Top 5 Jobs for Introverts with Anxiety

If you’re an Introvert, you may be happier with a job that doesn’t require constant interaction with other people. In fact, the more solitary your work, the better you’ll likely do.

And if you’re an Introvert who also has anxiety, then limiting your interaction is probably especially important to your well-being. The best jobs for Introverts with anxiety will provide a calmer, quieter environment, with some degree of flexibility and control over how you spend your day.

But none of this means that you can’t work for a living, or that if you have to work, you have to sacrifice your well-being or your job satisfaction.

Best Jobs for Introverts with Anxiety

There are plenty of suitable jobs for Introverts with anxiety that accommodate your personality, health, emotional needs, and allow you to shine. Let’s look at a few top options.

1. Freelance Writer  

This one’s pretty obvious. For most kinds of writers, introversion is almost a job requirement. To be a writer, you have to be comfortable spending significant amounts of time alone — researching, writing, and editing your work.

If you work as a freelancer, you can work from home, alone, which is especially helpful for introverts who also have anxiety. You have control over your work environment and schedule, so you can work when and how it’s most comfortable for you. 

You just have to be self-disciplined and self-motivated, which are also usually areas where introverts excel.

The type of writing you do depends on your skills, interests, and where you can find work. You can write articles for print magazines, online magazines and blogs; website copy; sales materials; social media posts, and more.

You may choose to stay away from the type of journalism that requires frequent interviews, and if your anxiety makes tight deadlines and high-pressure environments overwhelming, you might skip working for a busy newspaper. 

But there are plenty of kinds of writing you can do mostly alone and on your own schedule, as long as you meet your deadlines.

You’ll have to pitch ideas to magazines or find clients who need you to write materials for them. But once you get your assignment, relatively little communication will be required, and most of that can be done by email, rather than in person. 

2. Computer programmer

Computer programming and other high-tech jobs are great for people who want or need a solitary work environment. Like with writing, being able to concentrate, work on your own, and motivate yourself will be an asset. 

Even if you have to check in with others now and then, much of this work can be done alone -- in your office at work, or in your own space. You can do some of these kinds of jobs as a freelancer, or if you want to work for a company, you can likely do some or all of your work remotely. 

Some jobs for Introverts with anxiety who are also technologically inclined could include coder; systems analyst, database administrator; hardware and software engineer; software tester; web developer, and, of course, computer programmer.

If you’re more on the creative side of the tech world, graphic design is another option.

3. Massage therapist 

Yes, this one definitely requires you to have some contact (no pun intended) with other people. But you usually see clients one at a time, for about an hour, which allows for a relaxed pace, and you won’t have to talk much.

A lot of whether this is a good job for introverts with anxiety depends on the environment you work in. 

If you have your own business, you can see clients in your own home (according to local regulations) or a rented office. This way you can set your own hours, create an environment that you find calming, and even rearrange your appointments if you’re just not up to it some days. 

You can also work in a spa, which is usually a very peaceful, soothing environment. Dim lights, soft music, calming aromatherapy, and plenty of quiet tend to characterize a spa setting. And the experience of receiving a massage is so pleasant that people will generally be happy to see you and easy to please.

Activities that may reduce your anxiety, such as listening to quiet music, working with your hands, and taking slow, deep breaths, fit right into this job and add to the soothing mood you’ll want to create for your clients. 

Environments you might want to stay away from include chiropractor’s offices or other medical settings, where there’s more light, sound, and bustle, and you’ll likely be expected to hurry from one appointment to the next, usually seeing multiple clients in an hour.

But if you choose the right environment and schedule for you, and you enjoy helping people one at a time, this could be among the more pleasant jobs for introverts with anxiety. 

4. Keeper of the natural world

Okay, so that’s not an actual job title, but it was hard to narrow it down to just one. Many kinds of jobs where you can work outside, spending more time with plants or animals than with people, can be excellent jobs for introverts with anxiety.

If you enjoy being outside and working with plants or landscape settings, then jobs like groundskeeper, gardener, landscape designer, landscape architect, and park ranger may be a good fit.

If you feel chill around animals, then jobs like pet sitting, dog walking, dog training, and remote pet grooming may be for you. Many of these also allow you to be outside, work for yourself, and set your own schedule.

You can even combine the previous item with this one and become a massage therapist for pets -- yes, that’s a thing. One caveat is that you will have to deal with the pets’ owners as well, so you’ll have to take that into consideration.

If you enjoy plants or animals and being able to work outside in the fresh air instead of being confined to a stuffy office all day, one of these options may be right for you.

5. Bookkeeper/accountant

While this creative Introvert nearly goes into a full panic attack just thinking about working with numbers all day, it seems that some people find them soothing. For one thing, numbers are predictable and unemotional, which can keep from adding to your anxiety. 

And most importantly as a job for introverts with anxiety, you can do much of your work alone, whether in a traditional office setting, working remotely, or possibly even as a freelancer or business owner.

Again, you’ll want to consider the demands of the particular kind of services you provide, and the environment you’ll be working in. It may be best to work in a small office rather than a large, fast-paced firm. 

Working on your own as, say, a tax preparer or freelance bookkeeper, are options that could allow you a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home. You will have to think about how you’ll deal with anxious or angry clients who may take their feelings about paying taxes out on you. 

But, you’ll have the option to choose the right part of this field for your needs and talents, and you can likely spend more of your day with spreadsheets and calculators than with people. 

Numbers are quiet, and they won’t ask why you’re taking a break to take care of your physical and mental health needs.

Conclusion

There are a variety of jobs for Introverts with anxiety that allow you to use your talents, accommodate your personality preferences, and meet your health needs. 

Many of these jobs can be done in an office, remotely, or as a freelancer. Some can even be done outside, where there's literally more space to breathe. You’ll just need to choose the type of work that feels right for you and be mindful of the environment you do it in. 

Your ability to work alone, concentrate deeply, and be self-motivated are all assets that can allow you and your career to thrive.