Finding the best online jobs for people with depression can be a debilitating experience because the thought of reviewing endless jobs and submitting your resume thousands of times can overwhelm you on your job search, after all, you have to make an income too. So, whether you have depression, anxiety, social anxiety, or are antisocial, I put together this list of the best online jobs for people with depression especially for you so you can find the best ways to work from home.
*Please note that most of these mentioned below do require you to start your path. (Most but not all) the good news is I can direct you with what I feel are some of the best free places to get started on your journey. The last thing you should be seeking are stress jobs. Your mental health should always be a top priority! I’m going to guide you to best online jobs for people with depression!
Disclaimer: This blog post may contain affiliate or referral links that may reward me in the event of a subscription or sale (at no extra cost to you!).
The Best Online Jobs for People with Anxiety and Depression
Let’s talk about why these are the best online jobs for people experiencing anxiety and depression first. Aside from not having to commute, you save on gas. You can still get work done even in your pajamas.
Some of the best online jobs for people with anxiety and depression are remote because you eliminate overwhelm while achieving better concentration while working in low stress environments without the distraction of office chatter and telephones.
Many work from home or remote jobs come with flexible schedules so that you can start and end your day as you choose, having your own hours as long as your work is complete. You also choose where in your home you’re the most comfortable taking on tasks.
There are an estimated 280 million people in the world that have depression according to The World Health Organization (WHO.) You should work on jobs that help make you happy and sync with what you’re compatible with. This not only eases your working process but also improves your mental health.
Social Media Manager
Becoming a Social Media Manager would allow you to focus on other businesses’ social media accounts while earning a great income.
Datareportal.com shows global social media stats and states that there has been strong growth within the full year 2021 with 409 million new users joining. That equals one year of growth and 13 new users every single second.
I know a few social media managers that would tell you that creating new posts helps with their gloom because there’s something sweet about knowing you are positively influencing thousands with something that resonates with them. All the engagements to a post can be satisfying.
When you are in a depressive state of mind, sometimes allowing yourself to be creative can be the extra push you need. That’s why I consider social media managers as one of the best online jobs for people with depression.
The average Social Media Manager can charge $25-$35 an hour even if you’re a newbie. You would typically work between 10-20 hours per client account per week.
So, if you start with one client and work a total of 20 hours per week, you’d make $2,000-$2800 a month. WoW, that adds up!
You don’t have to know each social media platform either. Pick one or two to start. For example, Facebook & Instagram or Pinterest. Know that platform inside and out the best you can. I know Tik Tok is on the rise too. Take the time to learn.
Social Media Manager Courses
If you want to find out where the best places to find free social media marketing courses are, check out Influencer Marketing Hub. This post has all the free courses and free certifications.
I have also heard great things about SMU from a few Facebook groups I am in and it’s completely free! I’ve heard it’s the best. You will learn how to get clients and close clients.
Virtual Assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant allows you to focus on a variety of tasks but again, pick a few you know you are already good at, and you can expand your skills while learning along the way.
Some of the things you can offer are, email management making sure that emails are sorted by priority and responding to common questions for your client. Scheduling appointments so that your client can stay on task or arrange travel plans.
Most virtual assistants are expected to perform a variety of tasks, this all depends on the client’s needs, often enough a business owner will seek a virtual assistant that knows administrative tasks as well as social media know-how.
According to 99firms.com virtual assistant growth statistics shows that the number of freelance workers in 2019 was 62.2 million. Freelancers in the US are expected to reach over 86.5 million by 2027.
Virtual Assistant Courses
If you are just getting started or thinking of becoming a virtual assistant Susan Mershon of The Techie Mentor has free in-depth video training of over 7+ hours.
If you’re looking for more free resources check out Va Networking where you get 10 free resources to start up your virtual assistant business.
You can find checklists for virtual assistant start-ups, 200 services you could offer, a free contract for your clients, templates for after you close the deal with a new client, and so much more. This website is your best go-to website for learning all the virtual assistant ins and outs! Are you writing these down!? Haha.
If you would like a more formal approach in the form of an affordable online college then check out IAP college. You’ll earn a virtual assistant certificate. For $377.00 but be on the lookout for their specials too. You can snatch a special for only $149.00 sometimes.
I also didn’t forget about you if you already have a fair amount of experience and are looking to work on other platforms just to get started. This list of virtual assistant websites for beginners will help you get started.
New to working online? Need direction? Signup below to get a free quick start cheat sheet.
Related: 25+ Online Jobs from Home Without Investment
Virtual Bookkeeper
Becoming a virtual bookkeeper allows you to provide accounting services remotely. Are you good with different software or numbers? Or have the ability to learn software quickly enough to help others manage their finances?
It’s probably one of the best online jobs for people with depression and or anxiety because you don’t have much social interaction. It’s all about the numbers baby!
Some services for virtual bookkeepers include accounts payable, accounts receivable, expense management, and payroll.
According to Career Explorer, there are currently an estimated 1,730,500 bookkeepers in the U.S. The job market is expected to shrink by 1.5% between 2016-2026. This is due to traditional accounting jobs, not virtual ones. Investing in the latest technologies and digitalization is necessary to keep up with the market.
Virtual bookkeeping is in its early growth stage and is here to stay. This is great news for you, especially if you’re interested in bookkeeping from home. Business 2 Community wrote this post on 7 reasons why virtual bookkeeping is here to stay.
According to Zip recruiter the average annual salary for a virtual bookkeeper is $38,193 that’s $3,182 monthly. The most used/popular bookkeeping software to learn is QuickBooks Online, Sage One, and Xero.
Virtual Bookkeeper Courses
You can check out QuickBooks (most popular) free training even if it’s your first time getting certified. You can also check out this post from Beginner-Bookkeeping about 10 other free bookkeeping courses.
Again, I didn’t forget about you if you already have a fair amount of experience and are looking to work on other platforms just to get started. With this worldwide remote job list you’ll be well on your way.
Belay Solutions hires virtual bookkeepers, virtual assistants, and Social Media Managers. They Have clients right now who need your expertise and insight. You can have a meaningful career working from home while being available for loved ones, too.
Proofreader/Editor
It has become a lot easier to become a proofreader or editor without having to go to college and get a degree. With so much content now on websites, the needs become that much greater.
So if you have a knack for grammar and a keen eye for punctuation, proofreading and or editing might be your calling!
According to Zippia which analyzes data, there are roughly 7,711 Copy editors/Proofreaders currently employed in the United States. This research was done in September 2021.
That seems like a low number considering they’re probably not counting bloggers, eBook creators, or courses made online. That data is based on current employment through newspapers, directory publishers, advertising, and printing services.
Oh technology (keep up!) Truth be told, there is so much opportunity for the taking. According to salary.com the average proofreader in the United States makes $54,095 a year.
Free or cheap courses can be great, or they can be useless. Expensive can be comprehensive or it could be too much. That’s because the cost of a course is not the right indicator. Rather, the content of the course, and the degree to which that content addresses a particular skill gap, is what counts.
Certainly, don’t ignore free or low-cost tutorials, webinars, books, courses, and conferences – if they teach you what you need to know so that you expand your knowledge and up your skillset.
Proofreader/Editor Courses
Looking into the proofreading processes? You can check out jobs-prs. They have some free proofreading courses that prepare you for the complexities of proofreading. The website also says they offer proofreading jobs to candidates with knowledge and experience in any field of study.
You can also check out Edit Republic for a free 5-day email course if you have always wondered if you have what it takes or like spotting grammatical errors.
If you are ready to start your own freelance business I suggest Proofread Anywhere. You can take a free 76-minute workshop to learn exactly what proofreaders do — and don’t do.
Avoid the most common mistakes new proofreaders make when first starting and identify how to find potential prospects. After that you can decide if you want a course that teaches you exactly how to start, market and run a successful freelance proofreading business.
And if you’re wondering where you can find work-at-home proofreading opportunities on other websites, you can check out this list post of the best work-from-home proofreading jobs.
Film/ Video Editor
If you’re good at learning new editing software and like the creative processes of bringing together raw unedited content with music and other effects, becoming a film/video editor just might be up your alley!
It used to be that you needed to have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to film or broadcasting. Technology has had a profound impact on learning these skills at home.
The U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics says video editors and camera operators are projected to grow 29 percent from 2020 to 2030 and also says that this growth is much faster than the average for all occupations.
Today, most editing is performed digitally using specialized software. Film/video editors typically choose to specialize in one type of software, and some employers now offer training in the type of specialized editing software they use. Internet-based video creation services have provided additional platforms and opportunities for editors.
Again, just like offering these services on freelancer platform websites and starting your own business as a film/video editor, you’ll find ample opportunities especially since society has become so digital.
For instance, YouTube takes a lot of work and time to produce quality videos and edit any imperfections. Most entrepreneurs like to hand off this task because it allows them to spend more time creating instead of taking time to edit.
Film/ Video Editor Courses
You can check out online learning platforms like Udemy and SkillShare for some learning curves as well as beginner courses.
There is quite a bit of different software you can use to edit videos but here are some of the most popular to use and learn.
- Adobe Premiere Pro. The best video editing software for pro video editors.
- CyberLink PowerDirector 365. The best video editing software for everyday use.
- Adobe Premiere Elements.
- Pinnacle Studio.
- Final Cut Pro.
- Adobe Premiere Rush.
If you want to dabble a little and see how you can create a video and edit some content Google has a free video editor. Did I know this before my research? Nope!
Finances Online has this post on the 15 best free video editing tools for beginners. This post is a comprehensive overview examining their versatility, ease of use, and functionalities such as video effects, audio effects, and file formats supported.
Need more information on free video editing courses with a certificate? 101 Online Courses has a more in-depth post exactly about the best free online video courses for beginners.
Email Support/Chat Agent
You provide answers to business customers by answering their questions, issues, new orders, service delivery requirements, billing, and any other query. Surely one of the best online jobs for people with depression can be helping others with their unhappiness.
The key takeaway here is knowing and learning the company you work for and all procedures.
*Quick Tip you can always make note of all common and not common questions in a word or google doc. That way you can quickly answer emails faster. (Practice scripts below)
Did you know that there is a demand for live chat operators? This category falls into the same realm as a chat agent and according to 99firms, About 69% of shoppers in the US demand live chat features when shopping online and customers who use live chat, spend up to 60% more per purchase than those who don’t.
This is a growing field to explore due to digitalization. with a lot of companies introducing tools to automate their operations and improve efficiency.
Customer demands are increasing, and businesses need to keep up with them. More tech-savvy customers are familiar with the messaging chatbox on websites nowadays and research shows that 79% prefer live chat due to instant support access.
Email Support/Chat Agent Courses
You don’t need a course to become an email support specialist or chat agent, but you do need great digital communication. Most companies will hire an email support specialist or chat agent without prior experience and will have their way of training you to best represent the company.
Happy Fox Blog has this great post about live chat etiquette rules for exceptional customer service from a business perspective.
You can usually land yourself an email support specialist or chat agent job by simply knowing how to set up your online resume for success and explaining in detail the amount of customer service experience you have already.
This post explains how you should set up your resume using keywords to give you the best chance at getting your resume seen and where you can create one, especially useful if you are new to applying to online jobs.
Whether you are new to this idea or not, it’s always great to have customer service scripts or examples so you know exactly how to professionally respond to the most common situations.
It’s always good to memorize most of your common responses to common questions but the scripts are great to add to your arsenal until you do.
Freelance Writer
Is there a particular subject you love talking about? Or have enough interest that you want to speak about but could write all about? Maybe you have a special way of storytelling or a knack for words?
There are different types of freelance writing such as article blog writing, copywriting, or niches you like such as a travel writer, mental health mindfulness writer, family or parenting, or even personal finance to name a few.
Freelance writing can be a lucrative career option and allow for some creative work.
According to Don’t do it yourself (DDIY) who likes analyzing data, the global freelance platform market size is projected to boom at 15.3% between 2021-2026 and 58% of non-freelancers are now considering freelancing in the future.
According to ZipRecruiter, a freelance writer’s national average salary is $63,213 and the average hourly wage is $30.
How Do I Learn to Become a Freelance Writer?
Glad you asked! The first step in this process is to create a portfolio of some examples you can offer or work that you have already done. There are plenty of options to create your work on free website platforms.
I guess you could say learning to become a freelance writer is a self-learning process but there are ways to speed that process up a little.
Simply sign up on Udemy’s website for free, and then scroll over to search (How to become a freelance writer) Sort by level category (Beginner) scroll down by price and select (Free). Looks like there are over 14,000 free courses!
I have taken advantage of quite a few of the free courses myself and can vouch that it helps with any learning curves you may have. You don’t have to be like a hamster, running around and around on the giant wheel getting nowhere!
You can brush up on your skills by taking some free courses over at The Crafty Writer. Do some research on other freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr just to get an idea of what others are asking for on their posts. Use this research to inspire and guide you. You might be surprised at what you can offer.
And while you’re doing this research, you should start brainstorming which of your existing skills and interests align with the opportunities available.
Graphic Designer
Do you like visuals? Do the pictures on advertisements captivate your interests? That’s exactly what a graphic designer does. They help by creating visual concepts to communicate or inform others by using computer software or by hand.
They create the overall feel of advertisements, brochures, magazines, video graphics, websites, and even social media posts.
If you have an eye for detail and the ability to come up with new ways of doing things, becoming a graphic designer is a sought-after skill in high demand with loads of opportunities!
ZipRecruiter says that the national average of graphic designers makes $48,283 a year or $23/ hourly.
While some graphic designers choose to get a formal education that produces a bachelor’s degree, it is not a requirement. How do I know this you ask? Take a look at some chat forums like Quora or Reddit. Where you can ask questions and get loads of feedback.
You can take a look at this YouTube video where Abi explains in detail how she started in graphic design and gives you some advice on the best steps to take so you can start. It’s a confidence booster!
Nowadays graphic designers are known to put designs on t-shirts, mugs, logos, and even animations. Like the video above, Abi says to start by creating your portfolio. Some might even say that graphic designing is the best online job for people with depression due to the visual effects and pretty designs you can create.
Transcription
If you consider yourself to have excellent typing skills with speed and accuracy, becoming an online transcriptionist might be worth your while! This consists of turning audio files into text.
Often people start in the learning process and transcribe for extra money until they are ready to consider full-time work.
According to Grand View Research, this growing field for transcriptionists is expected to expand 6.1% from 2020 to 2027 and the growing need for maintaining accurate information is expected to drive the market growth in the coming years.
The average pay to start is around $15, while an advanced transcriptionist earns around $25 to $30 per hour. That would be great extra income and with this rate, you can easily earn $1,500 every month if you work 2.5 hours per day for 24 days.
Transcription Courses & Resources
Have your headphones ready. To transcribe, a foot pedal is an essential tool. Using one means keeping your hands focused on fewer tasks and maintaining greater productivity. Transcription foot pedals allow you to pause, rewind and fast forward audio recordings.
This means you can use keystrokes for standard typing and not have to worry about additional “hotkey” commands to control audio functions. Using fewer keystrokes also improves your turnaround time. transcription foot pedals often come bundled with transcription software.
foot pedals also have a USB port connection so that they can be used and linked directly to your laptop or PC and allow you to configure the controls once the required software is uploaded.
You can find them on Amazon like this one. ( not an affiliate link) just a helpful option.
Listen And Write has audio files for free to test your listening ability.
Free Typing Training offers free classroom setting learning where it makes it that much more engaging and fun to learn.
The Transcription Certification Institute offers a free accuracy test where you’ll get practice files and get instant accuracy results.
If you want to know what online jobs hire transcribers along with more resources, you can check this post out where I listed some online companies to begin researching along with some data entry online companies that hire at entry-level.
Unique Jobs
That Are the Best Online Jobs for People with Depression
Content Moderator
As a content moderator, your job is to screen users’ content including text, images, and video to safeguard companies’ online presence or brand. Whether it’s a social media platform or an online forum. You engage with a community of users.
According to ZipRecruiter the average annual pay for a Social Media Content Moderator in the United States is $44,346 a year. Also states that the majority of Social Media Content Moderator salaries currently range between $31,000 (25th percentile) to $51,000.
I wanted to find out what was required for an online content moderator job. Do you need a degree? After a quick search on Indeed, some of the requirements I saw were as follows.
- Experience in user-generated content moderation or interested in online safety.
- Past moderation experience is preferred, but not required.
- Bonus points if you have previous experience in customer support or content moderation.
My conclusion to this is if you have experience in a customer support role and can back that up, along with being tech-savvy, you have a shot at becoming a content moderator.
You can check out Mod Squad. This platform offers a freelance business opportunity. As a mod, you’ll perform all your digital engagement services as an independent contractor.
You can also do a quick google search for how to find content moderator jobs on Facebook or any platform of your choice. There are a lot of small businesses looking and needing this service to maintain their customers
Copywriter
Are you good at pointing out facts or maybe even gathering information to persuade action? Or shall I say the power of persuasion?
Copywriters are also known as marketing writers. They write interesting, engaging, and clear text to entice action.
Career Explorer estimates the copywriter job market is expected to grow by 7.6% between 2016 and 2026 with the average being $54k a year.
So, if you’re ready to come up with new ways to deliver written content here are a few places to start. There is several copywriting software to help you write more efficiently and faster but before you do that, learning the ropes would be beneficial first.
Copywriting Courses & Resources
Free courses can give you a taste of what is needed and wanted as a copywriter. You can be sure you want to progress before you make any significant time and money commitment.
Even if a course costs you nothing, there is valuable information that will help with your writing.
For the beginner or curious about copywriting and want direction to get started you can check out Taleist Agency. You’ll find this free course has videos and breakdowns of successful copy along with downloadable resources.
Coursesity has several free tutorials and courses you can choose from. Simply signup to add.
Copy Hackers Free ultimate guide to learn every formula technique there is when writing your content.
This one isn’t free for $97/month but it’s an affordable course that teaches you to sell online and you get live feedback.
Neville Medhora is the founder of this course and has advised numerous companies how to make their copy great! The Copywriting Course is taught by professional copywriters. This copywriting course (not an affiliate link) will teach you some serious copywriting skills.
Data Entry Specialist
The main goal for a data entry specialist also known as a data entry clerk is to digitize data for storage purposes. This includes collecting client information, maintaining and organizing filing systems, and reviewing data for completeness and of course accuracy.
Being a data entry specialist can be one of the best online jobs for people with depression, as well as a low-stress job because you work alone, and you are taking information from one location and putting it into an organized computer database.
According to Zippia data entry specialists are paid an average annual salary of $28,037. That doesn’t seem like a lot but if you’re looking for an alternative way to make extra money from home, this seems doable. San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $33,616 and is the highest in the US. The most in-demand is in Atlanta, GA.
Most of the employers around the world expect the typing speed of data entry clerks to be around 30 to 40 words per minute but if you can type faster with accuracy, I’d think that alone would increase your wage!
Data Entry Specialist Resources
Most data entry specialist jobs are at entry-level. Some hiring managers prefer you have prior data entry experience. Organizational skills, typing accuracy, and computer skills are also important. So you don’t necessarily need a course to succeed but rather some good typing resources.
Key hero has this free typing test. Press start and words appear on the screen, and you type exactly what you see. In the end, see your accuracy. I tried this and I got a score of 83.69%. I probably should practice more haha.
Just like above with transcription, you could utilize the same training and even become a transcriptionist.
If you are wondering where you can find online data entry jobs with companies that hire you, you can check out this post for data entry online jobs even at entry-level.
Freelance Photographer
For a low-stress job, freelance photography can be one of the best online jobs for people with depression. This is because photography has a way of helping you express yourself as well as have more positive life experiences.
Freelance photography can give you purpose and boost your self-confidence. You can read this post on The Phoblographer website. Where one’s experience may be able to unwrap why the practice of photography can have such a positive impact on a person’s mental health.
According to Zippia freelance photographers are paid an average annual salary of $52,305 and the average starting salary is $44,000.
There are a lot of ways to be profitable in photography. You could pick a niche you’re interested in like wedding, social media (huge potential), family portraits, fashion, landscape, food, or even wildlife are some good ones!
I have occasionally dabbled with taking photos but only with my iPhone (although popular) I have learned how to edit photos I like using apps. That’s as far as my photography skills go. Can you relate? Sometimes that’s all you need. Let’s find out where you could start learning to be a freelance photographer.
Freelance Photographer Courses
If you are like me with an iPhone only you want to know how to produce a photograph worthy of being enlarged or framed and find out how to add effects to elevate an image into something truly special. Alison makes it easy for you to do that for free if you sign up.
This guide from Modula will walk you through how to become a successful freelance photographer. Where you can build your portfolio and even where to find clients.
Why Do So Many People Have Depression Nowadays?
As society continues to shift and change, stress and depression now seem to be more common. I am not a mental health professional, but I do know that a lot of things can influence whether a person gets depressed. Things like Genes, brain chemistry, stress, health, and even hormones have an influence. This can also include life events.
What Are Some of the Most Effective Ways to Fight Depression?
Aside from seeing a primary care doctor or psychiatrist and medications, getting enough sleep, eating well, and trying to exercise regularly, you could try journaling down things you are grateful for. Maybe take up dog walking? This not only helps you stay positive, but it will help with your perspective as well. You need to take time for yourself to Keep your stress triggers at bay with self-care too.
Conclusion
When you’re dealing with any kind of mental illness everything can feel like a discouragement especially starting a new online job when you are dealing with depression.
There is help and hope all around you. You are doing your due diligence by seeking opportunities. People work to live not live to work right? Keep researching, learning, and growing.
It is hard sometimes to commit yourself to a traditional stress job that you have to travel to. Being micro-managed and under-appreciated is no fun either. The future of working online is now. That’s why working from home can make for some of the best online jobs for people with depression.
Finding good-paying jobs versus good careers are two different categories. Sometimes instead of searching for your perfect job match, you can create your future.
This helps make it very possible for you to manage stressful situations too. So, if you are experiencing depression and feel like a kitten scratching your way out of a cardboard box then I encourage you to stand tall and knock that box over! Go get ’em, tiger!
