What if careers were done still as off-map locations (if this helps with loading, etc...), but you could go to the place - like traveling in the world happens. Each career could have certain tasks (like what you already have at home) to do according to what rung of the ladder they are on. But it could be similar to sims medieval - if you are a doctor, you would have patients to treat in your waiting room, research into medicine to do, etc... You could associate with clients and fellow workers, but the more "work" you do would be equivalent to the "work hard" option we have now. And if some would find going to work each time more tedious, perhaps do as we have now when one person is at home and one at the gym - you can switch to either person, and you control the others actions like you do in a rabbit hole (take care of self, clean house, etc...). So you could work in a rabbit hole way if that's what you like, but the option would be there to do these minigames of sorts.