Flexible Jobs for People with Depression
Depression affects around 1 in 6 people in the U.K. Some people may be depressed for relatively short periods of time and others may experience depression for years. Whatever way it takes place, depression is an incredibly challenging and draining experience for a person to go through.
Depression affects every aspect of a person’s life. As they feel tired, drained, down, sad, listless, and alone, it is hard to find the motivation to keep going through everyday tasks. Some people with depression even struggle to get out of bed in the morning and brush their teeth.
It makes sense, therefore, that a lot of people who experience depression find that it has a significant impact on their work. Some people will leave work because of depression, others will be off for a long time, and others may struggle on without disclosing their experience to anyone around them. All of these experiences are tough for the person involved.
It is important to know that there are different options available when you are experiencing depression. There are ways in which you can do your best to look after yourself and be true to how you are feeling, without having to give up work completely.
Where Flexible Jobs Come In
We have seen the rise of flexible jobs over the last couple of years. More employers are seeing the advantage of offering flexible jobs to their employers and more employees feel comfortable the request the flexibility that they want too.
Flexible work can be a fantastic option for people going through mental health problems including depression. Dealing with your mental health and trying to get the support you need can be very difficult when you are also working 8-hour work days Monday-Friday. It leaves very little wiggle room to do what you need to do to help yourself get better, such as rest, counselling, and seeing your doctor.
Flexible work can be offered in different ways, with the most common options being:
- Flexible working hours, e.g. starting between 7 am – 9 am and finishing between 4 pm – 6 pm
- Flexible working days with compressed hours, i.e. working 37.5 hours across 3 or 4 days instead of 5
- Job sharing with another person
- Remote or hybrid work
Choosing the way that works best for you is the best avenue. You know more than anyone how your depression affects you and what you need to healthily manage your work and life.
Where to Find the Best Flexible Jobs
If you are dealing with depression and you want to find the right flexible job, your best shout is to look for a flexible job with an accessible, disability-positive employer.
Working for an employer who can understand what you are going through and put the right reasonable adjustments in place to support you can radically change how you can manage work while depressed. The right working environment can help you stay at work in times you never thought would be possible.
We can help you find flexible jobs with these employers right here on Careers with Disabilities.
Our disability-friendly job board has all the accessible and flexible opportunities you need to start back on the right path.
