[keiferski]

One angle that I almost never see career-related posts talk about is what your daily life is like for various positions. Everyone tends to focus on the intellectual content of work, but rarely what the work environment is like, where you have to live, etc.

For example – the vast majority of tech jobs require one to sit at a desk in an office. There are ways around it, including remote jobs, standing desks, and walk pads, but basically if you're a tech worker, you're in a room staring at a screen for 6+ hours a day.

So, from this perspective, I would suggest thinking about what kind of day makes you happy and fulfilled. Is it one that involves talking to a lot of people? Walking around an urban area? Being alone in the forest? Put the intellectual content of what you're doing aside.

Personally, as much as I love tech stuff, I have grown to really dislike the default work environment. Being a bike messenger or a sailor, while having nearly zero relation to technology, seem like much more enjoyable professions on a day-to-day basis. This has led me to experimenting with various work "formats" that combine physical activity with computer work, ranging from take my laptop to a cafe to use a standing desk and exercise bicycle.