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Help / Guidance

NAS73375

Hello everyone,  I have just joined as I need some guidance and to be honest this is scary.  I have not been diagnosed although recent reading and on line indicators suggest I am on the Autistic spectrum somewhere.  I am struggling at present and need to find a way forward.  My mind has always been my strength and during my career have enjoyed taking on problems that others have shied away form as not possible.  However a couple of months ago I was promoted to Director in the Charity I work with and now my work is at least 50% meetings plus dealing with people (I look after finance, systems, HR, governance and H & S).  I have realised I no longer have my bolt hole of spread sheets, financial modelling or analysis to hide in while I recharge my batteries. Many years ago I had the opportunity to partake in Myers Briggs test which taught me that whilst I was introverted I could summon up the energy to do more extrovert things, for a short while.  Now I need batteries to be full all the time. Yes I am now declining in mental health and worry I cannot do my job or will have a meltdown.

There are other things in life which challenge me socially but work is the big one at present.  I hope to retire in about a year's time.  Is there a director on this forum who appreciates what I am saying here and can perhaps give me some tips / ideas to help me manage myself.

Thank you and apologies if I have wasted anyone's time.

G

Parents

  • After many enjoyable years working in a relatively small scientific research team, we had a failure in grant money. This resulted  in me moving into managing scientific services/facilities in a research institute, many more people, many more interactions and I was suddenly having to solve other people's problems, not my own. This resulted in greatly increased stress. One practical method to help minimise this that I found, was to take breaks, usually about 20 minutes at at time, where I was on my own and uncontactable. I often sat at the top of a fire escape or on the roof-access landing, where no-one ever went. It helped me cope, but at the earliest opportunity I took retirement, I was coping with, but not enjoying, my job.

  • in reply to Martin

    I think this is a big problem in science and analysis jobs. Promotion almost always takes you away from the lab bench eventually. It's the captain kirk problem. Commanding a starship was really the only thing he was good at. Being made an admiral and given a desk job is almost the worst thing for you. Industry / education / the public sector, really need a promotion path where the job stays very technical.

  • in reply to Peter

    Very true. In order to get a job that was not reliant on the renewal of fixed-term grants I had to leave bench research, which I loved, and take on a 'management' position. In universities there is essentially no career structure outside teaching or administration/management. There is no promotion or reward system for able experimenters.  

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  • in reply to Peter

    Very true. In order to get a job that was not reliant on the renewal of fixed-term grants I had to leave bench research, which I loved, and take on a 'management' position. In universities there is essentially no career structure outside teaching or administration/management. There is no promotion or reward system for able experimenters.  

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