How do you know when you’re well enough to handle working?

I guess just make a list of pros & cons? I’ve been unemployed off & on for the past few years, but before that worked steadily. Or is it mental illness that I want to apply as a cashier in retail hell?

Made a list of pros & cons of being a cashier in retail hell & was surprised to see both columns almost equal, but of course the cons are winning. At least I’m no longer in denial that working retail again would be the worst. I’ve shot myself in the foot before being positive about it, only to go down in proverbial flames. Maybe this is the motivation I need to get serious about doing my own thing from home? Start treating that as the job I’d like it to be?

I wish I could help but I'm in the same boat, pretty much. Recently had to drop out of uni for the second time and quit my third job because of how bad my mental health was, and still is. I'm currently focusing on therapy but I'm finding the sheer amount of time on my hands unbearable.

I think the main thing to go by is how well you function on a day-to-day basis. Can you get up at the time you need to with an alarm? Can you brush your teeth and shower regularly enough? Can you prepare food for yourself three times a day? Can you handle going outside and being around strangers? Can you do what you need to do in a day without burning out / being exhausted by it, to the point where it's impacted your ability to cope? Could you do more with your day than you're currently doing and handle it consistently on a day-to-day basis?

I find whenever I'm unsure if I could go back to work / uni or not that going through those questions helps. Right now I can barely function in my day-to-day life, even while doing nothing besides therapy once a week, and I know I can't work because of that fact.

Hope that helps, and that things get better for you!

raptureblues wrote:I think the main thing to go by is how well you function on a day-to-day basis. Can you get up at the time you need to with an alarm? Can you brush your teeth and shower regularly enough? Can you prepare food for yourself three times a day? Can you handle going outside and being around strangers? Can you do what you need to do in a day without burning out / being exhausted by it, to the point where it's impacted your ability to cope? Could you do more with your day than you're currently doing and handle it consistently on a day-to-day basis?

Thank you, that is helpful. If I’m being honest with myself, I have to admit my functioning is unstable.

Contemplating working in another bureaucrazy made me cry today. I have zero interest in worrying about stupid $#%^ like dress codes. Or dealing with assholes. Having to listen to their stupid #######4. Being the good little co-narcissist. I need to get serious about self-employment though. Do a little every day.

I need the structure of work. I actually dread the weekends because I have time that I'm unable to structure for myself. Perhaps working would actually help?

Can you find something part time with a steady schedule? Minimal interaction with people? Maybe sorting donations for a few hours in the morning at a goodwill.

Thank you annibe11e, that’s a good suggestion. I’d love to sort donations @ a thrift store. I even once worked @ a Goodwill several lifetimes ago. Lasted about 6mos. I wish I had something positive to say about Goodwill after that experience... The people were interesting?

One challenge I’m currently facing is living in the country. Most jobs aren’t worth the gas money. Not to mention I have scoliosis, exacerbated by sitting in vehicles. But I must live in the country because it is free rent & away from the hustle & bustle of other humans.

I am currently exploring options like Etsy & Shutterstock to work from home... Only time will tell...

It’s getting to be that time when the state will decide this for me. Either way is no good. That’s life.

I’m an embarrassment to my family. Good thing I don’t like any of them that much. But I do rely on them. I used to be independent & self-sufficient. I used to be a lot of things. Maybe I will be those things again, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll just be some of them. Maybe I’ll be none of them. Maybe I’ll be one or two of them.

10 months since filing for disability & the gub’mint has decided: no, ur not disable, sry not sry. Briefly entertained notion of filing appeal, but there’s really no point. I don’t think they’ll change their decision. So that’s that.

Time to rejoin the rat race, if the rat race will still have me. I’m pretty sure there are still ###### jobs with ###### bosses & ###### coworkers with ###### customers just waiting for my ###### self. I hope you enjoy my depression, anxiety, & agoraphobia as much as I do. Ur welcome, ########.