Autism

Not a full solution by any means, but I’ve been using this calendar called Reclaim that has really helped me make time to rest and still get everything done. It automatically schedules everything for you into your Google Calendar based on restraints, as well as any habits or meetings. It’s really helped me prioritize better and see everything I’m doing in one place. The best part is when I add something to my calendar, like a dentist appt for example, it will automatically move everything around for me while still keeping my top priorities at the forefront of my schedule. It’s kinda hard to explain, there’s a lot more to it, but yeah just a tool that has worked really really well for me so far. I think there’s a solid free plan too.

Ultimately, you need to make time for genuine actual rest. Rest is very productive. Get outside, get a glass of water, take a nap—let yourself feel how you actually feel for a moment and be okay with it. Be okay with not being productive in that time too. There’s very real things we need to do in life, but we are not machines. We need rest. Scrolling on your phone or snacking isn’t rest though—it cannot be unhealthy coping, it’s gotta be intentional and good for the soul.

Last thing that has helped me is trying to find fun in the boring stuff. I know it sounds lame, but the idea is that we have the ability to change our feelings and perspectives towards things. Make the boring daily things fun in your mind, learn ways you can enjoy them, let the wonder creep in, and change things up in your environment to make it less dreary and monotonous.

And hey, you got a support network here. Sometimes we need help through the practical stuff, but sometimes there’s some deep emotional stuff we aren’t aware of and we need to process through. Either way, don’t ever do it alone. There’s some pretty incredible people here with some pretty incredible life experience. Don’t give up—we’re gonna get through this together.