While burnout can happen to anyone with autism, it’s important to create a daily schedule that sets you up for success in avoiding or reducing burnout. Autistic burnout can often last for many months or longer and lead to loss of skills. It comes in the form of severe mental, physical, or emotional exhaustion. Plan for Autistic BurnoutĪutistic burnout is the body’s natural response to the stress that arises from navigating the world as a person with autism. This allows the opportunity for someone to talk it through with them and help encourage them to pivot as needed or move on to the next task. They can have 1 or 2 go-to people to call or text when an issue arises with their daily schedule. Because many autistic people struggle when they get thrown off of their routine, having someone available to contact during a schedule mishap can be helpful.
Have a Point of Contact In Case of MishapsĪlthough a daily schedule for autistic adults offers a sense of security and predictability, things can always get off track. Your child can even upload photos once a task is completed, which you can use to guide them with pointers if needed. You can include instructions that are as simple or detailed as you’d like and upload photos or videos for additional assistance. It lets you create a customized schedule with visual prompts to help get through tasks. NFlyte, a platform designed for adults with autism or other developmental disabilities, has a daily living schedule feature. Some people with autism spectrum disorder get hyper-focused, and a daily schedule can help them move on since they know they have to get to the next task at a particular time. You might also be interested in reading: Healthy Eating for Autistic Adults: Tips for Helping Your Adult Child Eat Healthy Create a Visual Daily ScheduleĪ step-by-step visual schedule is an excellent way for autistic people to stay focused, know what to expect, and stick to a routine. Specific goals might be to exercise for 30 minutes daily, cook 3 meals per week independently, and do laundry once weekly. When setting goals, it’s always best to be specific and set achievable goals. This might include what they want and need to get accomplished each day or week, how their day-to-day will look, tasks to improve, etc. It can also be good for them to write these down. Have a conversation with your child about possible goals they want to meet. When creating or discussing a schedule with your adult autistic child, it can be helpful to set goals first. Have a point of contact In case of mishaps.While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, here are some things that can help with daily routines.
Tips for Creating a Daily Schedule & Following a RoutineĪ consistent routine and daily schedule for autistic adults can be beneficial.