Korte oefening: grootste energie-vreters op dit moment (met zeer gerichte vragen, geen open vragen…)
What things do cost you most energy? (home/work/other…):
A reorganisation or other organisational issues at work
Conflicts
A school transition of one of your children
Reacting to every tiny piece of information
Meetings
mensen die NU iets van me willen, terwijl ik druk bezig ben…
Autism specific energy drains
Sensory input, thoughts, information. These should not only be restricted, but could better be canalised. How to do that? What do you need for a proper canalisation? For example knowing when you are able to handle more input.
A clear role within your team
A clear task description
Clear goals
…
Meltdowns, panic attacks, angry outbursts, crying. These are part of a vicious circle: whith a lower energy-level, these occure more often, and more easily. On the other hand, they destroy all the fuel you have left in your battery in no time
Extremely demanding people. High expectations. And low expectations as well. The number and kind of the tasks/expectations requires attention. How can you balance this?
Misunderstandings and conflicts, and the famous so called ‘Aspergers Arrogance’. Not only the constant struggle to fit in, but the management needed to reduce the social damage
Worrying and ruminating, having endless thoughts, rethinking every tiny piece of information, not being able to ‘empty’ your head. That takes a lot of energy.
Disturbances, the ignorance of what is going to happen, a lack of control, a lack of overview. Energy-drain number six.
Perfectionism, a tendency to improve the world always and everywhere, even at the expense of oneself. A lack of selfcompassion, of self-forgiveness. Or being able to have some compassion, but breaking this down with the perfectionism
Changes, deviations on the routines. Unknown people, new places, new processes, Facebook’s new ‘like’-button…
Social activities. Very nice, but exhausting for people on the spectrum. It doesn’t matter how much someone likes the activities, or how nice, compassionate other people are, just being with other people is what costs a lot of energy. By definition.
Switches. Going from one activity to another activity. E.g. not being able to clutter at first, and not being able to stop cluttering some time later…
Eating badly (autism and eating probs)
Multitasking, lower Executive Functions, only being able to schedule in a very rigid way, and not being able to follow the schedule you have made. Starting a lot of ‘projects’, without finisching them. That kind of things. It is more then the simple ‘multitasking’;
Not being able to be in contact with ones feelings. Taking too little time for ones personal hygiene, for recovery, et cetera. Because not feelint/noticing when you are passing your borders, makes very easy to pass them
Staying inside, because you feel overloaded or excited. Or not training/moving for this reason. While coming outside and moving are manners to gain more energy. Everything you do, you should do with some policy. It is better to take a quiet walk, then starting running at once. It is preferable to dance quietly, inside, within the safety of your own room, than start playing soccer in a rough team… Building up your energy in an easy way, sporting, and coming outside are mostly the closing entry for people with autism
Alcohol and drugs: people with autism (and ADHD) are more sensitive for additions. Besides that, they react more heavily to nearly everyting, including alcohol and drugs.
Internalising conflicts, not clearing up problems, wanting to solve evertything by oneself, difficulty to ask others for help
Show my top 10 energy-drains