Not fit enough for most jobs but not ill enough for benefits..ideas?

Samanthamum

I need some ideas of low stress/low activity jobs. I currently work in a call centre, but have had to cut down to 1.5 days a week as I cannot cope mentally with the stress. I suffer from depression, but quit my meds as they never made me feel any better. I am also very overweight and struggle to do anything physical.

I need to work full time as we are going down the pan financially. Looking for ideas for low stress jobs that also are mostly sitting down.

Also is there a place I can go to help me find work/career ideas? Tried the jobcentre but they wont help as I am not on benefits.

I am working on my weight and hope that in 18 months/2 years I will be a healthy weight, but stull need to work in the meantime.

hcb42

well call centre is as much sitting down as it gets really - can you not find either another call centre where the pressure is less, or find a way to deal with the stress...

what kind of call centre is it, incidentally?

Samanthamum

hcb42 wrote: »

well call centre is as much sitting down as it gets really - can you not find either another call centre where the pressure is less, or find a way to deal with the stress...

what kind of call centre is it, incidentally?

How would I know if the pressure is less? They are pretty much all the same I would imagine. Targets, abusive customers.

Dont want to give too much info and out myself but it is incoming customer service

mazy_m

Hi there i'm just curious as to how you can't do physical work due to being big? You can't be crazily big if it's only going to take you 2 years to get to a healthy weight? I'm very overweight and struggle to do anything physical but my job means I have to and if I was to sit around the rest of the time not doing it then I would feel worse.

I don't mean to offend you here in the slightest I def know how hard it is to lose weight and the depression etc that comes with that and many other things but I think the best course of action for you is to do get some counselling as it seems like a lot of this I can't do this etc and with stress is in your head.
When in your head the pain becomes very real and it's a horrible struggle every day but it has to be do and the more you fight it the easier it will become. It sounds like it's a viscious circle you are in and you have to now face up to it not make excuses for it.

viktory

You need to take control. Start a healthy eating plan and start taking regular exercise every day. Seeing the weight come off and the endorphins released by exercise will help lift your mood. Start researching potential jobs in areas that you are interested in, but be aware that all jobs are stressful. Every single job has some degree of stress so you need to look at ways of managing stress as avoiding it is impossible. Consider signing up for an evening course to keep your mind active. As you lose weight and become healthier, you'll feel happier and more confident. The rest will fall into place.

MrsManda

Do you have any qualifications?
Have you thought about reception/admin type roles? Supermarket checkout?
The NextStep careers service may be of help to you: https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

In terms of your health are you getting support (personal trainer, dietician...) to lose weight? Could you speed up your weight loss or is that likely to worsen your health?

You say you've stopped taking your anti-depression meds, have you spoken to your doctor about other treatments for your depression? Depression is an illness and like a lot of illnesses it's unlikely to get better without some kind of treatment.

Samanthamum

mazy_m wrote: »

Hi there i'm just curious as to how you can't do physical work due to being big? You can't be crazily big if it's only going to take you 2 years to get to a healthy weight? I'm very overweight and struggle to do anything physical but my job means I have to and if I was to sit around the rest of the time not doing it then I would feel worse.

I don't mean to offend you here in the slightest I def know how hard it is to lose weight and the depression etc that comes with that and many other things but I think the best course of action for you is to do get some counselling as it seems like a lot of this I can't do this etc and with stress is in your head.
When in your head the pain becomes very real and it's a horrible struggle every day but it has to be do and the more you fight it the easier it will become. It sounds like it's a viscious circle you are in and you have to now face up to it not make excuses for it.

I am 20 stone and really cant to anything for more than half an hour before I get very very sweaty and need a shower. For example if i walk to shops and back (half an hour) I am dripping with sweat when I get home. Very embarassing. I do housework in short burst of 10 mins then need to sit. I have had CBT on NHS but did nothing, but there is nothing more they can offer me so I quit my anti depressants as I dont see the point. Trying a low fat diet now to shift the weight.

hcb42

Samanthamum wrote: »

How would I know if the pressure is less? They are pretty much all the same I would imagine. Targets, abusive customers.

Dont want to give too much info and out myself but it is incoming customer service

Well I was trying to help you...I have a lot of experience in call centre management, they are NOT all the same.

viktory

Samanthamum wrote: »

Trying a low fat diet now to shift the weight.

A genuine low fat, low calorie diet will mean you lose weight. No two ways about it - but only if you stick to about 1200-1500 cals a day religiously. Speak with your Doctor before starting a healthy eating plan.

Samanthamum

MrsManda wrote: »

Do you have any qualifications?
Have you thought about reception/admin type roles? Supermarket checkout?

In terms of your health are you getting support (personal trainer, dietician...) to lose weight? Could you speed up your weight loss or is that likely to worsen your health?

You say you've stopped taking your anti-depression meds, have you spoken to your doctor about other treatments for your depression? Depression is an illness and like a lot of illnesses it's unlikely to get better without some kind of treatment.

I have a first class degree in social policy, but never worked full time. I am in my mid 30s and only worked for the past 18 months at this call centre. Did not have a job before then. Thought about admin, but no idea where to start as never worked in that area. Doubt I would get a customer facing role due to my size.

I cant afford personal trainers, but I am part of an online weight loss community.

Think if I lost the weight my depression would go away, so working on that.

Samanthamum

hcb42 wrote: »

Well I was trying to help you...I have a lot of experience in call centre management, they are NOT all the same.

What type of call centre should I be looking at then? I would really appreciate your advice. My local council is looking for call centre workers, thought that may be less stressful than customer service.

I work for a VERY big name now. Unpaid toilet breaks. Calls monitored hourly. Targets. Not allowed to hang up on abusive customers. Supervisors on 10p an hour above minimum wage. Sometimes told to go home early if there are low call volumes. Hell on earth.