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Does anyone else find navigating everyday tasks difficult?

Miss Understood
6 months ago

For context, I live alone and I work full time.

I find it extremely hard to keep up with everyday tasks/chores such as cleaning, tidying etc all while working full-time. Part of this is down to difficulty finding the time in the week, so these things tend to pile up, but also I am a massive procrastinator and I am pretty unmotivated a lot of the time. My flat and especially my kitchen is constantly a mess and I feel so ashamed of it. I work nights so I sleep during the day and I sleep a lot! This means I often neglect myself too concerning things like showering and grooming. I just find day-to-day life very difficult and exhausting, which kind of makes me feel like a failure of a person and a little bit pathetic. Life would be so much easier if I didn't need to work or at least not 40 hours a week, it would give me more time for the other things but the rent isn't going to pay itself. 

  • 6 months ago

    Hey be kind to yourself. Life as an autistic is very difficult to endure and unfortunately with so much to process and deal with each day it is hard to focus on other things like cleaning. I have this trouble as well. I struggle to think about more than one thing at a time and that means other tasks like chores get forgotten about, not intentional OC but I can't process loads at once.

    Usually when I notice how dirty and dusty the house is I then blitz it on the weekend and devote all my time and energy on that.

    Don't be too hard on yourself with this. By the looks of it it's something we can all relate to and understand.

  • 6 months ago in reply to Fibonacci Squid

    all good strategies, thanks!

  • 6 months ago

    I struggle with house work a lot. I get so wrapped up for days on end and I just don't see the grunge. Then I do and I am chastened but it's still daunting to focus on it. I used to also have this problem with personal hygene but my NT friends have given me some guidelines to follow that have worked well there.

    I can handle paperwork and office sorts of chores, like bills and online orders really well, though. I enjoy them. little lists and boxes to tick when I finish something feels good, but housework never ends.

    I have a very hard time in most big box stores when it comes to shopping. they are so chaotic and frantic.

    Costco is an exception because everyone who goes there is very calm and there is lots of room.

    I am thinkig of asking my health insurance if they can help me with chores, AAMOF.

  • 6 months ago in reply to Fibonacci Squid
    Fibonacci Squid said:
    You can do this! You may not be able to do all of it immediately, but you can do a little bit of it at a time, and it will make a difference

    You give super advice in a very positive way.

  • 6 months ago

    Hi there! Autistic student here. While I don't currently work full time, I am studying full time in a degree that is 40hours a week. And I definitely relate to finding the navigating everyday tasks very difficult. Here are some things I found helpful:

    Reward systems. I hate showers. Hate hate hate hate hate. Unfortunately society has dictated that being dirty is wrong. I have a couple of things to help with this, one is having 'flannel baths' where I wash myself with a flannel. the other is I can buy myself crisps the day after having a shower (it has to be the day after or I end up going 'I'll have one later' and I never do). This works quite well as I really like crisps and I'm managing to mostly have a shower 1-2 times a week at the moment (which is great for me).

    Lists that categorise by importance. 

    I use the app Finch, because it is a quite good app for encouraging small goals, and I found it motivating (your self care tasks help a little digital animal 'grow') and good for daily routines like teeth cleaning. 

    Having distractions while doing stuff. My washing up is always accompanied with a documentary, I clean the bathroom with an audiobook, etc. It helps allow me to have my mind doing fun stuff while my body is doing chores.

    Hope some of these help

    Let me know if you have any questions.

    You can do this! You may not be able to do all of it immediately, but you can do a little bit of it at a time, and it will make a difference

  • 6 months ago

    Dear Miss Understood,

    Thank you for sharing this with our community. While we are waiting for the community to respond, you may want to take a look at our page about organising and prioritising, https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/behaviour/organising-and-prioritising/all-audiences

    Here is our page about sleep, https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/physical-health/sleep/autistic-adults 

    Thank you. I hope this helps!

    Warm regards,

    Eunice Mod