Not good at anything work wise. What do you do if you aren't talented or able bodied?

[StressedFool]

What do you do if you're not talented or skilled at something you can monetise? I feel I have no skills. I get so stressed trying to do things like manage a fast moving email inbox the words start to ripple on the screen and I feel sick trying to look at them, I just cannot keep up with what is expected in any normal office.

I'm hormonal and just feel useless. I have a good life and lots of opportunity etc but never quite been able to get a career to take off. I have been dogged with quite serious physical health issues and chronic pain that interfere with general stamina and muscle weakness all my adult life and keep wondering how things would have worked out if not for that. I have ADHD but can't take the medicine on account of my health issues, which doesn't help either.

At school, I was good at writing and art but it's all just faded away from lack of use and no particular qualifications beyond an arts degree I enjoyed. Obviously some very talented hard working people out there can make excellent careers in creative roles, but not me.

Feel really stressed about this tonight. I NEED to figure out a way of successfully earning money with a longterm plan.

How is it everyone else seems so much better at working than me? I have tried so many times and never good enough.

I don't have any direct experience of living with pain or ADHD so might be about to say something irrelevant but didn't want to read and run.

When you look at your work activities what is it about them that you struggle with is it the pace, expectations, volume....

Email inboxes are particularly stressful because it feels like you need to respond immediately, but that isn't necessarily true.

One tactic I use is the urgent/important matrix to prioritise

www.developgoodhabits.com/eisenhower-matrix/

I also use rules on my inbox to help me decide what to look at, so if I am just cc'd into the email I have it show a yellow flag and automatically change to read, if it's an auto notification from a system I have it go straight to a folder. That way I reduce what I even have to look at.

I find that taking the time to work out what my priorities are and how to work smarter makes me feel in more control of my workload, just reacting to other people's requests stresses me out.

Maybe office work at a computer is not for you.

How about a job where you can work outdoors or at a reception.

What about something from home that you can pick up when you can? A friend of mine is an e receptionist/administrator, she basically logs into a portal thing and does tasks from a list, she has a child with additional needs so does it to fit around him while still earning some money

I also have ADHD and my career isn't where it coulda woulda shoulda be. I cant stand the office, sitting for long periods chained to a desk. Literally can't stand it. I'm in a field based role now, driving around I'd much easier but it has been at the expense of career progression.

I recently got referred for ADHD work place coaching by access to work which is completely free. Worth a shot?

You don't need to be good at something before you get the job
Pick a job with relatively low stress and a supportive employer. I have found 3rd sector much easier
Then learn on the job
Don't be afraid to tell people if you don't understand, can"t do something or feel pressured.
It happens to everyone
You are worrying about not being perfect from day 1. That's silly, because no one is

You are worrying about not being perfect from day 1. That's silly, because no one is

In my experience if you're not perfect from day one you'll be out the door at the end of your probation.

OP - you say you have an art degree. Is there anything creative you could do, you say no but I wonder if eg you could volunteer in a local museum/gallery or similar to get experience and make contacts?

It's also worth attending a few local networking events. It doesn't matter that you don't know what you want to/can do at the moment, you can meet people, maybe find out about jobs available and get an feel for the sort of support local businesses in your area might need.