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I would consider Paleo friendly Jobs to be:

  • outdoor/nature centric or at least an outdoor component (gotta get that vitamin D)

  • something you love/enjoy doing 

  • allows ample time in your life for play-either during or after "work"

  • potentially have a 'tribal' element to it- are you part of a close knit team?

  • encourages natural movement (not significantly desk bound)

If you have a job that you think is paleo friendly that doesn't quite meet these criteria post it anyway along with an explanation of why you think it should qualify. 

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I create paleotarians from scratch. – The Quilt Jun 15 2011 at 1:00

38 Answers

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I am most fortunate to be a private self-defense instructor. I was raised on an NDN reservation by my Uncle who was a "Wichasa Wakan" (Holy Man). I teach perfection in motion from Natures perspective, that we are animals with human intelligence. An ideal way to get speed and power from the human anatomy and an ideal way to take it apart as science dictates, not any particular style. I only work 2 hours every morning as I am rather expensive, and appeal mostly to those who are obvious targets for violence. This gives me the opportunity to raise my children full time. I teach in all manner of terrain, in all weather conditions, and in all times of day/night. Helping people to empower themselves has been the most rewarding experience, short of fatherhood.

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Nice, L. I'd like to learn more about this some time. – CaveRat Jun 14 2011 at 22:09
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I am lucky to be able to work from home which affords me time to Crossfit in the middle of the day, get outside when the weather is nice and spend time coming up with paleo/primal recipes. I couldn't ask for much more!

Jamie

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I just got hired as a lead bartender at the new NYC location of Beecher's Handmade Cheese. I'll be downstairs in the Cellar Lounge. I'm excited about this because Beecher's motto is "Changing the way America eats." Their "pure food" philosophy is very much in line with my personal food philosophies.

Beecher's Handmade Cheese

I consider this job to very Paleo-friendly. I'll be working nights mostly, so I have lots of free time to make music, go run around outdoors, etc. I'll be on my feet the whole day at work, rarely sitting, and rarely standing still. Bartending and serving/making delicious natural, minimally processed food is something that I'm very passionate about. The staff is very small and very friendly, and we're committed to being a close-knit team. I'm especially excited about the behind the scenes stuff. I'll get to make valuable connections in the farm/dairy world. And the cheese! (I know, I know, not "strictly" Paleo...but come on...it's handmade, RIGHT THERE in the restaurant!)

I'm super excited to start. We open June 24th! Come see me downstairs at Beecher's!

(No...this is not a shameless plug or an advertisement. I really do feel this way, and I'm excited to be doing a job that I can stand behind!)

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Let me know if you ever head down South; I'm in with the craft bartenders in a couple nice places. – gone2croatan Jun 14 2011 at 20:59
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Your answer made me smile..good to see there are others who love their jobs. – Neane Jun 14 2011 at 21:44
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Definitely gonna come check it out. Looks awesome and in one of my favorite neighborhoods! – Jamie Jun 14 2011 at 22:39
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"I'll get to make valuable connections in the farm/dairy world"...man, typical NYC bartender. – Kamal Jun 15 2011 at 1:42
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you gonna make some neato herb cocktails? a sprig of rosemary in a cocktail shaker can make magic IMO. – tartare Jun 15 2011 at 12:28
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I'm a baker. There is nothing paleo about what I do. :)

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youre on your feet all day? im grasping at straws here. ;) – being Jun 14 2011 at 23:12
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yes, on my feet all day. that's about it! i laugh all the time when i'm on my lunch break chomping down some steak and veggies at the irony. – JeepersJulie Jun 16 2011 at 3:21
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Personal Trainer, Boxing Coach, Olympic lifting coach, Yoga/Tai Chi instructor, and health/wellness coach.

It's literally my job to teach people how to move and eat, so it's definitely a "paleo" profession!

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There are TONS of people who A) have zero interest in health B) are interested in health, but are still drinking the "good carb/low-fat/cardio" kool-aid and C) are interested in learning how they can actually get healthy/fit but haven't yet "tipped" from just gathering information to taking action D) are open, honest, and ready to engage in the process of transformation. I've found that you can "lead a horse to water", but the rest is up to the horse. I've been doing it for years and have learned that it is unhealthy to get overly attached to other people's results or lack thereof. – FED at LiveCaveman.com Jun 14 2011 at 21:11
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When everything clicks, and it is the right time, the right client, and the right bit of information/activation, it is a beautiful thing. I think of myself as an "enzyme", I reduce the activation energy required to start a "reaction" (new behavior). – FED at LiveCaveman.com Jun 14 2011 at 21:13
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hey! its you! i didnt make the connection until now. last night i made the eggplant french fries in bacon fat from your website and they were AWESOME. thank you!! – being Jun 14 2011 at 22:03
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Freaking jealous. – Nutritionator Oct 24 2011 at 15:35
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Besides being a stay-at-home mom who gardens, I work as a waitress at my parents' Greek restaurant, a couple days a week. I get to interact with people, walk a good 8 miles total, and get to go outside in the sun, as we have patio seating. I'm obviously lifting and carrying plates of food. Also, I can bring my own grass-fed whatever and the chefs will cook it for me. People look down on the "waitress" thing but I LOVE IT. (I only do it two days a week, so I'm not at all jaded.) I love seeing people leave in a little bit of a better mood than when they came in - that's my goal. :)

(Hard not to chime in about what they're ordering, though. I just smile and tell them how very yum our pancakes are..)

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I'm a massage therapist and wouldn't trade it for the world. My schedule is as flexible as flexible gets. Also I love helping people get in touch with their own bodies and understand the complexities of who they are as human beings.

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I work from my home office, which has allowed me to be the primary caregiver for my two children. It also affords me more time in the day to grow my garden, tend to my chickens, explore, experiment, and continue in my endless quest for knowledge and self betterment.

I wouldn't call what I do paleo -- I'm a graphic designer -- but I've applied certain principles and ethical boundaries to my work that I've been fortunate enough to be able to live within.

When I was going to design school 12 years ago I was intrigued by an article I read in Adbusters called The First Things First Manifesto http://www.emigre.com/Editorial.php?sect=1&id=14. Basically the idea is not to sell out to the man, but to apply ones design expertise and problem solving skills towards worthy causes and sustainability. I signed the manifesto and built a career for myself working for local, independent organizations and non-profits within my community.

I work full time for a company that builds Tiny Houses. In my "spare" time I do freelance work for other local and sustainably minded companies, such as the local indy bookstore chain, the Peace and Justice Center, performing arts centers, and a number of independent publishers in my area.

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Another stay-at-home mom here and I can't get over how lucky I am to be able to stay home with my extremely happy and mellow toddler (who is happy and mellow, I firmly believe, because he's never had white sugar and hasn't had grains in months since we went paleo). I get to spend hours in the kitchen preparing healthy meals, interrupted every few moments by a kid who wants me to wrestle with him (excellent exercise!). I started a local group for like-minded moms, so I do have a close social circle. We get together and ferment veggies, go for hikes, take our kids to the playground...it's awesome. Pretty much couldn't ask for a more paleo-friendly life.

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Hello, my besty friend. Glad to see you here. :-) – Aughra Jun 14 2011 at 22:47
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I'm an IT security consultant, working in banks mostly, currently for government deploying wireless networks.

I don't think any of those words and concepts is paleo. Maybe "working" but not in this sense.

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I'm a stay at home mom too. We get to take long walks outside in the ergo, weather permitting, buy food from local farms, take naps when we want, breastfeed on demand, and I have plenty of time to make sure we always have good bone Broths and home made meals in the house and I even make my own liver pate. I love having the luxury to raise my family this way. I know we'd have more stuff an probably even better access to higher end food but the care I put in to our meals and the flexibility in raising my baby in a natural way would be lost.

My poor husband has a very Paleo-unfriendly job. He's a music composer/audio designer for a video game company so he works a lot of long hours and late nights in a windowless soundproof office. He walks to work and to lunch to help but this journey of ours has been far easier for me than him. Thank goodness for d supplements or I think he'd be sick all the time (and he was before.)

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I loved my Ergo carrier and I loved having the freedom to nurse on demand! My kids are 9 & 6 years old now, but working from home allowed me to breastfeed them without interruption for 2.5 & 3.5 years respectively. :) – lunabelle Jun 14 2011 at 22:26
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i recently started an all natural skincare line from my kitchen. im carried in two stores so far and selling stuff through my website. its something ive been doing for about 20 years, and for some reason only now thought i could possibly make money at it. things are going really well so far. i work my butt off, but i get to do it at home with my kiddos, and have the flexibility to enjoy being outside on nice days, go to the gym on not so nice days and hang with my family. my products are all unrefined, simple, gluten free, and organic when possible (if i have to choose between organic or unrefined, ill go with the unrefined stuff). i use paleo principles to guide me in product development, and dont use any artificial fragrances. everything smells like exactly what it is. i love paleo beauty and self care!

im a social worker and psychotherapist by education. i specialize in the advanced treatment of psychological trauma, and i LOVE what i do but i took a break when i had my kids. i cant wait to go back to itonce my business is a little more stable. i would like to take on a few clients every week for individual therapy and do some consulting and education. trauma work is very emotionally taxing, and ive found that when i do too much, it has a profoundly negative effect on my health and family, so ive learned to limit it. i still also volunteer with the medical reserve corps and remain ready to be deployed to a large scale disaster if needed, and participate in local disaster relief and post disaster debriefings.

my husband is home with us now too studying to be a personal trainer, wanting tp specialize in rugby training since he played for 14 years.

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You are an amazing woman, Ms. Akd. – sherpamelissa Jun 15 2011 at 3:52
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This summer I have an internship at a nature preserve (I'm interested in a career in environmental science), so I help with kids' programs, take walks in the park, and learn as much as I can about stuff I'm passionate about! The staff at the preserve is 6 people- so we're pretty close. I get 8-9 hours of sleep a night and cook for myself for the first time which is awesome.

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I'm an adventure guide. During the summer and part of fall and spring, I spend 5 days a week living in wilderness. I am outside all day, sleep in a tent at night. I get 4 to 6 hours a day of moderate exercise. I'm paddling or hiking or climbing. My daily schedule is bound to the natural cycles around me; sunrise and sunset, tides, wind etc. This summer, I'll sleep on an empty beach four nights a week. It's pretty hard to eat paleo on expeditions, but I've managed to make 2 of my 3 meals per day paleo and all of my snack are. The food part is definitely the hardest. I miss bacon and steak and fresh veggies.

When I'm not working as an adventure guide I make handmade leather goods for my parents' leather shop. Its really rewarding being able to design an item in my head and then make it. I feel incredibly lucky to have inherited a trade from my parents. This gives me the ability to create my on schedule, cook all my meals at home and work out whenever I want.

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After 10 years as a "desk jockey" making millions for my bosses and billions for investors, I traded it in to become a college business instructor. I couldn't be happier! I can arrange my schedule around my life, versus the constant demands of a corporate gig. Plus I have to STAND and MOVE as part of my job.

{Yes, the pay is low, but the satisfaction is high.}

The only downsize is the corporate/concrete building where I work. I'm trying to figure out how to hold class on the "green" without disrupting the learning process. Students are sooo used to a sanitary and boring environment :(

AND, when the summer arrives, I only teach 2-3 days a week, which means even more flexibility and the ability to be outdoors. Yay!

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You know what is interesting about this sanitary, boring walls that students are stuck in? I learned in my color theory class in art school that student's test scores suffer greatly from learning in classrooms with blank walls and little sunlight. – Kelly Jun 15 2011 at 4:08
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My summer job (I'm a college student) is working as a camp counselor for first and second graders-- it allows me to be outside all day, walk around a lot, play with kids, and bond with my co-counselors.

SO much more Paleo than my years working at Dunkin Donuts...

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nope, I'm in engineering, I am at a desk 90% of my day. most days I walk around out in the manufacturing plant for a little while just to go for a walk. I always have a handful of papers and a pen and stop and chat with a person or 2 so i look official and busy.

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Guess I should chime in and answer my own question. 

Over the years I've worked in various non-paleo fields as a graphic designer, corporate trainer, and high level tech support. Several years ago I got fed up with being desk bound and piled under paperwork and fired my bosses. 

I'm currently a wilderness instructor, a pretty successful (actually profitable!) nature/landscape artist and volunteer FS Ranger. 

After using some self experimentation techniques and discovering that I and my family are Celiac (backed up by tests) I'm currently working on a degree in clinical nutrition. 

I'll never give up the freedom of 'working' in the wilderness, but I'll be using the knowledge I learn to sift through the misinformation and help educate others as much as possible. 

Not to get too new-agey, but I think it's important to realize that often we are the source of the main obstacles preventing us from accomplishing our goals. 

If you know that living a more paleo lifestyle and shifting to a paleo friendly job will make you happier, you should probably take a good hard look at what's holding you back. 

I know that there are other legitimate obstacles, but It doesnt hurt to do a little self examination now and then. Just sayin'. 

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I work for a wellness education co based on paleo principles (bonfirehealth.com) as well as a whole food supplement company that makes some pretty legit stuff (innate response). Aside from having to drive quite a bit, I couldn't be happier!

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I'm a semi-retired, self-employed web designer. That lets me get up and move around when I want. All of the websites I'm currently working on are environmental, so that's Paleo. Not much tribe, although I like the people I work for.

Sure, it might be fun to have an outdoor job. But nothing like that would pay me as much as I am making. Paleo (Primal, actually) has improved my health, but I don't think I could do a strenuous job. Not everyone can work outside.

I enjoy my work. People probably think that being an environmental (including endangered species) webmaster is totally cool. Sometimes it is. Mostly, it is doing mundane things like fixing broken links.

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Currently studying in college, but the career I want, I would think is in the Paleo range.

Working on a film set:

  • Collaborate with people all the time
  • Always on your feet and doing something!
  • Lifting heavy equipment (sandbags, lights, etc)
  • Being on a film set would be a dream job, never feel like going to work, just constantly being in a creative environment
  • Film outdoors! I definitely have a farmer tan from long periods of time on student film sets outside. The bug bites suck though -_-
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Ooh! Me! Me! Granted, I'm trapped inside all day, but I'm a teacher :) I love what I do, I love the students, and walking around the school on an average day gets me a few miles. I also direct the school play, so I do a lot of running around having fun with teens :) I'm literally on my feet every moment of rehearsal -- which can be up to 8 extra hours! (Then my job gets NON paleo as I wind up with 3-4 hours of sleep a night the week before a show!)

I leave my job as energized as I went in. I think that's awesome :)

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@Geisha: I think its awesome too and love that you love it. I've built programs in the past that involved pub health/mental school based clinics for kids, so I've had alot of interface with teachers. Let's clone you! ;) +1 for your answer and for being an inspiration! – Atkins-witha-loincloth Jun 15 2011 at 21:08
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I stopped enjoying teaching so I now answer phones until I can figure out what I want a new degree in and what I want to do with the rest of my life.

However, I no longer take work home- I leave it at work, which leaves me lots of time to do what I want to afterwards. I'd consider that bit Paleo.

I get to enjoy the outdoors and get my lifting and stuff in since I don't take work home. I'm now exploring random things I've been wanting to do like learn to make wine and learn to butcher (that's the newest thing I really want to do).

And it leaves me more time for the performance aspect of music that I couldn't allot time for when I was teaching.

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I'm an actor which, I dare say, is one of the MOST paleo jobs! I absolutely love what I do. My training and daily warmups are based in the stripping down/understanding of the physical and emotional defenses created by society and culture (ie. Alexander technique, fitzmaurice tremoring, etc). Telling stories is one of the earliest forms of play- no coincidence that that's why the final product is called such! It is completely collaborative and requires a tribal bond. Physical vitality is essential. Combine that with an outdoor theatre and a post-show steak, and life is good.

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At 24 I've decided to go into semi-retirement. Previously I was an office worker, and that messed up my posture and stressed me out.

I don't want to buy property or procreate so I have no need to save money, I can skip to retirement. I don't want to work full-time in an office. I'll work occasionally in jobs that interest me, so I have enough money to eat, somewhere to sleep and pocket money for travelling.

It may have something to do with how good I feel since going paleo. I'm calm all the time. Really, I don't want anything. I spend my days meditating, eating, swimming, walking, stretching and lifting weights.

It may also have something to do with meditation. I don't want things, you know, like clothes and cars.

It may also have something to do with being a punk, because I know that I can live virtually for free in my home country by squatting, dumpster diving, hunting and growing food.

Has anyone else experienced this?

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This type of lifestyle seems like it would be awesome when you're in your twenties but would become progressively less appealing as you get older. – Olivia Oct 24 2011 at 16:16
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My boss is a caveman. I consider that an ultimate paleo friendly environment: lots of primal emotions, fight or flight responses, low number of rest & digest outcomes...

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I'm a full-time writer/novelist--a thoroughly paleo job because a) I worked my ass off to get to where I am today, b) I absolutely love it, c) I can set my own hours and take breaks whenever I feel the need, and d) storytelling is one of the original forms of entertainment. Before that I worked in a morgue, which is paleo in that I had the chance to see the stark reality of life and death, and before that I worked as a cop, which kept me active and also gave me several opportunities to be in true fight-for-your-life situations. In other words, I've had an awesome life in many ways. :-)

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I'm a nurse and take care of the old, frail tribe members. There's nothing paleo about my job. I ride my bicycle to work, sometimes I run to work too.

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I surf. its super paleo

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I'm a theatre student and practitioner. Moving and playing is a big part of a lot of my classes, as well as doing field-research. I do a fair amount of storytelling too. Performance is a lot of fun and releases plenty of endorphins. Living in New York, I also walk almost everywhere I go.

Once I graduate and start practicing and teaching more, my hope is to maintain the level of movement that I like. I may also get a standing desk.

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