12 Months Without Burnout! (How To Avoid Autistic Burnout)

Published 2022-02-17
How often do you experience autistic burnout in a year? For neurodivergent people, experiencing burnout is inevitable if you don't learn to manage energy over time.

Preventing autistic burnout is not easy if you can't identify what drains your energy and how to manage your energy. In this video, I share my story of when I experienced autistic burnout, how I coped with it, and how I plan to go 12 months without burnout.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction
01:57 - Analogy of F1 racing car to my work
05:32 - Effect of managing energy over time
07:54 - Strategy to go 12 months without burnout
10:30 - Things that waste energy

CHANNEL LINKS:
Patreon: www.patreon.com/aspergersfromtheinside
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aspergersfromtheinside
Twitter: twitter.com/AspieFromInside
Written Blog: aspergersfromtheinside.com/
More Videos: youtube.com/c/aspergersfromtheinside
Email: [email protected]
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// WELCOME TO ASPERGERS FROM THE INSIDE!!

My name is Paul and I discovered I have Aspergers at age 30.
If you're new you can check out a playlist of some of my most popular videos here: youtube.com/c/aspergersfromtheinside/playlists

Yes, I know, I don't look autistic. That's exactly why I started this blog, because if I didn't show you, you would never know.

As the name suggests, this channel is devoted to giving you insight into the world of Aspergers.
This blog started off being just my story, but I've learned SO MUCH about my own condition
from meeting others on the Autism Spectrum that now I make sure to feature their stories as well.

I've come a long way in my own personal journey.
Now I'm sharing what I've found so you don't have to learn it the hard way too.

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// WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS BLOG

You can expect me to get to the point with concise useful information.
I focus on what is most important and don't shy away from difficult topics.

The best way to learn about Autism is to see it in real life ( i.e. via the stories of many, many people on the spectrum).

In this channel I endeavour to show you what Autism and Aspergers look like in real people and to also give you some insight as to what's happening on the inside.
I upload a new video every weekend with some bonus content thrown in mid-week too.
There's always new stuff coming through so be sure to check back and see what you've missed. (Is this where I'm supposed to tell you to hit that subscribe button?)

Topics Include:
- What is Aspergers/Autism?
- Aspie Tips, coping strategies, and advice on common issues
- Learning Emotional Intelligence (this is my special interest!)
- Autism in real life: stories from special guests

Everything I do is and endeavour to go deeper and take you 'behind the scenes' to understand what may, at first glance, seem 'odd'.
oh, and I love busting stereotypes and turning preconceptions upsidedown :)

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// ABOUT ME

I discovered I have aspergers at the age of thirty.
It has been my life's mission to understand these funny creatures we call humans.
My special interest is a combination of emotional intelligence, psychology, neuroscience, thinking styles, behaviour, and motivation. (I.e. what makes people tick)
My background is in engineering and I see the world in systems to be analysed.
My passion is for taking the incredibly complex, deciphering the pattern, and explaining it very simply.
My philosophy is that blogging is an adventure best shared.

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// EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TRAINING

I also run autism friendly online emotional intelligence training. So if you like my direct, systematic style, and would like to improve your own emotional intelligence skills, check it out here:
emotionsexplained.com.au/

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// CONTACT

Blogging is an adventure best shared which means I'd love to hear from you!
Feel free to leave me a comment or send me and email at any time and I'll do my best to respond promptly.
Email: [email protected]

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this channel!
I look forward to hearing from you!

Peace,

~Paul

All Comments (21)
  • @jermman10
    I’m going through burnout right now, in the process of quitting my job and moving back home.. I have recently over the last 4 years I’ve gone from apprentice to running the business that I’m at, working 60-70 hours a week, thinking I was handling it okay.. but my anxiety has gone through the roof. I didn’t ever see myself in the position I’m in now, but always was being told by my family that I’m doing what every person needs to do, and that being tired is normal and shows you work hard, but this isn’t a physical tired, it’s a crippling tired, the one that makes you avoid talking to people at all.
  • The only time I was able to avoid burnout long term was during the Covid shutdown when I barely had to interact with people. People burn me out the most!
  • @anlongyi
    Thank you for this. I started working four-day weeks recently and it definitely makes a difference. My problem is I don't notice my stress levels until they're already high, so I forget I need a break and push past my limits. Making it a routine works better for me than waiting until I feel like it (because by then it's already too late).

    Your plan to split the day is interesting. I can really relate to the 4+ hours hyperfocusing and then declining efficiency.

    I often feel guilty about doing "nothing". I need reminding that a sustainable system with fewer hours is more efficient in the long run than overworking until burn out.
  • I'm in a burnout now and have been for the last 5 years.
    I'm 50 and just found out that I'm autistic (undiagnosed) and so I've been attempting to understand my nature and what it takes to have a sustainable lifestyle. Up until this realization I thought it was diet/exercise/lifestyle related and so I've been trying different things to cope but I am steadily declining. Like you I'm an engineer and I'm realizing that I'm going to have to make some fairly serious lifestyle changes soon. I was managing my self more or less ok until I got married and then I really started to struggle because I didn't know how to reconcile my needs, which at the time I didn't fully understand, with the needs of the family in an intimate relationship. So now I need to figure out a lifestyle that will allow me to provide for the family and still be a person suitable for relationship with my wife and children. It is a difficult problem.
  • After nearing 4 years IN burnout - I'm so happy for you. But, sometimes it's hard to ever see a way out.
  • @jyspenla
    😳 OMG…I’ve been cycling through being an intense “sprinter” and burnout for my whole life! I always just thought I must be a lazy person to need breaks from burning out. I thought if I couldn’t go 1000 mph with my hair on fire that I wasn’t “normal” or a “good worker”. I felt guilt and shame then when I’d fall apart and need mental health recovery time. My mind is blown…I recognized in my life so much of what you described of yours! Thank you for sharing your experiences.
  • @kitgenz1114
    I'm 50 and female and just found out that I'm autistic. I thought my issue was diet/exercise/hormonal/lifestyle related and tried practically everything to take care of myself to get some sort of relief from my affliction of being different. I'm an accountant and worked for a company for 10 years until I burned out completely at the end of 2014. I tried switching careers because I thought accounting was the problem and failed catastrophically. I then put myself in more situations that I thought would help which only exacerbated the burnout. I'm still trying to figure out how best to take care of myself, but feel overwhelmed most days.
  • @hardtmannn8804
    I've always experienced burnouts, especially when I was in school. I'd put all my effort into homework and studying to keep my grades up the best I could, eventually I realized how much of a toll it took on me when trying to grapple school, work, and a relationship. I decided that Sundays i wouldn't work on anything and that during school I only work at my part time job on Friday Saturday. My friends would tease me about not working as much but I really couldn't take more than I was already doing at the time and didn't want to push myself even further. I noticed that only summer break ever seemed to rejuvenate me as enough time seemed to elapse to rest, other shorter breaks would end and I would feel like I just went through a normal weekend. I remember one of my last years in college sweating over my computer trying to get a project done, and I think I really did push my limits on it certainly affecting my productivity on other things going towards the end of the semester. I have realized I do need breaks, I have just had a hard time knowing when I'm going to burn out and when I'm back to full energy. Recently I've been feeling really tired but whenever I get any amount of energy I use it to work on things, maybe I should really let myself fully recharge, if I can
  • @katrianem2124
    I think this is why I like shift work so much. Sure we sometimes have long runs of shifts but the days off in the week and long weekends - 5 days long. Work so much better for me than the regular 9-5.
  • @darcher7199
    A few years ago I started limiting my contracts to 4 months instead of 6. It definitely helped lower my level of burnout at the end.
    I also started finding ways of breaking away, even if there was no scheduled break, just to collect my thoughts. I've found I'm far more productive overall if I tend to my self in these ways.
  • @DevonExplorer
    I used to get burn out every couple of weeks or so and need bed rest for two or three days. Then I started having afternoon siestas and it completely changed my life. I'm always at my best in the morning, and usually get up really early, so I get a lot of things done, Then after lunch I take a cuppa to bed, read for an hour or so then sleep for about two hours (more if necessary), then I'm good to go, cook a meal for teatime and do odd jobs in the evening while watching something on Netflix. And for years I haven't had a burn out.
    However, late last year I had to change my desktop pc, which meant a couple of weeks work of humping stuff about, setting everything up, re-installing programmes and transferring a humungous amount of files, and I spent all day doing these jobs along with my usual stuff without having a siesta. I felt okay at first then got really quite ill and had to have a lot of bed rest and could hardly walk or do anything. Which was a good lesson in how important my siesta routine is. So I'm not going without again! :)
  • @ycylchgames
    It's good to work in a place that understands, especially a charity that works with people on the spectrum.
  • @leokot7228
    Now I feel like in total burnout about all aspects of life. Changed several professions, striving to find a better for me. Started studying development in 2020, but still can't get a job - and my passion & energy flies away. Relocated to another country, reconstructed our house (all in 2021) - and here I am in total emotional burnout. Don't even know, when it ends, can't do anything apart from lying on a couch and watch youtube. I don't usually torture myself, so I kind of tried to prevent burnout, but it still has happened to me.
  • @au9parsec
    I workout at the gym most weeks of the year, and I've been avoiding burnout by taking one week off from working out at the gym every month. And I also avoid burnout by only going to the gym 3 days per week instead of four or five days per week.
  • @darcher7199
    Dude, it's like you're in my head. Thank you so much for what you do.
    I'm going to start contributing soon. It's been a rough few years.
  • @Belg6179
    I wish there were enough words and ways to thank you for your channel. My son just turned 18. He was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 5. It has been a roller coaster of learning, adaptation, acceptance, and forgiveness for mistakes made. Most of those mistakes on my part as his Dad and not knowing what to do. I love and admire my son. He is brilliant and a kind soul. Through your channel and insights, I have been able to better understand him. He is who he is and that is just fine. I have screwed up enough in life to recognize that to be more like me or "normal" is not the best road traveled. I thank you for your help to all of us who strive to love, understand, and support our loved ones with Aspergers. You are a treasure.
  • @edgarspringall
    Its so true! I have also found out that when I have more time off I earn more money which goes against NT beliefs.
  • @Joe-pw5wf
    Does anyone else here struggle with Employment with there aspergeres? I'm finding it so difficult and the pressure just keeps on building, it's immense! Hope you guys can help me out 😊 cheera
  • This is why I work one day on one day off but I didn't know why I had set It up that way! ..it all makes sense now.
    I work Monday Wednesday Friday
    One day is all I need to manage and knowing in my head that I have tomorrow off... I can be a blob the next day if I need to.
  • @croitor2009
    I think we should perfect the art and skill of resting,no phone no screen time, just rest.A great resting activity can be gardening, i m just not getting tired doing it.