Struggles at work

Hi fellow 'Lateling'

What you describe is dysregulation after too much stimuli. This can result in autistic burnout if not mitigated for.

Do you have any reasonable adjustments in place. It could be as simple as task organisation to spread your workload in manageable chunks.

Do you have an occupational health derpartment, if so, request a refferal.

Have you discussed with you manager the fact you are AuDHD?

This may just be a temporary blip at a particularly busy period.

To answer your question I get that fatigued feeling every evening and understand what you mean.

That’s a really honest and relatable share - thank you.

It sounds like you already have some helpful foundations in place (working from home when needed and a manager who gets it), which is genuinely positive. At the same time, the guilt, the pressure to “always be busy,” and the sense that you’re riding a chaotic AuDHD train are very common experiences. Many people with AuDHD describe exactly this internal conflict: the brain demands constant productivity while the autistic side needs recovery and the ADHD side struggles with regulation and dopamine.

A few gentle thoughts that might help:

1. The guilt is not truth - it’s an old script The feeling that you “should” be busy even in quiet times is incredibly common in AuDHD. It often comes from years of masking, people-pleasing, or internalised ableism. Reminding yourself that rest and recovery are part of the job (especially during a busy period) is a skill worth practising. One small phrase that helps some people is: “My capacity is part of my job description, not a flaw.”
   
   
2. Pre-emptive conversation with your manager Since you already have a good relationship with her, a short, calm discussion before the busy period could be very useful. Something like: “I wanted to flag that the upcoming busy period might push me close to overload. I have reasonable adjustments in place, but I may need to use working-from-home days or take short recovery breaks. I’ll keep communicating so we can keep things running smoothly.” Framing it as proactive teamwork (rather than “I might fail”) often reduces the guilt and sets clearer expectations.
   
   
3. Small ways to ease the guilt
   • Try keeping a very short “energy log” for a week (just note morning/afternoon energy 1–10 and what drained or recharged you). It can make the need for rest feel more factual and less like laziness.
   • When the “I should be busy” voice kicks in, a gentle counter-statement can help: “Rest is productive for my brain.”
   • If you have any downtime, using 10–15 minutes for a special interest or quiet stim can recharge you without guilt.
     
     
4. Navigating the AuDHD train You’re not failing at it - you’re still learning how this particular combination works for you. The fact that you’re already recognising patterns and planning ahead shows real self-awareness.

That’s a really honest and relatable share - thank you.

It sounds like you already have some helpful foundations in place (working from home when needed and a manager who gets it), which is genuinely positive. At the same time, the guilt, the pressure to “always be busy,” and the sense that you’re riding a chaotic AuDHD train are very common experiences. Many people with AuDHD describe exactly this internal conflict: the brain demands constant productivity while the autistic side needs recovery and the ADHD side struggles with regulation and dopamine.

A few gentle thoughts that might help:

1. The guilt is not truth - it’s an old script The feeling that you “should” be busy even in quiet times is incredibly common in AuDHD. It often comes from years of masking, people-pleasing, or internalised ableism. Reminding yourself that rest and recovery are part of the job (especially during a busy period) is a skill worth practising. One small phrase that helps some people is: “My capacity is part of my job description, not a flaw.”
   
   
2. Pre-emptive conversation with your manager Since you already have a good relationship with her, a short, calm discussion before the busy period could be very useful. Something like: “I wanted to flag that the upcoming busy period might push me close to overload. I have reasonable adjustments in place, but I may need to use working-from-home days or take short recovery breaks. I’ll keep communicating so we can keep things running smoothly.” Framing it as proactive teamwork (rather than “I might fail”) often reduces the guilt and sets clearer expectations.
   
   
3. Small ways to ease the guilt
   • Try keeping a very short “energy log” for a week (just note morning/afternoon energy 1–10 and what drained or recharged you). It can make the need for rest feel more factual and less like laziness.
   • When the “I should be busy” voice kicks in, a gentle counter-statement can help: “Rest is productive for my brain.”
   • If you have any downtime, using 10–15 minutes for a special interest or quiet stim can recharge you without guilt.
     
     
4. Navigating the AuDHD train You’re not failing at it - you’re still learning how this particular combination works for you. The fact that you’re already recognising patterns and planning ahead shows real self-awareness.