Written by: Chloe Pearson – Consumer Health Labs
For the millions of Americans living with disabilities, finding employment can be a stressful undertaking. The job search can take a toll on anyone, but it can be especially overwhelming if you are also looking for employment that will accommodate your abilities on mental, emotional, and physical levels.
There are options, however, and there are several jobs that could offer a flexible schedule as well as limited amounts of stress. From those who need a quiet environment to work in to people living with physical disabilities who need a job in which they can work around it, there are several options if you know where to start. Here are a handful of the best.
Dog Boarding
Spending time with animals can be extremely soothing and good for emotional well-being, especially non-threatening dogs of any age. Boarding animals is relatively stress-free and allows you the opportunity to work from home when a pet owner agrees to bring their animal to you. For even more flexibility, you can also sign up to provide dog walking services, which usually requires you to stop by for 30 minutes or less to take care of your four-legged client.
Cooking or Prep Work
Cooking, baking, and working in a kitchen in general can be soothing to the right type of person, While restaurant jobs can be busy and overwhelming — especially on weekends — you might look for work at a small hotel or cafe, or even a business that offers food such as a bookstore. Often their kitchens are small and relatively stress-free, and these types of jobs offer flexible schedules as well. Companies often use sites like Craigslist to recruit talent for these positions.
Landscaping and Gardening
Working outdoors, getting in some exercise, and tending to nature can all be soothing activities. If you live in an area that is warm year-round, you may be able to find full-time work as a gardener or landscaper. Otherwise, there are plenty of florists and greenhouses that need nature-loving employees to care for their plants.
Cleaning or Janitorial Duties
You can sign up with companies like TaskRabbit, check with local cleaning services to find out what their needs are, or, if you prefer to work mostly alone, you might try nearby office buildings, hotels, and restaurants to see if they have any job openings for housekeeping or janitorial services. Often you can work with a small team to get the jobs done, and many of the businesses that utilize cleaning services need people to come in during off hours, which offers you a flexible schedule.
Tutoring
Knowledgeable in math, languages, art, or music? You might consider taking on tutoring jobs that allow you to work one-on-one from your own home or in a quiet environment, like a library. Less stressful than full-time teaching, tutoring can give you many options for the amount of hours you work and — bonus — you’ll be doing something you enjoy anyway.
Living with a disability can be stressful at times when employment is concerned, but if you can narrow down your needs and pair them up with some of these fantastic options, you might find the employment search to be much easier!
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