Deadlines can be rough for anyone.
Whether you’re easily distracted, or you have an issue starting projects, if there’s a deadline looming ahead, there’s a need for jobs without deadlines.
Over 80% of people hate their jobs, and a lot of it comes down to stress.
Jobs for people who don’t like deadlines are lower stress, and more hands-on, requiring fewer long-term goals and focusing on the current workday.
If this sounds ideal, these jobs may be for you.
17. Massage Therapist
Massage therapists are awesome hands-on professionals who use their training to manipulate and relieve pain from their patients’ muscles and other soft tissues.
This work is fantastic because it improves circulation, dissipates stress, and allows patients to relax fully.
Because every patient is on a case-by-case basis, there are no deadlines, just appointments.
Not only that, massage therapy is a job with a lot of free time due to scheduling flexibility. It can also be a great side gig for nurses interested in earning extra money in a slower paced environment.
So you don’t have to work up to helping a patient; instead, the only work you’ll be doing is while the patient is with you and quick paperwork afterward to sign them off.
Average yearly income, $53,222 (Salary.com)
16. Food Technologist
As a food technologist, you would oversee product development, review and approve nutritional data, write product specifications, and enforce USDA regulations on any new or modified food products.
In addition, most responsibilities will be actively working with a team to test ingredients and technologies to invent recipes and concepts.
If you have an affinity for data analysis, this is a fantastic way to utilize that high paying skill.
Since you’ll be working with a team actively testing products and making notes, there are no deadlines, and you’re not alone while you work.
Teamwork helps ease any stress of deadlines since there’s more room to keep people accountable and help you create healthy work habits.
Average yearly income, $53,585 (Zippia)
15. Conservationist
Conservation scientists and foresters put in the work to study soil quality and forests.
They manage the overall quality of parks, rangelands, forests, and other natural resources.
Landing environmental science related jobs can be tough, so make sure you are dodging the most common reasons people don’t get hired.
This career requires you to be able to keep routine notes and notify anyone of any changes.
Most of your job is gathering and testing soil and matter. Because of this, there are no deadlines, only the need to notify people if you find something strange with the environment you test.
This could be a great job for anyone who gets worried about working around or in front of other people and wants to work at their own pace.
Average yearly income, $62,660 (CareerExplorer)
14. Dietician
As a dietician, you’ll counsel patients on nutrition issues and go over what life changes are needed to lead a healthy life.
Although they create plans with people on what they should eat and do to be healthier, this is usually done while the patient is currently in an appointment with you.
If you want to get a job without a resume, this career probably isn’t for you, because employers will want to see your track record.
This job is fantastic for deadlines because your main job is to work with the patient directly and on the fly.
There is minimal paperwork outside of this, but much of the onboarding of patients and insurance paperwork is usually handled by others in the office.
Average yearly income, $64,415 (Salary.com)
13. Dental Hygienists
Dental hygiene jobs are quickly becoming a popular way to get into a career without losing too many years to school.
These professionals examine patients for any symptoms of oral diseases and cleanse the teeth, providing preventive care that will help the patients avoid future dental health issues.
The great part of this job, like others on this list, is that your only deadline is when you work with a patient.
So you don’t have to rush through it; you can take your time and do a good job.
Tactics for Success
- Around 15,600 dental hygienists job openings are available every year, ranging from large multi-facility companies to small family-owned dental offices.
- It takes the average student between two and four years to be qualified as a dental hygienist; then, there’s continued learning on the job.
Average yearly income, $74,010 (Forbes)
12. Zoologist
Wildlife biologists who study animals and their wildlife get to go under the title of Zoologist.
In this role, your main job is to check the characteristics of animals, their behaviors, and the impact people and other animals have on the animals and their natural environments.
There’s no deadline with this unless you sign on to write for specific papers or publications.
As a zoologist, you can work in many different realms within the general zoology field to make a space for yourself.
You’ll be making great money too, but picking up a high paying second job can still make sense in certain situations.
Average yearly income, $75,288 (Salary.com)
11. Speech Pathologist
The average speech pathologist typically evaluates the levels of speech, language, and swallowing of patients to help aid their quality of life.
Working directly with patients with this, you’ll be depending on them to study and practice often to heal, and a lot of the stress of deadlines will be on them instead of you.
The most important thing you’ll have to do is create a good relationship with your patients, a good way to communicate with them, and an excellent understanding of the human body.
Average yearly income, $79,120 (USNews)
10. Audiologist
If you work as an audiologist, your job is to assess, identify, and manage any patients’ disorders with hearing, balance, and other neural systems.
Beyond just an ear doctor, the main focus of this role is to work on hearing.
Your direct work with patients saves you from deadlines.
Average yearly income, $83,900 (Forbes)
9. Occupational Therapist
By treating injured, ill, or disabled patients while turning everyday activities into therapeutic challenges, an occupational therapist works to help people participate in their lives how they want to.
Your direct work with patients ensures no deadlines, except for those the patient intends to enforce on themself.
Average yearly income, $87,780 (CareerExplorer)
8. Biostatistician
Working closely with subject experts, a biostatistician comes up with the numbers that reflect how the world is educated about biology.
Biostatisticians use math, statistics, and data to tell people their risks of certain diseases or medical issues.
This isn’t work that needs deadlines since you’ll be actively working with a team, but it does need a keen eye for detail.
Average yearly income, $91,160 (CareerExplorer)
7. Physical Therapist
As an occupational therapist, a physical therapist also works to help patients regain the use of their bodies.
This role requires more treatment to manage pain and increase mobility.
There are no deadlines for this job, but if you don’t do well with stress, this may not be the job for you because it can be rough to see people trying to push through the pain.
Average yearly income, $92,940 (Forbes)
6. Tattoo Artist
Tattoo artists work one-on-one with their clients to create art that will be applied directly to the skin.
There are different options for this, including ones where you would have to develop and sketch custom art for each client, but most tattoo artists work from pre-drawn flash.
You can create flash art on your own time, and your clients can choose from them to have it placed on their skin.
Avoiding the custom route saves you from dealing with deadlines and gives you the chance to make your schedule.
Tactics for Success
- Only 25% of current tattoo artists in the USA are women, which means there’s a large gender gap in this job. If you’re a woman wanting to get into this position, seek out tattoo parlors that will support you and work with you.
- Many city-based shops charge for apprenticeships, up to $2,000 for a summer program.
Average yearly income, $99,956 (Ziprecruiter)
5. Astronomer
Astronomers study the universe, the objects it contains, and how it works.
By pushing the boundaries of human knowledge about how the universe works, their job is to use theoretical modeling to discover what they can’t observe.
This is a fantastic job without deadlines that you do at your own pace unless you sign on to publish papers for it.
Average yearly income, $119,730 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
4. Optometrist
Optometrists work with patients to examine, diagnose, and manage and treat disorders and diseases of the eye.
Although this education is extensive, they get 90% of their work done while working directly with the patients.
Fortunately, this doesn’t require deadlines except for in education.
Average yearly income, $119,980 (Forbes)
3. Pharmacist
Pharmacists specialize in the correct ways to use, store and provide medication.
They inform patients how to use their medication, what to watch out for, and what effects to be aware of.
Most pharmacies have pharmacy technicians, who are trained (yet not fully educated) professionals that pack the orders the pharmacist gives the okay on, and handle most customer interactions.
Because of this help, fewer deadlines fall on the pharmacist, and most go to the technician instead.
Average yearly income, $123,670 (Forbes)
2. Chiropractor
Chiropractors help correct the body’s alignment and reduce pain. In this role you’ll treat many problems that affect the musculoskeletal system and nervous systems.
Helping with everything from low back pain to muscle pains, you’ll give your patients a lot of relief and increase their quality of life.
As a hands-on job, a Chiropractor’s work is only done during appointments, which saves you from deadlines.
Tactics for Success
- The average chiropractor has to go to school for four years for a chiropractic degree and at least three years of an undergraduate college education.
- The employment of chiropractors is set to rise around 11% between 2020 and 2030, so there’s a high demand for those considering this job.
Average yearly income, $154,486 (Salary.com)
1. Orthodontist
The highest paying job on this scale is an orthodontist!
The main reason this is fantastic for people who hate deadlines is the same, so many other jobs on this list are based in the medical field, there are no long-term deadlines.
Instead, you work with your patients when they’re scheduled to come in, and you focus on them only during that time.
In the meanwhile, your work as an orthodontist would revolve around repairing teeth, creating and applying braces, and treating any conditions or issues your patients may face.
This is an awesome and high-paying job that only requires you to focus on it while you’re working, which means no deadline anxiety.
Average yearly income, $208,000 (USNews)
Wrapping Up
Regardless of whether or not you’re good at sticking to goals, you deserve to have a job that pays well and caters to your needs.
So consider some of these career paths to try and avoid undue stress from work.
Erin is a business teacher and mother of three. When she’s not in the classroom or fulfilling her obligations as an A+ hockey and lacrosse mom, she’s working on her latest article.
