Far too often, people who struggle with anxiety disorders such as social anxiety or generalized anxiety are fobbed off or not taken seriously when expressing how they’re feeling. However, if you suffer from anxiety, you will know first-hand that while people may not take you or the issue seriously, it is a severe problem, one that can affect every aspect of your life. One vital part of your life that anxiety significantly affects is your job. Maintaining a job, or even finding a job in the first place, can be made all the more difficult if you are struggling with anxiety, and you’ll find that no matter what you do, you never quite feel comfortable, calm, or able to do your job. That’s why finding jobs for people with anxiety is so important.
8 Jobs for People with Anxiety
There are various jobs for people with anxiety out there, so if you’re here in the hopes of finding a few ideas for yourself or perhaps someone you know, then read on because we might be able to help you.
1. Mail Person
Being a mail person is one of the top jobs for people with anxiety as it manages to tick a few boxes that can help you enjoy your work and not dread every second you’re there. Firstly, of course, this is a job where you get to work alone. This is especially helpful if your anxiety is increased when working in social or busy settings. You can walk the streets all by yourself, never having to worry about what people are thinking about you, if anyone is talking about you, or if one of your colleagues is going to pay you a surprise visit at any moment. Next, this is a job where you can listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks for your whole shift. All of which can help make you feel relaxed. You can drift away into your happy place with your favorite songs, get lost in a crime drama podcast, or listen to some helpful books. Finally, you’ll be doing a lot of exercise every day. Exercise is excellent for helping you keep calm when you have anxiety, and the constant walking the streets around a slew of pretty neighborhoods will go a long way to keeping you relaxed and release the tension in your body.
2. Massage Therapist
Working in a vocation that helps other people relax will rub off on you and help control your tension and anxiety as well. The great thing about being a massage therapist is that it’s a low-stress job. You are working in an environment specifically designed to be ambient and calm at all times, and your clients are not going to want to be hyperactive towards you. Every day you can listen to soothing music, burn scented candles, and enjoy giving the massage as much as the client enjoys receiving it. Everyone who comes has the goal of being perfectly still and silent for the duration and then leaving in a relaxed state – such a simple, structured, and tranquil job is ideal for anyone dealing with any anxiety disorders.
3. Transcriber
Being a transcription worker might not be the most glamorous job for people with anxiety, and for many people, the repetitive nature would be too challenging for them. However, for someone with a predisposition for anxiety, it could be a dream come true. Transcribers generally work by listening to audios and writing down what is said. Perhaps it could be a therapy session, legal conversations, medical notes, and so on. The job is relatively simple and only requires a good ear and a good rate of words per minute when typing. This job type can quickly be done from home and is common with freelancers who set their schedules and rates. Working from home is mostly always the preferred option for those with anxiety, so being able to work from home and set your own hours could be just what you’re looking for. Additionally, the job’s repetitive aspect can be quite soothing for any perfectionist tendencies you may have.
4. Animal Trainer/Walker
Animals are used all over the work to comfort people who are dealing with traumatic situations, stressful environments, or have trouble keeping panic attacks at bay. Dogs are mostly used for this type of work, but other types of animals are needed too. Well, someone needs to train these animals, so why can’t it be you? Working with animals can significantly impact lowering a person’s stress levels, anxiety levels, and even blood pressure; that’s how calming being around animals can be. It’s one of the best jobs for people with anxiety.
Usually, you won’t need any special or extra qualifications to get into animal training, so don’t be put off if you don’t have a particular degree. Alternatively, if you aren’t able to get into animal training, being a pet walker pays well and gives you plenty of time out in the fresh air by yourself along with that much needed daily exercise. Working with animals rather than negative people could be precisely what you need.
5. Librarian
Do you dream of reading books all day in your little quiet library in your town? Okay, maybe not all day because you will still have work to do, but imagine yourself at work each day reading books, helping people find books, organizing books, and endlessly learning. Can you see yourself there? Not all jobs you see on television are like that in reality. However, working each day in a calm, peaceful, and full-filling atmosphere is really what you’ll get to do when it comes to being a librarian. Quite often, people struggling with anxiety read a lot to help escape negative feelings or prevent negative thoughts, so what better place for you to be every day. If you aren’t qualified to become a librarian, as you may need a certain level of education, working in a bookstore or even opening your bookstore is a great alternative.
6. Cleaner
While some people might think they are above this type of work, cleaning can be extremely therapeutic for a certain kind of person. With cleaning jobs for people with anxiety, like maid or janitorial work, cleaning itself can be rewarding and full fulfilling to the one doing the task. Cleaning can be refreshing for your mind, and as you clean the area around you, your mind can feel cleansed at the same time. There are clear goals with cleaning, a structured routine, and often you’ll get to spend most of the time by yourself. Please don’t listen to those you look down on cleaning as it’s an essential job that can provide you with a lot of satisfaction and mental clarity.
7. Driver
Be it a cab driver, Uber driver, or any other similar type of company, driving is a great option. As a cab driver, for example, you get to set your own schedule (does waking up early trigger your anxiety? this isn’t a problem when you work when you want), you rarely have to talk to anyone seeing as the vast majority of people who are using a cab are not interested in making small talk with the driver, and you get to drive around your area every day exploring new places and finding hidden gems where you live that you might otherwise never have known about.
8. Landscaper
It’s no secret that being around nature is healing and calming for many people, so why not try and be outside in nature every day? Being a landscaper will allow you to be outside regularly, and you’ll get the see the most beautiful flowers and learn about the best parts of nature. You’ll get to care for plants, trees, lawns, as well as growing new shrubs, flowers, and a host of other things. Being outside will help you connect to the outside world. It’ll make you feel relaxed as well as stopping any feelings of loneliness. Working in a garden center or nursery is also a good option if you can work indoors sometimes, and you’ll still have the chance to learn about and care for various aspects of nature.
Get Working
Generally, jobs where you can work from home, may be best suited to you, so going down the freelance route could be a good starting place no matter what industry you’re interested in. Of course, this might not always be possible, but jobs where you can work alone, are ideal solutions for you. It doesn’t always feel easy trying to balance work and anxiety. Still, as you can see from the article above, jobs for people with anxiety do exist, so don’t give up your search for that job, yet that will not make you worry about Monday every minute of the weekend.
