5 High-Paying, Low-Stress Jobs by Amy Bell

5 High Paying, Low Stress Jobs
by Amy Bell
Saturday, May 15, 2010

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If you're like thousands of other job seekers, you may dream of earning the big bucks without having to deal with the extreme stress that goes hand-in-hand with top-paying jobs. Of course, a high-salary, low-stress job sounds too good to be true. Or is it?

Believe it or not, you don't have to take on a heart-pounding career as a brain surgeon, airline pilot or stock broker to bring home some serious bacon. As a matter of fact, some of the highest-stress jobs pay surprisingly scanty salaries. Just think about police officers, firefighters and social workers. These folks have quite possibly the most nerve-racking jobs in the world, yet most of them earn less than $45,000 a year. What about combat soldiers who face death on a daily basis? They typically earn less than $30,000 a year.

In other words, high stress does not always equal a hefty salary, or vice versa. Fortunately, there are plenty of laid-back career choices that pay quite generously.

Physical Therapist

Although physical therapists (PT) work in the notoriously stressful medical field, they enjoy some unique advantages over ER nurses and doctors. First of all, PTs have flexible hours and generally aren't expected to work nights. Secondly, many physical therapists are self-employed - which means they don't have to deal with the stress of a boss breathing down their neck while they work.

Plus, as the massive Baby Boomer generation continues grow older and face new physical challenges, PTs are constantly flooded with patients. As a result, physical therapists rarely suffer from dry spells.

To top it all off, physical therapists can earn anywhere between $50,000-105,000 a year. Now that's therapeutic.

Computer Software Engineer

If you're a tech geek seeking a relatively low-pressure career, you may want to check out the software engineering field. Software engineers design and test a variety of different types of software, from computer games to operating systems to business applications. These days, many software engineers can work from home, since their jobs can be done from practically anywhere.

Software engineers also bring home steep salaries, normally ranging between $54,000-130,000 a year. There's nothing nerdy about that.

Civil Engineer

Civil engineers design and build our nation's infrastructure, from public buildings and roads to water supply and pollution control systems. Obviously, these projects aren't pressure-free, but civil engineers generally work in teams, which helps alleviate some of the stress. As a bonus, these experts also enjoy long deadlines. As a matter of fact, most engineers have a few years to design and plan out a project before the construction company even breaks ground.

Even less stressful? Civil engineers don't have to work too hard to hunt down jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, civil engineers are expected to see a 24% spike in employment growth over the next 10 years - well above average for all U.S. occupations. Civil engineers bring home a respectable $50,000-115,000 a year.

Massage Therapist

Massage therapy is an extremely low-pressure, relaxing career for most people. (As long as the thought of touching a stranger's back doesn't drive your stress level through the roof, of course.) Not only are most massage therapists self employed, but they also get to smell smoothing aromatherapy scents and listen to calming background music or ocean sounds all day while they work.

Because many massage therapists work part-time, yearly salaries vary wildly in this field. However, most of these massaging masters charge by the hour. On average, they earn between $10-35 an hour.

Of course, if you take on plenty of clients, you could easily earn a salary of $45,000 or more. That kind of cash will certainly not rub you the wrong way.

Technical Writer

In this high-tech age, new groundbreaking tools, mobile devices or innovative gadgets are released on practically a daily basis. Obviously, someone has to write about these ingenious doodads and complicated thingamabobs. That's where technical writers come into play.

Although they sometimes face tight deadlines, technical writers typically enjoy flexible hours and a comfortable, quiet workspace. Quite a few of them have an enviable 10-second commute - from their bedroom to their desk. Because all they need is a phone and a computer with an internet connection, many technical writers work from home.

What's more is that technical writers are extremely high in demand. As technical companies continue to release pioneering new products, someone has to transform their complex technical-ese into everyday language the average customer can comprehend. Technical writers generally earn between $47,000-98,000 a year. [Freelance projects for tech writers at http://www.elance.com and http://www.guru.com]


Lower Your Stress; Raise Your Salary

So, it turns out that you don't have to risk life and limb, save lives or suffer from stress-induced stomach ulcers to make a decent salary. From sales managers and graphic designers to college professors and training consultants, there are plenty of rewarding, angst-less jobs out there that come with generous salaries.

Dating: Ten (10) Tips for Approaching Women by David Wygant

DATING TIPS
Dating: Ten (10) Tips for Approaching Women

Most guys get caught up in guessing what to say; here's what they really should do.

By dating coach David Wygant
Special to Yahoo! Personals
Updated: Dec 23, 2009

What do you do when you see a woman you are attracted to? Do you run and hide? Do you use some canned line that you read on the Internet? Do you stand there in fear trying to think of the right thing to say? What is the right thing to do?

When approaching a woman, most guys make the mistake of thinking too much about what to say. They believe there's one magic line that will work in all situations. They rehearse this magic line, and when they deliver it, they hope the woman will become instantly attracted to them.

Unfortunately, rarely does this approach work -- because most of what you say is irrelevant. To catch a woman's attention, it is all about the confidence you display when approaching her.

Here are 10 surefire ways to intrigue her every time:

1. Observe something.

Make a comment about something you observe in the environment. This is especially effective at the grocery store. For example, if she is ordering a turkey sandwich, ask her if the turkey is good here.

“Make your comment immediate to the situation”

Make your comment immediate to the situation and it will seem perfectly natural. No matter where you are, there is always something interesting to comment on.

2. Smile.

This shows her that you are friendly and confident. A genuine smile not only feels good to you, but will put her at ease while creating openness in the interaction -- a requirement for building rapport.


3. Do not hesitate.

If you hesitate in your approach, this tells her that you are not feeling confident -- an immediate turn-off. When you see her, walk over to her within a short period of time (the three-second rule[hm. thought 3 seconds was for dropped food that can still be eaten :)--Neale Sourna]).

Show her you are a man who knows what he wants and goes after it.

4. Positive body language.

If you approach hunched over with your head down, you are sending negative information about yourself, which makes you dead in the water before you begin. Stand up straight, with shoulders back and chest out, and use a firm yet relaxed walk.

5. Not too fast.

If you walk over too fast, you could likely trigger her internal alarm. A calm, casual approach is usually the best way to make her feel at ease with you.

6. Keep eye contact.

Never be the first to break eye contact when you approach. If you do, this sends the message that you are not feeling good about approaching. When you use strong eye contact, she will feel more drawn to you. With practice, you can master this.

7. Listen up.

Make sure you pay careful attention to what she says. Do not have your response pre-thought out. Women love a man who pays attention to the details of what she says. If you start throwing out random words, she will lose interest fast.

8. Do not fidget.

Fidgeting after you approach is distracting and shows you are uncomfortable. If you communicate that you are uncomfortable, she will feel uncomfortable, too, and will close up. Practice being aware of your movements. Pay attention to those movements, or lack of movements, that communicate comfort and confidence.

9. Lighten your tone of voice.

The tone of your voice is a very powerful tool. Approaching her in a light and playful tone is one of the best ways to start. You could also begin in a serious tone, accusing her of something like “I hope you saved some turkey for me”

I hope you saved some turkey for me," followed by a quick smile to let her know you are joking. Practice playing with your vocal tone with your friends -- notice the different reactions you get when you say the exact same thing using varied tones and fluctuations.

10. Lean away from her.

A man who leans in too far when he talks often makes a woman feel crowded. A better approach is to lean away from her slightly. This lets her know that you respect her space, boundaries, and are comfortable with yourself.

The key to making these tips work for you is putting them into practice! Practice these tips and see the reaction you get. When you put them all together, you will be surprised at their power.

Dating coach, blogger and author David Wygant has been featured on more than 2,000 radio and television shows including Dateline, CBS Good Morning, and MTV. Get more sex and dating tips on David's interactive blog at davidwygant.com.

Dating: Ten (10) Tips for Approaching Women