Chronic back pain or injury can make finding fulfilling employment challenging, especially if your previous career involved heavy physical labour.
You may have already attempted to find work in several industries but felt limited and frustrated by your ongoing back pain.
This can be made worse by heavy lifting, standing for long periods, or performing repetitive tasks.
Don’t give up – finding work in a new area may be challenging, but there are several opportunities out there on the market.
With the advent of the work-from-home culture, many businesses allow people to have a more flexible work schedule.
Here are five jobs with a range of required experience you might consider if you are looking for work that doesn’t exacerbate your back pain.
Do I need experience or education?
Suppose you are transitioning from one career to another due to injury or chronic back pain.
In that case, you may feel you require extensive training, education, or experience to get work.
We identified a number of jobs that do not require formal training or a considerable amount of experience to obtain employment.
All of the positions mentioned below allow you to begin by freelancing and work your way up to a full-time role.
However, getting online training, going through a course, or working voluntarily can improve your chances of getting full-time work.
If you want to move into graphic design, this may require more experience, and practising at home until you have a digital portfolio is a great way to get started.
On the other hand, if you want to become a tutor, using your previous career experience can be helpful when choosing which area you feel proficient enough to teach others.
Notably, the jobs listed below allow you to train from home comfortably in your ergonomic workspace.
How to find work?
If you have chronic back pain or have experienced a recent back injury but are still interested in finding gainful employment, there are a few ways to increase your chances.
Firstly, ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of your limitations, the last thing you want to do is take on work that could lead to further injury.
After that, try to find a job that offers flexible schedules, work-from-home arrangements, or, better yet, caters specifically to people with injuries.
Then, if you need further assistance, consider looking for employment agencies that target the best jobs for people with back pain.
Lastly, don’t be disheartened – there are companies which are willing to accommodate people with injuries or chronic back pain.
So reach out to employers and ask what’s on offer.
Virtual Assistant
A growing opportunity for people who may need an ergonomic work environment or work from home on a flexible schedule is a Virtual Assistant.
Virtual assistants, or VAs, help professionals and executives perform various tasks, from organising someone’s calendar to entering data for a spreadsheet.
It’s a varied and exciting position that is always completed remotely (virtually), allowing you to prioritise your health first and foremost before your employment.
Graphic Designer
Graphic designers help businesses create visual graphics to market their products and services.
These days graphic design is done entirely via digital software, making it ideal for someone looking for work in a seated position.
Many companies are open to hiring graphic designers remotely or on a contractual basis.
Several platforms allow designers to apply for work, starting with inexpensive commissioned work up to multi-month contracts.
Graphic design is a rewarding and varied career path where you can see your ideas coming alive.
As a graphic design freelancer, you will have control over your workspace, allowing you to create an ergonomic and comfortable environment – one that doesn’t aggravate your back pain.
Copywriter
Copywriting is a fulfilling job which involves writing content for advertising and marketing purposes.
It can also be done from home, sitting down, and on a contractual basis.
Learning copywriting is a highly valued skill, and businesses are always willing to pay for high-quality copywriting.
Furthermore, many great courses are available to help you learn to copywrite, so previous experience is optional.
As a copywriter, you will write social media posts, ad copy, email marketing, and other materials.
If you are experiencing back pain, consider a laid-back, performance-based opportunity such as copywriting.
Transcriptionist
A transcriptionist’s job involves listening to audio and turning it into well-formatted written documents.
A well-known example of this would be a stenographer; these specialised transcriptionists use unique keyboards to write down court proceedings quickly.
However, most transcriptionists need little to no experience and help transcribe business meetings, podcast recordings, and other commercial audio.
This job allows you to work flexible hours, work from home, or work part-time, as the position is based on easily manageable productivity goals, that is, the amount you transcribe.
Many online platforms offer freelance opportunities, such as Rev.com, TranscribeME and Gotranscript.
However, if you want more permanent work, speak with a job placement company.
Online Tutor
Online tutoring is an excellent way for someone with physical limitations to achieve gainful employment while making a real impact through education.
As an online tutor, you will primarily assist people via video call software and chat, enabling flexible hours and work-from-home arrangements.
A more flexible schedule means you can work to accommodate your back pain and discomfort rather than pushing yourself through uncomfortable workloads.
Being a work-from-home opportunity, you can also create an ergonomic environment that will help to relieve pain throughout the day.
There are a number of online platforms that hire tutors, such as Chegg and Tutor.com.
Conclusion
Living with a back injury or chronic pain can make finding work to accommodate your limitations challenging.
However, there are so many opportunities available in today’s market.
With the advent of the work-from-home culture, people with injuries or physical limitations can easily find work from the comfort of their own homes.
Look for a position where you can operate on your schedule, set your hours, and work from where you are most comfortable.
If you’re ready to make the leap, consider speaking with an employment agency specialising in achieving employment for people with injuries or chronic back pain.
