Choosing a new stress free job

[Dontknowwhatimdoinghere]

I've been off work for 2 years due to extreme anxiety and depression, being barely able to leave the house.

I know I have to get back to work, but I don't feel I can go back to my old "career". I've always worked as a secretary or admin. I don't have a degree, instead I went abroad after school and stayed there for a while, drifted into secretarial work, had children etc etc.

I'm not gifted at anything. My hands hurt too much these days to go back to full time typing. I'm 53 so not sought after. Ideally I'd work from home to avoid letting someone down on the days when I'm struggling to leave the house. I can barely make phone calls, this has been an issue for a long time.

Can anyone suggest something I could do, maybe part-time to start with? If i have to leave the house I guess I'd be happiest with something so easy I don't need to stress about it, no phones and few people.

I'm a single mother so training isn't affordable.

Sorry, I know I'm asking the impossible

What would your ideal job be? My best and mosr stress free job was working for a charity - and the most rewarding and worst paid! I loved it.

I have no idea! I'd manage in a small shop maybe without a big company behind them, so relatively informal. Just serving customers, but not standing all day due to health issues.

I love cats, reading ( wanted to be a librarian when I was younger). I'm not good around children as I have a phobia of vomiting. I always wanted to write books but haven't been able to get started ...

Not impossible at all.

My kneejerk reaction would always be working towards an academic qualification - because it can be so ... emboldening in middle age - but you may not feel ready to tackle the financial challenges.

I wondered (paradoxically) if you might find outdoor work a relief - something like gardening - but obviously that would depend on how much you can do with your hands. (What’s the problem? Is there any more treatment possible?)

Other people often suggest dog-walking in this type of circumstance. I wouldn’t like it but ...

Do you have an art gallery anywhere near? They often need volunteers, which might lead to paid work.

(Am trying to think of lovely environments.)

I'd start by volunteering to try a few things. It may lead to something good!

Www.Try-it.org

Get in touch with the National Careers Service, they have qualified advisors that will be able to give you free guidance, nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk

I don't know what I'd volunteer to do though.

Dog walking would be a problem because I can't walk a long way, not more than 30 mins. Also everyone seems to be doing it now. And I live in a city, to get to green areas I'd need to drive.

My hands are I think arthritic due to years of typing and knitting. I have an appointment with my gp today to discuss it.

I’d ask what your dream occupation (or working environment) would be - but depression can render that concept rather hazy (if not actively threatening) so I’ll leave it.

But I would encourage you to explore outside the traditional office / shop type of jobs. If you live in a city there will be theatres, concert halls, galleries, museums - all of which offer healing environments if you can find a way in.

Thanks, good idea. Sadly it's a small city and hasn't many galleries or theatres. But I'll look into it.

I haven't got a clue what my dream working environment would be right now.

Thanks.

Just to clarify, I'm a single parent, pyramid selling isn't what I'm looking for. I do need an income. I don't know people so no selling and I'm anxious around people and using phones anyway. I may be ok in a small independent shop, I'm not sure.

I've tried doing typing jobs from home but just can't type all day anymore due to my fingers locking and hurting plus it's very difficult to earn enough.

What about something with the RSPCA or similar, looking after the animals in their care?

Using threads like this to try and sell pyramid selling is disgusting!

It’s tricky OP - if you can’t tupe much or call people then finding work from home will be difficult (otherwise you could try all sorts of things like virtual pa or audio transcription).

Volunteering in a charity shop would get you retail experience. What about small local indie retailers looking for part timers?

No phones, no typing, no walking, few people will make it tricky! So you could consider retraining for something specific too.

(You could try using voice dictation software on your pc)

Bookshop assistant?

I'd say a part time job in an environment where the pace is slower and the staff are kinder....

Independent bookshop?

Library? Not sure you need to be a qualified librarian these days.

Receptionist in an indepedent opticians? I am always amazed at how calm and kind the staff are in my optician.

Working in a hospice?

Sorry to hear you suffer with anxiety. Was that work induced?

I would say a kind supportive environment could transform you so don't despair. I'm sure you have lots of talents to bring the table! Try not to be down on yourself.

Your arthritis would probably mean an employer would have to make reasonable adjustments. Knowing that do you feel your options open up?

I think you sound a bit naive - all jobs are stressful to some degree, that’s what makes them work.

I wonder if you would be better off focusing on increasing your resilience to stress as much as possible? There is a lot of support, mindfulness, etc if you go to look for it online. Stop looking for something easy and build yourself instead.

I have to say I disagree ButteredScone. I’d imagine the OP is quite keen to get away from contemplating herself. And, quite honestly, the thing that would build confidence is finding or re-finding some thoroughly enjoyable occupation in which she can be absorbed and which she can do well.

I don’t personally think that working from home - without much outside input - would be a sufficient escape. I do think something that has an element of fun / leisure / entertainment / beauty - amongst kind, relaxed but well organised people might provide the most encouraging environment.

Do you sing OP? I can’t but if I could, and I were you, I might be inclined to look for a choir to join. Not as work - just for the pleasure of it.

That's pretty harsh ButteredScone.

I agree with Gruach. I don't think working from home would be the solution. You need to do something that will get you out even for a short time. The right environment and people can do wonders.

A bookshop or library would be lovely. Sadly there are no small bookshops and few libraries where I live. The small libraries were all closed a few years ago and small bookshops have gone out of business, there's only Smiths and Waterstones left, and I'm not sure how long they'll survive tbh.

I've suffered with anxiety for a while but in my last job suffered a breakdown after being left alone for three weeks whilst colleagues were ill and on holiday to do a job I'd had no training in alongside my own job. I was written off sick fire a child of months and then quit because it wasn't fair to my colleagues.

I don't think I'm bring naive, I'm just trying to be realistic. I know what I can't do, I'm trying to find out what I could do.

I can sing a bit but not fantastic. I have actually just joined an art group, I always wished I was artistic so thought I'd give it a go. It's through a MH organisation so i feel no pressure to be a certain way, upbeat, confident. I'm really enjoying it and I'm not so bad, painting, drawing a little. I'm not talented but I'm not bad either

It’s great that you’ve joined the art group.

You know, re-reading what you’ve written here, it seems to me that you put an enormous amount of pressure on yourself - making it inevitable that you’ll fall short of your own unreachable standards.

I'm not gifted at anything.

... not sought after

I always wanted to write books but haven't been able to get started ...

... quit because it wasn't fair to my colleagues.

I can sing a bit but not fantastic.

I always wished I was ...

I'm not talented but ...

It is awfully hard to go through the days under this self imposed oppression!

And meanwhile, everyone reading this thread can see a person of wide ranging interests in music, art, literature, travel ...

I think that's sensible. Start small and you can always do more. However, do not underestimate your ability to get over what has happened to you and your ability to move on. Languishing at home is really the worst thing you can do.

How about something with records or archives?

Local government or NHS? Lots of opportunities for part time and you could start at a lower level and potentially work your way up the ladder (if you felt you wanted to do that). Lots of behind the scenes jobs in the NHS (clinical coder?).

Try not to be too rigid in your thinking. You might not be able to work with books but you could possibly do something related. Search on key words on www.indeed.co.uk and see what comes up. There's something out there for you, you just need to find it!