The arbitrary 8.5-9 hour workday drives me nuts, because a lot of the time, I really only have 3 or 4 hours worth of work to do. I generally work quickly and I value my time. Can I make a decent living doing something that gives me this kind of flexibility?
Get into a trade, and start your own business maybe? Like carpentry etc. You gotta learn and it’s a life long process since every job is different, but I’ve gained some much needed autonomy this way. The job is done when you are done, and that’s when you get paid.
It’s not for everyone, and takes some capitol and experience so that’s a fairly large barrier to do this, but after 16 years I’ve finally gotten some much needed freedom.