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When I started my blog, I started it at the time I was an unemployed autistic adult. Most workplaces are not neurodivergent-friendly. I’ve explained how my autism would make it hard to hold down a job. I made the call to work from home. I had trouble getting my mom to understand why I needed this. Attempt after attempt, I could not get her to understand. If getting a job while disabled was as easy as she thinks. More disabled people would be working. If getting adjustments were as simple as she thinks, more disabled folks would be working.

I’d like to explain how content creation provides me the flexibility a normal job wouldn’t

One time my mom wanted to say I am “scared” to get a job. Damn skippy I have a reason to be “scared” of

• bullying
• ableism
• not getting accommodations because “its not fair” to the other employees
• being blamed for getting vague instructions and the job wasn;t done right
• being fire if I need to call off for a flare
• having to beg for days off for appointments or flares

Working from home provides me with loads of flexibility. You have to ask yourself. if you wouldn’t hire someone who

• always called off
• can only work very few hours
• doesn’t work fast enough
• constantly needing breaks, bathroom trips etc
• taking longer than “normal” to learn the job etc
• need more days off for recharging spoons, burnout etc

how do you expect a disabled/ill person to hold down a job when you wouldn’t hire a “normal” person that does these things?

So yeah here are some things content creation provides that a normal job wouldn’t

Consistent Schedule

I keep a predictable schedule. Sundays I post on my Gaming With Jazz channel, Tuesdays and Thursdays on my Railfan channel, and Saturdays on Simming With Jazz. Most jobs do not keep a predictable schedule. Predictably help autistic folks. Changes in their schedule with no warning or no time to prepare can cause meltdowns. Especially being called in on off days and those are needed to recharge your social battery/spoons. if I need to recharge my social spoons I can say I won’t answer DMS for the night to recharge.

I can set my own schedule. I can make a workaround for flare-ups.

I am aware some jobs have benefits, but what if you have to work for the company a certain amount of time? Us disabled people have a slim chance of holding the job long enough

Flexibility for flares

If I need to cater to a flare, I can do that without any problems. If the job won’t allow me to keep my inhaler on me, I would have to leave my post to use it. Or if the environment is causing the flare, not being able to get to a stable setting. At home, I can turn on a fan or a cooler when needed. Since developing IBS, it’s restricted where I can shop. I have to shop at places that have a public bathroom. if the place decides to strip their access to the bathroom from the public, I can no longer shop there as I would not have time to run to another store.

If I need time off for a flare, I can do it without any problems. I can schedule a YT video. If I have to move a stream I can record a let’s play instead (where I don’t have to talk as much) and give Kofi supporters early access or something.

People may complain if you take a while to upload. Those who understand how hard it is to record, edit upload, etc will know the deal. I’d take some complainers over being threatened to be fired.

My own Boss

I have been having great difficulty getting sales on my Spring store. I imagine the possibilities. Set my own schedule. Take as many breaks as I need. the amount varies from time to time. When you are a small creator it is hard. I would not be able to hold a job long enough for things to take off.

I can take off without problems

You have to request time off on a job and they can deny it. If a family member dies I can give myself as much mourning time as I need. I read a comment from someone where their job denied theirs because they didn’t schedule it ahead of time. Like death can be seen in the future. Another person said they were only given 2 days. I’d need a week or 2 weeks depending on the case. When my aunt died (talking about the trip when my grandmother body shamed me, i was able to go without problems. Or if I need a mental health break, make a mental health break schedule. I follow a disabled creator who took a break from her shop in late June, she still promoted her store, she wasn’t shipping until after it. On a normal job, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Unlimited sick days

I found a tiktok from someone who made a video when their boss fired them for having a medical emergency. If employers have this much power to fire people for things out of their control, it shows nothing is really reliable. Working for myself, this won’t be a problem. If I get sick in general, I can take off without issues.

This is why we always have epidemics. workers can’t take off if they are sick because they will lose their jobs if they do. Or won’t get paid and can’t afford to miss any money. This is why flu cases are sky-high, schools and jobs have ridiculously strict attendance policies.

When I was in school, I frequently caught colds. Now due to my respiratory condition, colds are brutal on me now. Someone coming to work sick puts me at risk. A small cold for you could (possibly) be something more for me and that is a trip to the hospital.

It’s the manager’s job to make sure enough people are working. It’s not on me because they want to have 2 people on the register when they know they are busy during certain hours. I also talk about my anxiety with crowds on this blog.

Accommodating myself

On a normal job, I’d have to request accommodation and they can be denied. I can’t work without them. Working from home, I can accommodate myself when needed. If a schedule is getting overwhelming, I can adjust it if needed. If I am streaming and my ring light is giving me a headache, maybe give myself a break from it. If I am not up for a face cam stream, don’t do it until I am up for it.

Also

I’d be calling out 3xs a week due to flares. No job will stand for that and just fire me. The amount varies.

My need for appointments. It’s hard to get an appointment because the doc is usually filled for 2 months.

I can’t even get my grandma to understand my stuff, how can I get an employer to understand?

Overall, I have more freedom and more control. I have talked about on this blog when I started it how a normal job will worsen my mental health when mental health issues were the only issues known at the time. Overall I can look for YouTube videos that provide step-by-step directions, and rewind them as much as I need to.

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