If you fall in line with the average worker, you will spend 90,000 hours at work during your lifetime, according to the book “Happiness at Work.”
Considering this fact, it’s a little surprising how few people consider how their jobs can affect their health. Occupational hazards are everywhere — from the glaringly obvious, like operating heavy machinery, to the silent-but-violent, such as sleep deprivation and excessive stress.
While jobs that require a lot of physical activity or high risks might be the first careers that come to mind when you think of jobs that are bad for your health, there are several other factors that contribute to how a workplace might affect your health.
The following jobs represent some of the best and worst jobs for your health.
Healthy Jobs
Travel Blogger
Get paid to see the world, a dream right? But how to make money travel blogging? With so many platforms like WordPress, Blogger, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, anyone can do it with a little bit of confidence. Book a trip, share experiences, network and build a following. Perfect for anyone with a sense of wanderlust, and with a desire to leave home.
Software Engineer
When online lists of job satisfaction are often create, software engineers usually rank at the top. There is a high demand for jobs in information technology, which means software engineers snag stellar salaries and impressive perks at progressive companies. Some employers even offer on-site gyms, like the famed Googleplex Fitness Center. Most companies now also allow remote working, so you can literally get a huge salary and work anywhere in the world.
Dietitian
People who make it their career to educate others about healthy eating habits tend to eat healthier themselves. Certain positions in the health field, like dietitians and medical records technicians, enjoy relatively low stress levels and predictable schedules, which allows a nice work-life balance.
Postal Carrier
Federal jobs, like postal carriers, come with solid health coverage and retirement plans. Delivering the mail also allows you to spend a lot of your work hours walking, which is good exercise and has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression.
Unhealthy Jobs
Truck Driver
Medical reports and accident logs show that driving a truck is among the least healthy professions. Truck drivers are notorious for gobbling fast food and skipping sleep. Sitting in the cab of a truck for long stretches at a time can cause blood clots, which can be fatal if they go untreated. Vehicle accidents also account for a large portion of on-the-job deaths and injuries.
Police Officer
All doughnut jokes aside, the law enforcement profession creates some serious health challenges for its employees. Police officers must enter high-stress situations at a moment’s notice, often involving hostility and violence. To top it all off, a starting officer’s wage is often relatively low, which could lead to financial stress.
Lumberjack
We have slapped lumberjacks with the dubious distinction of having the worst job of the year. With a surprisingly low average pay of approximately $32,000/year, these professional woodsmen have it rough. Aside from a low rate of pay, the risk of injury is high when you’re cutting down trees with chainsaws all day.
Firefighter
Although really rewarding, the risks, and dangers of breathing toxic fumes are really bad for your health.
Are you looking for a career? Or to do something different? Seasonal Jobs has tons of temporary and long time options all around the globe. From working in Europe, to the Maldives!
Popular options include doing working holidays, summer jobs, cruise ship jobs, farm work, volunteering or teaching abroad. Okay these aren’t the most lucrative positions, but they are a lot of fun, and a happy you is a healthy you!