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Autism and working full time.

Stitchgirl64
8 days ago

I'm just about to reach 3 months into my first full time job. I scraped through uni but worked very hard and would like to keep this job. Part time retail jobs in the past have never been good for me due to the social factor and after 2/3 months I had to leave due to the amount of overwhelm, it made me so tired and anxious every time I had to go in. 

Fast forward back to now. I was diagnosed autistic in February this year, before that my mum has always just helped me in anyway I needed as I've not had an easy life through school, bullying and a full blown crash or meltdown I guess at 15. But I'm about to finish my probation and have only had 4 days off work in that 3 months due to the overwhelm and exhaustion and burning out. But now I'm anxious every morning. I get to work from home 2 days a week from next week which was what I've been trying to push through for and started 1 day a week two weeks ago because of all this. My boss has been amazing throughout and very accommodating, we're currently putting in for an occupational health assessment at work and I've been looking into access for work as well.

I question is those of you who are in full time work (which I know isn't many) how to cope? I don't think working full time from home is an option for me due to where I work, but being a Graphic Designer it would be easy to do so. I make sure to go for regular walks but at busy periods this gets forgotten. But how else do you guys manage to stay in full time work, or did you find it better to move to part time? This might be an option for me but I'm unsure. I enjoy my job and the work isn't difficult, I just can't pin it down and I want to try and stay. This place has a very good work/life balance so I'm not doing many extra hours, if any. But I'm struggling to be able to do the things I enjoy like ice hockey and golf because of this knock on effect. 

Parents
  • 7 days ago

    I have worked as a software developer for 20 years. It is the kind of job that is perfectly suited for how I think - analytical, problem solving, focused. While a very technical job, I do have to spend a lot of time working directly with people and do what they call "soft skills", but I've spent long enough doing this that I'm used to it. I suppose over time I've learned and developed the unspoken rules of professional interactions, unlike in my personal life where I fumble a lot more.

    I do have to take care of myself though. Once I realised that I might be autistic, I started to understand why I would feel so mentally drained after a client meeting, for example - having to mask to make it appear I looked "normal" compared to my colleagues. There are a few other things that I do which might help:

    1. Never work overtime! Even NT people should do this, but this will just lead to stress, burnout and you will never be rewarded for it, only used even more.
    2. I make sure to go for a walk every day during my lunch break, I'll listen to a podcast and block out the world. Getting outside and exercising helps clear my head.
    3. You say you work from home. I actually prefer working in an office personally - to me it separates work life and home life so the two do not get mixed up. Even if my office is noisy sometimes (it's open-plan), I just put headphones on and listen to music while I work. The kind of work I do lets me listen to background music, and research has proven it can really focus your mind, get you into what's called a "flow state". So if you're able to work in the environment that benefits you all the better.

    It sounds really good that you have people supporting you at work, having that also really helps you long term and you'll feel happier in your working environment.

Reply
  • 7 days ago

    I have worked as a software developer for 20 years. It is the kind of job that is perfectly suited for how I think - analytical, problem solving, focused. While a very technical job, I do have to spend a lot of time working directly with people and do what they call "soft skills", but I've spent long enough doing this that I'm used to it. I suppose over time I've learned and developed the unspoken rules of professional interactions, unlike in my personal life where I fumble a lot more.

    I do have to take care of myself though. Once I realised that I might be autistic, I started to understand why I would feel so mentally drained after a client meeting, for example - having to mask to make it appear I looked "normal" compared to my colleagues. There are a few other things that I do which might help:

    1. Never work overtime! Even NT people should do this, but this will just lead to stress, burnout and you will never be rewarded for it, only used even more.
    2. I make sure to go for a walk every day during my lunch break, I'll listen to a podcast and block out the world. Getting outside and exercising helps clear my head.
    3. You say you work from home. I actually prefer working in an office personally - to me it separates work life and home life so the two do not get mixed up. Even if my office is noisy sometimes (it's open-plan), I just put headphones on and listen to music while I work. The kind of work I do lets me listen to background music, and research has proven it can really focus your mind, get you into what's called a "flow state". So if you're able to work in the environment that benefits you all the better.

    It sounds really good that you have people supporting you at work, having that also really helps you long term and you'll feel happier in your working environment.

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