Routines & Systems

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I was going to make that point myself but I thought "Nah, we are all pedantic aspies...I will just let someone else do it" Didint take too long

I've recently acquired enough plastic totes to put things into things they belong in, and a new living place that isn't rife with centipedes and spiders coming in through the bottoms of walls

I still have to start a system of organization that'll work better, but at least I have more space, I combined this with buying myself paper and pens for when I want to inscribe the wisdom of the ages onto sheets of mulched wood

the only problem is that I live somewhere with lots of people around now, so unscheduled noises disturb me consistently


however, the place is simple, easy to clean and so on, but I haven't set up a schedule for all these things because in my distraught I shut down and went full on negligent in the old place

but one is emerging and I'm glad about that


oh yeah, boxes, totes, containers that spiders can't sneak into, this is very important, some time in the near future I will perfectly organize everything so that I can do a trustable daily routine

oh yeah, I already do a routine monthly with my money, I count off expenses, figure out what I want to/need to buy this month that's an investment, and then see how much money I have left

then I try to spend it as slowly as possible, which is very difficult to do, although until very recently I've been trying not to be autistic, and didn't think about having autism although I recognized these traits when I was younger, so that I'm kind of reverting to default and moving from there, which is a *little* difficult because my patterns are a little negligent at the moment as a result of trying to be more social and just shutting down constantly

but since that's not the natural baseline it's not all hard to do

boxes are good, regular totes as supports for wide, short, long totes (which I use as table tops)

lego furniture to the rescue.

ah yes, one of my routines is that I have to wait until at least about 1 minute after I should be at a place until I leave, I think... it's weird, because if I have time to spare I will lose my mind and find something to occupy myself and forget I have to go somewhere typically

having a watch lets me routinely check it, and having an MP3 player would stop this incessant need for stimulation to focus

After a bit more introspection, I realise that, while I don't have many routines, I do have to have a rigid plan in my head for doing something or going somewhere. I then become very very stressed and anxious if something unexpected crops up that alters or delays that plan - even if the delay is inconsequential. Together with the way that I need to do things according to specific systems, this seems to be coming from a very similar place to the rigid routine thing and I just feel that, were I less of a disorganised scatterbrain, I would probably set routines also.

What do you lot think? Is there an equivalence?

This!^

I have ways about doing things, and they have to be done that way or not done at all. Which leads to my place being messy a lot because it is overwhelming in my head having to do things a certain way, so I just give up sometimes. Especially with a husband and a son who AREN'T particular about things the way I am.

I won't let them do dishes, because, like Martha, I have to do them a specific way. Sadly, I don't have two sinks in my current apartment. *sigh* But I make do with another system.

As for most routines and such, I find it impossible to set routines that aren't enforced in my brain. For the 13 years I've been with my husband, I don't think I've gone a month where anything could be labelled as "routine". I could go weeks at a time on a routine, and have ONE DAY where things are switched (say we have to travel somewhere or something) and that routine can now be kissed goodbye.

I am a control freak, I accept it. I'm also very difficult to live with and at 24 that's something I am painfully aware of and am slowly trying to accept. I'm not good with people touching my stuff! I live in a supported house and as a result of this, I am not on great terms with any of the people who live here or with the staff members for that matter. I have very specific ways of doing things, I don't like people interferring. I hate people touching my things because it always feel like they are contaminated and I have had so many arguments with people in my life over this. These things (like the rest of the ASD) have got worse as I've got older, leaving home certainly accelerated this in many many ways. I don't like change, it makes me very unsteady and I'm not good at altering my 'ways'...I spent my childhood being told I needed to learn to 'go with the flow', I've tried, I really have but I've failed miserably.

That is impossible, since these two posts are contradictory:




Sorry, I was being lazy and not typing a 'real' response. Allow me to explain.

Socks right to left, shoes left to right

I knew what I meant
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I think most situations benefit from routines and systems.
Doctors always have their tools of trade counted before they close up a patient. Imaging if they left a pair of scissors inside someone . The trouble they would be in.
Those scissors are expensive ya know

Launching my boat I have a system and procedure, It's just safer and everything stays in the right order.
If I forget to put in the bungs, turn on the batteries or prime the fuel system I'll be having a bad day.

On the other hand there are certain things that are best to be carried out different ways every time. Or is doing that a system or routine, I guess it is.
Being spontanious with your non ASD partner is important. Mum and Dad 'special cuddles' are best carried out in different ways and places.
Going somewhere with her on a weekend needs to be mixed up. The same shopping centre or picnic spot would become boring after a while even though you might be able to do different things on each visit.
I think perhaps there needs to be a system and routine of spontaneity.
My head hurts.
I'm going now.

Last edited by BrokenBill on 29 Oct 2012, 5:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I have more bigger routines. I don't have routine with little things like what shoe to put on first or what exact way to walk to the bus stop or what saucepan I use to heat soup, and so on. My routines are bigger, like I like to stick to daily things. Like I go and see my friend on Mondays, go to the jobcentre on Tuesdays, attend my social group on Wednesdays, help do the shopping on Thursdays, see my friend on Fridays, do nothing on Saturdays, and so voluntary work on Sundays. That is generally my routine, and I like to stick by it. Obviously some weeks things happen where it gets changed around, but generally these are my daily plans and this is the sort of routine I stick to. It's what I call ''bigger routine''.