If analytics have told us anything in the past few months it’s that you like this oldie but goodie! So here it is again, we still think it’s pretty relevant and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. Enjoy!
One of the hardest things about living in Los Angeles and going to the office every morning is that no one else seems to have to work. There are always people who are just “hanging out” any time of day: sitting in coffee shops, reading the newspaper, walking their dog, surfing, working out at the gym, shopping… you name it. People of all ages… and I’m pretty good at picking out the tourists. So, I always find myself wondering, “What do they do for a living?”
I know what I’m doing outside. In the past, I was either freelancing or unemployed. These days, our company works 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., so my morning run at the beach begins when most other people start their work day. But those leisurely men and women can’t all possibly work the same hours I do, or be freelancers, unemployed or independently wealthy. They don’t all have babies with them, so they’re not stay-at-home anythings and they’re too chipper to have just finished a night shift.
I’ve thought long and hard about it and came up with this list of possible careers for these freebirds:
- anything in showbiz: actors, singers, producers, directors, etc. (this is L.A.)
- anything related to sales: real estate agents, sales representatives, telemarketers, envelope stuffers
- domestic services: nannies, dog walkers, housekeepers, butlers, yacht captains
- entrepreneurs: business owners (online/offline), people who sell things on eBay
- anything nightlife oriented: bartenders, servers, cocktail waitresses, club promoters, security guards, DJs
- independent contractors: writers, editors, anything in construction, personal trainers
- anyone who works “3 days on, 4 days off” shifts (or on call): firemen, policemen, nurses, doctors
- people in the travel industry: flight attendants, pilots, travel agents, tour operators
- people who review things: film and restaurants critics, secret shoppers
- seasonal employees: amusement park/waterpark employees, ski instructors, sailing instructors, summer camp operators
- blogging or running an internet business: ebay, writing for a blog, affiliate marketing, etc.
Please share your ideas in the comments section.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
One of my best friends works in showbiz. She has absolutely NO free time. She’s always busy with something. The income’s so transient that you always have to keep working (and she’s a bit of a workaholic, but eh). I worked as a production assistant at a TV station and whether I had free time or not largely depended on my assignment – I’ve worked loooooooooooooong days!
So showbiz is definitely NOT the career path you want to go to if you’re hoping for free daytime.
Oh, and I forgot to add “bloggers” to the list. I hear Perez Hilton works out of a coffee shop.
Tiara, much of what you say is true but it definitely depends on which side of showbiz you work in. I was a PA right out of college for music videos and I had a lot of free time in between gigs. Granted, when you are working, it’s 12-18 hour shifts…
Also, when I worked in Hollywood, I met a lot of actors, showbiz types (aspiring or working), models, etc. out and about during the day. Being in between gigs, tapings, auditions (etc) provides a lot of free time. Check out any episode of Entourage if you want more proof!
Being out and about doesn’t necessarily mean you’re free, though. There’s interviews, meetings, proposals, rehearsals…having time to yourself is a luxury!
I have my friend as proof, I don’t need to watch a TV show
I was referring to people who aren’t running errands or hurrying off to meetings — merely sitting in coffee shops or just obviously enjoying their free time. Don’t get me wrong, people in showbiz work a lot (you have to in order to really make it) but they can also have erratic schedules that free up their day time.
One of the good thing about being an entrepreneur is that you can make your own hours. On the flip side however, there is always something you could be doing to further your business. So you do tend to work a lot of hours especially in the beginning. The idea though is that you’re doing something you love. I currently run my own Localization and Tech. consulting company and I like to do my grocery shopping and other mundane tasks in the middle of the day because it avoids the crowds. Plus, I can often be found in a cafe in the middle of the day enjoying a cappuccino, but often times I’m also working. It’s nice to have a change of scenery and these days the meaning of “a day at the office” has drastically changed.
I would have to say that it is most important to look for life balance, and learn how maximize time working… whatever your schedule may be.
Bryan, when I was a freelancer, I was definitely one of those people working while enjoying a latte at Starbucks. Somehow, not being at my home office gave me fresh ideas, helped me focus and boosted my energy (that was probably the coffee…).
Balance really is everything, especially if there’s plenty of work to do and you have the flexibility to work around the clock (ie. being an entrepreneur or working for an internet company). And if you can get outside during the day, 10 minutes in the sun does wonders!
Having lived in LA for a good chunk of my life, I can tell you that yes, many showbiz types do have a lot of free time. It’s called being out of work. Many of the occupations listed aren’t so much careers that offer flexible hours, as they are just jobs. While I don’t disagree that you can make a good living and have very flexible hours (I was a freelance graphic designer for 15 years), in most of the cases listed, there’s a clear relationship between pay and hours. Sure, you can be a bartender… but you’ll probably need a day job too to pay the bills…
What an ironic article for me to read this morning!!!
On my walk to the gym this morning I passed by several people laying out by the apartment pool. I found myself wondering are they guests visiting from out of town, do they work at night??? … and so on?
Thanks for creating this list, Jovie, because I know there are many different types of jobs that don’t require people to sit in front of a computer for 8-9 hours/day!
Thanks!
Monique, I was thinking the same thing too! I think Bryan and Jovie bring up a good point on the subject. I work in an office where I am doing creative things during the day and also mundane tasks. Some days I find myself wanting to fall asleep from lack of stimulation! Going out to a new place, either for fresh air, or to run an errand helps increase my productivity. Sometimes, you’ll find my boss and I out for coffee for an hour trying to relax the brain and just get out.
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