Ask HN: Low pressure programming jobs?

Hi folks,

This might be precisely the wrong community to ask this question of, but here goes. I work as your standard Java/Oracle programmer in the finance sector. It's a good job, good benefits, and I'm lucky to have it. However, the constant go-go-go nature of my company and my team are starting to wear on me. There are tight deadlines that we never make and end up putting out a half-baked product with all the features and none of them done well. We work late hours many days because of completely unnecessary demands by management. The yelling, midnight phone calls, and complete intellectual boredom are driving me nuts.

Now I know what you're thinking: "So what? That's not that bad? You should work at MY company." Frankly, I hear you. However, programming is not my life. I'm intellectually exhausted when I come home and have no drive to pursue the things I TRULY love (unfortunately, those things do not pay). Yes, in the end, coding is a wonderful hobby and interest but mostly just a job for me.

Perhaps some of you wish you could change places, but for my sympathetic readers: do you know of any programming jobs/industries where there is less pressure/demand on us?

Web programming job for a college. I'm at my 3rd one right now and it remains consistent that it is definitely a less stressful environment where you have a lot of free time to research whatever you want. The tasks received are pretty straightforward and you can get them done with time to spare working on your own side projects.

I'm somewhat lucky that my current boss tells me to work on my own products to allow me to continue learning in my free time.

Everything really depends on what you're looking to do I guess. I'm currently in transition, looking for more of a security/networking role, so where I'm at isn't quite doing it for me, but I'm not complaining as I can spend my time refining my skills.

I guess this would be the place to say: the grass is always greener...

I've had three programming jobs out of school and have never had that experience. Though, others in the same positions have shared the same experiences as you. This leads me to believe that it is more about the person than the job (although the job certainly has an impact).

1. Learn to estimate effectively, I usually just double whatever time I believe something will take and usually finish early (without having to kill myself).

2. Don't feel guilty working only 40 hours a given week and are meeting the deadlines you set for yourself. (If you have no input into your own deadlines, that is a problem. But if you have some input and your deadlines are still challenging, you'll need to work on your persuasive abilities)

typically, higher salary = higher stress, more hours, difficult problems. if you want a lower stress job, go find one that pays less. either they'll expect less of you, or the problems will be easier for you to solve, so you'll not be stressed at deadlines.

this isn't always the case, of course, but its just my observation. out of college, i took a lower paying position that was very low-stress, and i had time to live my life. some friends who went into the financial sector got paid more, but were pulling their hair out and working long hours.

Just get a different job with nicer colleagues/bosses.

I don't think it's the industry. I think your team/bosses are wearing you down.