work-life balance?
There is a long list of jobs that can ensure you have a good career-life balance. Some of these jobs include working as a marketing assistant, web designer, lab technical assistant, research technician, data scientist, strategy manager, client manager, and creative manager. Many of these jobs can be done remotely or as a freelancer, meaning you get to control your schedule and work from wherever you choose.
Why is balancing work and life important?
Work-life balance is important because it is central to a healthy and fulfilling life. Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, keeping a balance in work and life can help cut down stress and prevent workplace-related burnout.
What happens if there is no work-life balance?
If you do not have a proper work-life balance, you may begin to have strained relationships due to a lack of time with loved ones. In addition, lacking this balance can negatively affect your physical and mental health. Prioritizing your goals even in busy periods can help revive important relationships.
Sources:
1 https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes253031.htm
2 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/paralegals-and-legal-assistants.htm
3 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/human-resources-specialists.htm
4 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/editors.htm
5 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm
6 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm
7 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/project-management-specialists.htm
8 https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp
9 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/data-scientists.htm
10 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
11 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm
12 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/firefighters.htm
15 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/receptionists.htm
16 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/barbers-hairstylists-and-cosmetologists.htm
17 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm
18 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/tour-and-travel-guides.htm
19 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/real-estate-brokers-and-sales-agents.htm
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