Starting work after long-term illness

[Pegs11]

Hi, I’ve not worked for two years now due to health issues (I am in the ESA support group). Although my condition is ongoing, I have been feeling better enough recently to start considering returning to work. My energy levels are better and my mental health is better than it’s been in a long time which is very encouraging!

But I am petrified about going back to work. I’ve been having anxiety dreams just at the thought of it (dreams of turning up on my first day and not remembering why I’m there, getting lost in the building, getting told off, not being able to concentrate on what people are saying…)

There are many problems with my going back to work, and I don’t know where to start with solving them:

1. I don’t know what kind of job I could do with my health condition. It would have to be something part time, and not too stressful. And working for a very understanding employer!
2. I am worried that I might quickly discover that I’m still not fit for work, and then have to reapply for my benefits all over again. Which would be a nightmare, it’s such a traumatic experience applying for benefits (plus it would leave me out of pocket for several weeks).
3. The kind of work I think I could do seems to be in very short supply. Basically part-time, simple stuff from home. It would have to give me a steady income (not freelance or zero hours). I think I could be much more reliable (and less anxious) if I’m working from home but this reduces the pool of available jobs too.
4. I think I might be over-qualified for the sort of work I feel I’m capable of doing. But my health condition means I can’t go back to what I was doing before.

I have been looking online for part-time data entry/simple admin jobs, but there is hardly anything.

Just wondered if anyone had any advice. I feel like a lost cause!

I've just returned to work after 15 years off. Oh my god, it has been AMAZING. All of the worries I thought I'd have are non-issues.

A consideration first - do you need the salary immediately? Could you voluenteer for a while first?

I have volunteered throughout my time off work. In many capacities and quite substantial roles with responsibility (albeit voluntary). This helps:
a) Give you confidence in your ability
b) Keeps your mind active
c) Maintains your knowledge and skills
d) Fills your CV/job application form. I literally listed 6 voluntary positions I hold in the "current roles" section of the application form.
e) Gives you plenty to talk about during the interview process.

Think carefully about the voluenteer roles you do. Make them relevant to the job/sector you want to work in.

• You could offer to voluenteer with the place of work you want to work in. A bit like work experience or internships. Shadow a member of staff, do small tasks. All unpaid. Gets a foot in the door without creating anxiety for you.

• Most charities have executive boards or committees that are voluntary positions. Might only be 1 meeting a month, or a quarter. I joined a few because it's not much time to give up. It's to make strategic decisions, but you'll be part of a group making those decisions. Often they want "normal people" on these panels, to be independant.

• look for sector relevant voluntary roles. I don't know your sector, but mine is education. I have

• Sat on the panel for the local authority making decisions on school place appeals • I voluenteer in an admin/management capacity for Girlguiding. So not working with the girls, but maintaining a database and doing admin etc • School governance - at my local primary and secondary school • On the committee that runs a local youth community centre • I am on the board for the women's aid centre in my borough. I have no skills/knowledge of this sector, but was asked. • I set up and ran a toddler group / support group for parents suffering PND, when my children were little.

After leaving a teaching career with quite major medical reasons 15 years ago, I became a stay at home mum and raised 4 children. I've developed anxiety and agoraphobia during that time - I'm still very introverted and have socialising.

At the end of November I applied for a Safeguarding and Child Protectiin role and they wanted me so much they immediately offered me the top of the salary range and the flexible working I requested. I absolutely love it! (Plus the extra money is very welcome!)

Hi @Abbsie, thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. Volunteering is a great idea, don’t know why I didn’t think of this before!

I have trouble socialising too, I get very uncomfortable when in the company of more than a couple of people I don’t know, and can have full-on anxiety if there’s more than a handful. I find work meetings are the worst! In my old job there were so many meetings all the time…. Not only were they mostly pointless and took up hours of the time I needed to do my actual job 😩, but they also made me soooo anxious…. sometimes I’d have to leave the room because I just couldn’t cope. In the future I would like to do a job where there are nooooo meetings or large group training events!

However, I am ok when it comes to, say, serving people behind a counter, because that usually one-on-one and I can even be quite confident in that role! 🤣 (At least I was the last time I did it, which was about seven years ago)

Thank you again for your reply, it’s great to hear how volunteering worked out well for you and gave you your confidence back. And bloody well done for landing the job, it sounds like you’ve put a lot of effort into overcoming your anxieties and building your skills and confidence, and are now being justly rewarded 😁

Happy holidays! 😊