Published on 12, July, 2020
Its Friday.
Finally!After a long working week, spent combining fitting into the NT office environment, smiling appropriately when people make jokes and managing to not say the things my brain lets slip, my brain is empty.
On a good week its not so bad - I can continue with intelligent conversation through the weekend, but a week like this, which has also had me doing some very challenging data analysis has drained me completely.
I like analysing data, looking for patterns etc. It's like feeding a monster something to prevent it from eating people. In my case, keeping my brain busy means it doesnt spend all the time overanalysing everything in my life. However, this week I have been analysing data, and then having to explain my process and logic to people who do not think like me, which is not easy. In fact it took longer to explain than to do the work, and I find it very challenging to explain things I find simple to people who do not understand. Its hard to be patient, especially when I know its right, and I could be doing something more valuable than explaining.
How do other people cope with brain exhaustion? All suggestions welcome!
Hi Daniel,
I am struggling to balance the work/recover balance at the moment. I have a demanding office job, both creative and analytical (which I love!), but the office is growing, there are more people to interact with, meetings involve more people, take longer to complete and as you said, often people in these meetings don't think the same as me, so it becomes tiring explaining things. At present, I find my evenings too exhausted to do anything and then at the weekends I just want to sleep or slob around on the sofa. Everything is overwhelming and too much to tackle. Sensory issues are on a high as well.
I love my job, but I also crave some personal life where I am not spending it spaced out and drained. If anyone has any coping strategies or tips on how to minimise 'That Friday brain feeling' as Daniel put it, I m more than happy to listen and try suggestions.
It's great you enjoy your job. Are there any ways you can make adjustments to make it less over stimulating? For example screening off your desk or having your own office so that you just interact when necessary or is the shared office all part of the job? Making sure you take 30 minutes time out somewhere quiet if you get a lunch break. Trying to give yourself small interaction free periods throughout the day. Probably difficult if it's intensive. Can you start earlier or finish later to get some office time to yourself.. Can you do any of it as work from home.. Being unable to change your work environment puts all the emphasis on finding ways at home. In my last job part of it was office based. I was fine when my colleague and I had an office to share but when we were moved I wasn't. We were moved into a multipurpose room with a lot going on and I couldn't cope.
Hi Daniel - no I don't have children.
Hi Misfit61 - My boss is starting to understand 'my ways' as he puts it. He's good and understanding most of the time, but I think he struggles to see how badly it can affect me. The office is open plan, so I can't have a dedicated office, but I can use a meeting room if it is free. Trouble is they rarely are! I try and ensure I get my lunch breaks so to take some time out and I get there a bit earlier in the morning, just to prepare myself for the day ahead and sometimes stop later if I need the quiet time in the office to get stuff done. Otherwise, I have stopped working the extra hours and aim to finish on time and don't work after hours at home anymore.
I think something is going to have to give and I might have to ask about working from home a couple of days here and there. The fatigue is getting much worse to the point I am literally doing nothing. It took all my effort to get out of bed today to go to the shops. The result was spending the evening in bed completely exhausted. I have seen my GP and had blood tests etc which have all come back normally, so physiologically I seem healthy and well, but I just feel like all the life is sapped out of me.
Daniel - Does this sound similar to how you feel?
Starbuck, I would put in a complaint about the OH person. Find out what her professional qualifications are and complain to her registering body about her working outside her scope of practice to second guess a diagnosis.
Not all are like that. My best friend has ADHD mixed subtype diagnosed and a large dose of Asperger's undiagnosed. His OH team have been terrific and ripped a chunk out of his line manager and HR in his organisation for trying to start capability after they removed his original reasonable adjustments.
Hi Starbuck,
It sounds like your boss is very good, which is a great thing! As for the occupational health worker, it sounds like she is not up to date on all the laws regarding this sort of thing. This is from the NAS on employee rights:
The meaning of ‘disability’
The Equality Act 2010 describes a disabled person as someone who has:“a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”Mental impairments include autism and most autistic people are likely to fit this description, but you do not have to have a diagnosis to be considered a disabled person.
"If you live in England Scotland or Wales and decide to tell your employer about your diagnosis, you are protected by the Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act requires public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people, and there is a whole section of the Equality Act on employment.
Being protected by the Equality Act means you should be treated equally and fairly in the workplace, and should not be discriminated against on the grounds of your disability". It also means that your employer should make reasonable adjustments to help you at work.
http://www.autism.org.uk/about/adult-life/work.aspx#what-the-law-says
I think its probably a good idea to provide the letter confirming diagnosis to them. I have a report which I keep private, and about 10 copies of the short letter I keep in case people ned to know, one of which now sits in my medical file at work in case I need to do something that requires it to be taken into account.
Try and stay positive! Its hard but worth it!