Plus, when you get to a certain point in some careers, especially IT ones, you don't have to work a full 8 hours straight. I can pretty much keep whatever hours I want as long as the job gets done.
Sometimes that includes overtime, but most of the time it doesn't.
I am a systems architect. I love my job, and work is the only place I can do this stuff. I don't have a million $ for hardware here.
Also, I'm paid well and the environment is great. For me, it is true, I don't "work", I do what I like. And as a german, I benefit from all the holidays, and general employee rights and protection.
Good for you! I studied computer science and afterwards I had no joy in programming anymore. I'm a data manager right now, doing data stuff and little programming which is ok. Maybe I will do a full time programming job again one day.