Lots of people work hard, but some jobs feel a lot less like work than others. While some professions seem like they’d be a lot of fun, like travel writers or photographers, there are some that look so difficult it’s hard to imagine trying them. So, what’s the toughest job in the country? New research has some answers.
A survey of 2-thousand working U.S. adults reveals that firefighters top the list of toughest jobs. Police officers and construction workers round out the top three.
- Respondents say the most challenging jobs are the ones involving being on your feet all day (40%), working in all weather conditions (38%) and dealing with trauma or distressing situations (34%).
- Standing up all day can have serious negative consequences on long-term health, according to 75%.
- Those working in construction, manufacturing, and engineering spend the most time on their feet, an average of just under seven hours a day.
- Healthcare and social services workers, like nurses, are on their feet for an average of six hours and eight minutes every day and get over 65-hundred steps in on the job.
- People working in the environment, agriculture and sustainability get even more, about 7,831 steps a day, on average.
- Being on your feet all day takes a toll, as 57% say sometimes the single hardest part of their job is how much time they spend standing up.
- It’s left 60% feeling pain in their feet, and 59% have had back issues from excessive standing.
- Nearly half (47%) have turned down an invite or had to miss something because their body was too sore after working a shift.
The Top 10 Toughest Jobs in the U.S.
- Firefighter
- Police officer
- Construction worker
- Miner/oil worker
- Nurse
- Paramedic
- Agricultural / farm worker
- Doctor
- Roofer
- Healthcare assistant/caregiver
Source: NY Post
Scott's Thoughts:
- Don’t you think teachers and servers have also earned a spot on this list?!
- Radio station programmer is not on the list. Yeah.. that checks. LOL.
- My youngest child is a nurse and the stories I hear verifies that it is number five!