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Prioritizing work and striving to get ahead professionally can take a heavy toll on our physical, emotional and mental well-being. Creating a peaceful work-life balance is not only critical for your health, but it will actually help you succeed in your career.
Companies are realizing that healthy and happy workers are good for business, too. When workers are well-balanced, they are more productive, take fewer sick days and are more likely to stay in their jobs.
Work-life balance — in the form of flexible hours, more paid time off, the ability to work from home, free nights and weekends — is increasingly important to workers, to the point where it now rivals pay as the most important aspect to consider when looking for a job. Since the pandemic dramatically changed how we look at the workplace, it’s even more sought-after now.
All industries can be cutthroat-competitive and wear a person down in a hurry. However, when Glassdoor looked at U.S.-based companies that were highly rated for work-life balance, it found the tech industry to be the biggest supporter of work-life balance jobs, followed by real estate, aerospace and defense, finance and insurance. Retail, food and transportation industries had the lowest average work-life balance ratings.
“Unsurprisingly, the tech industry topped the list, as many tech companies quickly responded to the disruption caused by COVID-19,” said Glassdoor in its report. “The tech industry was already equipped for a smooth transition, historically offering flexible work-from-home policies, greater autonomy for workers and the ability to carry out most work on a portable laptop.”
Making big bucks is a prime motivator for work, but finding a job that pays well and provides the kind of work-life symmetry you desire is possible. You have more control over your work-life balance than you think, but the right company fit will help that balance considerably.
There is a torrent of industry jobs that provide a generous salary and work-life balance, however, here are eight jobs from different industries ranked from their lowest to highest average annual salaries, according to Glassdoor (estimated total pay includes additional pay, which could include cash bonus, commission, tips and profit sharing).
1. Social Media Manager
- Average Annual Salary: $66,652
- Estimated Total Pay: $71,926
The average salary of a social media manager isn’t particularly high compared to some of the others on this list, but the position itself is increasingly in demand and tailor-made for those looking for flexible hours and those who don’t mind being online most of the time. Social mingling is key to maintaining a healthy work life and working as a social media manager unquestionably has that in spades.
2. Corporate Recruiter
- Average Annual Salary: $73,245
- Estimated Total Pay: $110,995
As Forbes’ Jeff Kauflin reported back in 2016, corporate recruiter was Glassdoor’s top ranked job for work-life balance. Kauflin, a former corporate recruiter himself, said, “I enjoyed positive work-life balance, thanks to both the nature of the role and the firm’s culture. When interviewing candidates, I set the schedule based on my own and my colleagues’ availability. I could work from home on days when we didn’t have in-person interviews, although I preferred to be in the office.”
3. Data Analyst
- Average Annual Salary: $76,598
- Estimated Total Pay: $90,398
Data Analyst’s primary duties include gathering, processing and interpreting data to help organizations make informed decisions. It’s a job that requires a great deal responsibility and one that can cause havoc with a worker’s work-life balance. However, time management and creating a seamless blend of work and life where neither consistently overshadows the other will help with stress and burnout when working as a data analyst.
4. Web Developer
- Average Annual Salary: $83,512
- Estimated Total Pay: $96,618
As with most positions, work-life balance depends on who you work for and how much you’re willing to work. Web development is often conducive to flexible solo work, but setting boundaries, prioritizing tasks and working with a good team will significantly help anyone in this field with a smooth work-life integration.
5. UX or UI Designer
- Average Annual Salary (UX): $98,542
- Estimated Total Pay (UX): $119,881
- Average Annual Salary (UI): $98,448
- Estimated Total Pay (UI): $116,923
“Tech employees typically have more flexibility when it comes to their hours, either working from home, setting their own hours, or coming into the office later than 10 a.m.,” said Allison Berry, a community expert at Glassdoor.
6. Project Manager
- Average Annual Salary: $98,946
- Estimated Total Pay: $123,669
Any job that prioritizes deadlines, multitasking and decision-making has the potential to cause major burnout in its workers. Maintaining a harmonious work-life balance as a PM will require practicing effective time-management, delegating tasks and creating a sustainable work routine.
7. Financial Advisor
- Average Annual Salary: $114,467
- Estimated Total Pay: $214,605
Working as a financial advisor has its perks and provides an amazing opportunity to make a near-unlimited income and build a flexible career that provides value to others. The profession is highly competitive and the industry notably volatile, but you have the opportunity to work with a great deal of freedom and flexibility.
8. Real Estate Agent
- Average Annual Salary: $121,649
- Estimated Total Pay: $170,411
Everyone knows that there’s more to selling homes than making cookies to produce that seductive open house smell. The responsibilities of a real estate agent are many. Aside from facilitating the buying, selling and renting of residential homes, commercial buildings and land, agents promote listing, establish relationships and prepare legal documents.
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