Published on 12, July, 2020
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.
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
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.