Is Routine Achievable?

When I first talked to my mentor, award winning photographer Luke David, about writing a blog post on my website, the intention was to post fortnightly after I had edited that fortnight’s photography adventure with my support worker. We discussed that the act of writing a routine blog post would increase traffic to my website, so I am not paying hundreds of dollars for nothing!

However, as autistically structured as I need my world to be, life often has other plans. My three-year-old laptop is reaching its end of days. There are grant applications to be written for deadline. My artwork for my solo show in September needed to be completed. And so it goes. The good news is, all of this (apart from the laptop constantly breaking down), can all be scheduled into my daily calendar. I use the very helpful android app aCalendar+ to write down everything I need to do for the week, month, and year; and I do mean everything. From getting dressed or showering, to eating meals, to taking meds, to events, and work that needs doing, it all goes into the “puttanesca” of life. Not only is every task in there, but it is all colour coded. Some have seen my schedule and exclaimed that it is an eye-sore, that it is too much, but it is what works for me.

That is the key to today’s message and will quite often repeat throughout my blog posts – you must find what works for you! Yes, take onboard what others have suggested, but discard that which doesn’t personally work, or tweak things for a better fit. One size definitely does NOT fit all; we are not automatons; we are individuals who all have unique needs and challenges.

After I was diagnosed with autism 10 years ago and took off my mask that I had worn all my life due to gaslighting (a mask I sometimes put back on due to habit), and was dealing with a cognitive disability that had me wondering around supermarkets for two hours at a time in an anxious fog when only requiring half-a-dozen items, the increased need for scheduling my day and needs became vital. The schizophrenia that I was diagnosed with at the same time as my autism diagnosis caused me to see every speck of dust as a crawling bug or flying insect and before my treatment plan kicked in, I would lose hours staring at the particles trying to determine if they were moving closer towards me.

Whilst I was no longer working and not nearly as busy as I am today, I still didn’t want to get to the end of my day having sat on the couch all day, staring at what wasn’t there. So, I started writing post it notes and leaving them around the house. This evolved into writing lists that I could physically tick off each day. This practice then turned digital, using my phone calendar, which then led me to use the awesome aCalendar+.

Today, when I need to pick up a couple of grocery items, I have forgotten in my regular Click n Collect shop, I write the event into my schedule, creating a detailed list of everything I need. I will often, if I have the time, go onto the supermarket’s app/website, and write down which aisle the item is in. For me this saves a lot of time and anxiety and gets me out of the hellhole quicker! Basically, the more information I can put into each item of my schedule the better it will be for my mental wellbeing.

Doing what works for you will not always be as linear, or as successful, and that’s ok. Be patient with yourself through the trial-and-error stage. Love yourself and give yourself time.

Will I continue to be the Master of my schedule? Follow my blog to find out.

T.Leigh

Screenshot of my day in aCalendar+ with each line item in a different colour. The day is full of a lot of items!