Self-Management Strategies for Autistic People

As an autistic person, you are the world's leading expert on your own experience. You understand your strengths, your passions, and the things you find challenging in a way that no one else can. Living in a world that is not always built for your neurology can be draining, but you have the power to create a life that works for you by developing a personal toolkit of self-management strategies.

This article offers a range of practical techniques to help you navigate daily life more comfortably. We will cover strategies for managing sensory issues, anxiety, executive functioning, and social situations, all with the goal of helping you conserve your energy, reduce stress, and enhance your well-being.

The Foundation: Building Self-Awareness

Where do you start when it comes to self-management? The most crucial first step is to deepen your own self-awareness. Developing a clear understanding of your unique autistic profile-your specific strengths, needs, and triggers-is the foundation upon which all effective strategies are built.

Take some time to reflect on:

• Your Sensory Profile

  What specific sights, sounds, smells, or textures do you find overwhelming? What sensory input helps you to feel calm and regulated?

• Your Triggers

  What situations or events reliably cause you stress or anxiety? Keeping a journal for a week or two can help you spot patterns.

• Your Social Energy

  How much social interaction can you comfortably handle before you feel drained? Five minutes? Ten minutes?

• Your Executive Functioning

  What aspects of planning and organisation do you find easy, and where do you struggle?

Strategies for Managing Your Sensory World

Sensory overload is a significant challenge for many autistic people. Rather than just enduring it, you can take proactive steps to manage your sensory environment.

• Make a Sensory Toolkit

  Put together a small, portable kit of items that can help you in overwhelming situations. This might include noise-cancelling headphones or discreet earplugs. Add in some sunglasses or tinted glasses to reduce bright light. Add in a favourite fidget toy to provide a calming tactile input.

• Schedule Sensory Breaks

  Intentionally plan quiet time into your day, especially before or after a sensorily demanding activity like a shopping trip. This allows your nervous system to rest and recover.

• Curate Your Safe Space

  Designate a space in your home that is your sensory sanctuary. This is a place you can retreat to when you feel overwhelmed. Customise it to your needs with calming lighting, comfortable textures, and minimal clutter.

Strategies for Coping with Anxiety

Anxiety is a very common experience for autistic people, often linked to sensory sensitivities and social uncertainty. There are practical techniques you can use to manage anxiety in the moment.

• Grounding Techniques

  When you feel overwhelmed, bring your focus to your immediate physical senses. Name five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This can help pull your mind away from anxious thoughts and back to the present.

• Breathing Exercises

  Simple, slow, deep breathing is a powerful way to calm your body's stress response.

• Mindfulness

  Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. There are many apps and guided exercises that can help you learn this skill.

Strategies for Executive Functioning

How can you tackle that big project or just get started on your to-do list? If you find planning, organisation, or task initiation challenging, the key is often to use external tools to support your brain's "management system".

• Use Planners, Apps, and Calendars

  Do not try to hold all your tasks and deadlines in your head. Use a physical planner or digital apps to keep track of everything. Set reminders on your phone for important appointments.

• Break Down Big Tasks into Smaller Tasks

  A large task can feel impossible to start. Break it down into a list of small, concrete, sequential steps. This makes the task less intimidating and gives you a clear path to follow.

• Use Visual Timers

  A visual timer can help you to manage your time and stay focused on a task for a set period, making it easier to get started.

Strategies for Navigating Social Situations

Social situations can be stressful for autistic people, but there are several ways you can prepare yourself to make the best of them. For example:

• Manage Your Social Energy

  Think of your social energy as a battery that depletes with interaction and recharges with time alone. Learn your limits and do not feel guilty for needing downtime. It is okay to leave a social event early or decline an invitation if you know you do not have the energy for it.

• Have an Exit Plan

  Before going into a social situation that might be overwhelming, have a simple exit plan. Knowing you can leave when you need to can significantly reduce the anxiety of attending in the first place.

• Connect Through Interests

  Focus on building connections with people through shared interests. Joining a club or group based on one of your passions provides a natural and comfortable context for socialising.

Living Your Life, Your Way

Self-management is an ongoing journey of learning about yourself and building a personalised toolkit of strategies that work for you. While these techniques can be incredibly empowering, it is also important to remember that it is okay to seek professional support. If you are struggling with your mental health, speaking to a GP or a therapist with experience in autism can be a valuable step.

By understanding your own needs and using these strategies to manage them, you can conserve your energy, reduce stress, and create a more comfortable, authentic, and fulfilling life that is designed by you, for you.