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

How about a job on the tills in Waitrose?

I agree with Gruach this time! Your language is very negative. You are very down on yourself.

Hypnotherapy and/or EFT might help.

Have a look at Brad Yates on You Tube. Lots of videos on there that might help with your anxiety/low self esteem issues.

You’ll forgive me if I disagree with a tiny part of your post stressed?

I honestly think Local Government or the NHS would be utterly miserable environments for the OP. Far too depressing in both infrastructure and subject matter.

Would you be willing to say roughly where you are, OP? (No one will be able to pick you out from the million other people in your city!)

The least stressful job I ever had was part time “meeter greeter” at a posh car dealership. It was before starting my “career” and was perfect for my circumstances at the time. All I had to do was, when customers arrived, smile, say hello, show them to the waiting area, offer them coffee and let the person they were there to see know they had arrived. Very occasionally if the receptionist was on lunch or away from her desk I answered the phone. It wasn’t amazing pay but was comfortably above minimum wage so very fair given lack of stress. Might you consider something like that do you think OP? I realise it’s not terribly high powered or exciting but I really enjoyed that job and think it would be a good way to get used to being in a working environment. Although that was a “public facing” role because it was a really high end (think ultra expensive super car) dealership there were limited numbers of customers but the company wanted to really look after them.

Hmm.... Well, I've never worked in the NHS myself but I have quite a few friends who do. They are by far the most positive and happiest workers I know. Not the same can be said for my corporate friends.

Oh - I wouldn’t suggest ‘corporate’ work either!

What the OP wants (imvho) is somewhere calling itself an ‘institute’ (like Wellcome), or a ‘trust’ (like Landmark), or a ‘society’ (Royal Horticultural?). Or any of the places I’ve already mentioned - where her artistic leanings might be nurtured and encouraged.

And, eventually, an element of study towards a qualification. So she can pursue an interest at a more specialised level and see where that leads.

Yes, I agree with that. It depends on where she is in the country though.

She just needs to gain traction and get moving.

can you cat sit? be less energetic than dog walking. Lots of people don't like to use a cattery but have someone pop in a feed a cat. I'm not suggesting its going to be a big money earner, but you might get a list of clients together.

other suggestions might be if you have a skill like playing bridge - can you run classes

How would you feel about being a cleaner and companion-type person? Maybe helping an elderly or disabled person in their own home.

Any supermarkets near you? Waitrose are supposed to be great employers. You could shelf-stack, be warehouse based or behind the scenes in the cafe if you don't want too much customer-facing contact.

I also meant to add that it's awful that someone has suggested an MLM (aka pyramid scheme) "opportunity" to you.

Thank goodness you seem clued up on the truth of these so-called businesses.

I'm in South Wales.

I don't think I could imagine working in a supermarket, not because I'm snobby, very far from it, but I can't stand or sit all day for health reasons.

I'm really grateful for all the replies and all the thought you are all putting into this. I know I need to get out and do something. I just want to minimise the stress - at least at first to avoid letting someone down.

I am lacking in self esteem. I've had a crap life at times, EA relationships, total lack of support. I think I need to try more counselling but struggle financially and nhs counselling is impossible to get. I need to speak to my gp but just getting an appointment is stressful.

I'm really not talented or artistic but enjoy trying.

I'll take everything on board and have a look around. I think my ideal job would be working in An independent book shop or as someone mentioned for the rhs or similar. I really couldn't imagine working for the nhs again ... i did that 18 years ago and it really got me down.

Turning to books, you’re at the wrong end of Wales for this to be a job opportunity but - have you ever been to Gladstone’s Library? It’s in North Wales, just outside Chester in fact, and an utterly perfect place for calming of the soul. (It used to be a proper retreat but is a tiny bit too busy to be called that now.) If you could afford a few days there I think you’d love it; particularly in the evening when only residents can use the library. (There are quite often deals on the price of accommodation.) You can be as sociable or unsociable as you choose and stay as a family, with a friend, or alone - up to you. The staff are generally sweet and gentle, residents overwhelmingly bookish in one way or another. Do take a look.

Holistic health clinic, library, book shop, national trust house, charity, women's aid, small cafe type place...

Could you get to either the Wales Millennium Centre or the National Museum in Cardiff on a regular-ish basis?

Garden Centre or plant nursery.

Oh wow Gruach Gladstones library looks amazing, I'd love that. Sadly I can't just up and go to these places, mainly because of my dd but also 3 cats. I've often thought I'd love to go to a retreat, but sadly not possible

I can get to Cardiff yes, but not sure if jobs are available... and then on top of everything I'm not sure if I'd get help if I worked part time as I still need to pay rent, feed my dd etc. Dealing with the dwp is stressful at the best of times

Yes to garden centres etc but none nearby sadly.

Thought you’d like the look of it ...

So perhaps the first thing, once you feel ready for the outside world, might be to explore - gently - what options exist to enable you to spread your wings a bit. I do appreciate that sometimes everything is so mired in complications that it seems much less terrifying to do nothing. Particularly if just maintaining the status quo takes up all your energy. But. Look at your answers above and ask yourself if those responses are all actually set in stone.

Leaving aside the financial aspect, is there any reason why you shouldn’t do an overnight recce of Gladstone’s Library with your daughter? (As a first experience of the place - with a view to a proper retreat sometime in the future.) People often do stay there with children. So, you have three cats. I’m sure you love them - but are you actually prepared to say you can never be away from home because of them? I’m equally sure it’s not beyond your wit to find someone to look after them for a couple of days. Do you want to?

I know you’re really looking for something new, but since you have secretarial and admin background, you can use software to “type”, rather than use your hands. I used to do freelance writing for an agency and used Dragon Naturally Speaking which, once it ‘learned’ my accent, worked brilliantly.

Just an idea. Good luck OP!

I think your best bet is to try out a range of volunteering to start off with. That way you can test your strengths and weaknesses in a supportive environment and get a feel for what you can do long term. It's tough because pretty much any job is hard to come by these days, unless you have a niche area, have good contacts within your industry or are highly qualified/experienced for the field you're in. That's why I think you're best working out your skill set first and then taking it from there.

Guache I know what you're saying ... As individual problems no they are not unsurmountable. Together they seem it. I'm happy to leave the cats and of course could take dd with me (hadn't thought of that) but finances are a huge restraint .. cat care costs for example. However, you can be sure I'll look into it because it sounds great. Thanks for sharing it with me.

Thais Nyman I'll look into Dragon Naturally Speaking.

Sorry .. should say thanks nyman

Thanks scarlet. Near me it seems all volunteering is working in charity shops or fundraising.