Published on 12, July, 2020
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.
Firstly, congratulations on your diagnosis. I'm also lucky to have a very accommodating line manager and team. I had an OT assessment a few weeks ago. I'm allowed to work from home as much as I want - as long as the work gets done!
I was diagnosed as autistic last year, aged 41, having worked full-time for most of the previous 19 years. Work becomes harder and harder as I get older and due to a combination of post-diagnosis grief, general fatigue & political/life disillusionment. Making autism YouTube videos, writing poetry, and running are my main methods of coping. And drinking alcohol - but I always regret it afterwards.
Thank you, it was a big relief in a way but still doesn't feel right telling other people, like I'm fibbing. Oh that's interesting as my boss is putting one in for me so I'm hoping this helps. We get 2 days work from home once probation is over. I like being in the office as I hate being at home all day but also find it mentally exhausting being in work. It's a small team and I have my own desk, but it's an open plan office and I'd love my own one but it's not possible.
My current way to manage is regular screen breaks and going for a walk if I feel an anxiety attack/meltdown coming on which has been less but I am now just generally mentally drained. I have some other health issues being investigated which is also causing fatigue and tiredness which doesn't help as it adds to it.
I usually use my hobbies of Ice hockey and Golf to unwind and reset but I'm too tired to do those at the moment so I'm lost for other ways to relax. I don't feel very relaxed a lot of the time recently.
Regular screen breaks and going for a walk are good things to do, though I'm a hypocrite because I sit in front of the screen for hours without moving!