What are rituals and routines for?

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It seems some OCD-like traits are considered part of the spectrum. I guess "real" OCD is quite common among the people with ASD but apart from that – what do you need your routines and rituals for?

I have no OCD-like traits, I dislike rituals and I'm fairly relaxed about my routines. But I do a lot of everyday activity the same way again and again, because otherwise I would need to put a lot of energy into making sure I haven't forgotten anything important (and most probably I would still do something wrong).
It's like my routines are a way to overcome my otherwise poor executive functioning.

What are your expiriences?

I don't exactly have set routines, but I do need to know what I'm likely to be doing at any particular time.
Sudden changes to plans tend to throw me, like if my kids suddenly want to go late-night shopping, I normally say no, unless I have time to get my head around it and re-sort my mental schedules.

Routines and other set rules just make life easier. At home I always put things like the frying pan, remote controller, my phone etc. to the same place after use. I do this because as long as I do I don't have to worry about where the things I need are... of course, there are some items that I don't use often and forget where I put them because of that, but I lose the things I need daily next to never. It's the same with always doing things the same way; as long as I do, I can go on autopilot without really thinking about what I'm doing. It's really convinient, especially on mornings.

I wouldn't usually say that I have fixed routines but then when i think about it I do lay out my breakfast every night before bed and then i eat the same breakfast, lunch and daily snacks everyday. I get a bit stressed if I don't get to bed at the right time too.

would that count as strict routine?

Normally my routine covers almost every minute of the day. I do like to change up little things, at least allow for variation, but usually pretty much everything happens at the same time and exactly the same way every day, and it really throws me off if something changes my routine too dramatically.
As far as why or what for? I'm not sure how to answer that, really.

Some of it sounded like executive functioning based. You need your routines so you remember to get stuff done and stay organized. For autistic people routines are based on predictability.

For OCD, routines are based on anxiety and worrying something bad will happen and with magical thinking. People with OCD do not like their routines. There is also OCPD which is often confused with OCD and people with it also like their routines and there are no worries behind it and thinking something bad will happen if they don't do it. It's more about rule based.


For me I have things put in certain spots so I don't lose it and it helps keep me organized and if there is lot of change, it makes me anxious. When there is a change, there is confusion and I ask questions about it and wondering what am I going to do. Also I often forget to do things if it's not in my routine. It takes a while for me to put it in my routine so I remember every time. I also tend to have issues with getting out of a routine once I am in it. Like going to bed at two and I had troubles going to bed sooner even after having kids. Then when I saw I would have to get up at six, it helped me go to bed sooner and then working out and getting tired sooner also helped. Now I don't really have a routine to go to bed. It's just whenever I am tired. It's like I get trapped in my routines because they are hard to break out of. It's like a habit. I also used to feel stress like biscuitman if I didn't shower at eight or do certain things I always did at a certain time such as work outs. But if there had to be a change, I would make that change in my routine like if I knew I would be back later than eight, I would shower early. Then when I started working swing shift, I lost my shower routine and shower anytime I want at night. I would shower late at night is why and it would be after work.

You have explained my situation well there, better than I had ever done in the past. I am very forgetful and I get mixed up with things easily (I always thought those with aspergers had better than average memories?), if I have to spontaneously think of stuff I usually get stressed and muddled.

I have my next days clothes hanging in the kitchen doorway and breakfast set out before I go to bed (muesli poured out into bowl with spoon in!) as I don't then have to think too much, I can stay on autopilot once i wake up and all feels good. My gym bag is packed, and along with my laptop bag and work shoes they sit by the front door all night waiting for me.

I never thought as myself as an aspie with strict routines but maybe I should think otherwise.

I honestly didn't even know that the way I navigate daily life was anything but normal until someone pointed it out. Then later I met someone who had OCD, verified diagnosis and all, and they told me I have it. I don't know, and I don't care about the label. I like how I do things, it makes life easier and simpler and I don't have to work so hard, like you said, to manage things. Every ritual I have (from, similar to another poster, putting everything in the same places so I can find it later; to having set patterned tasks from morning until bedtime) means I can function better in general. My usual phrase is "my processor isn't as loaded". I have a tendency to refer to my brain as my Processor.

It was actually my Grandfather that taught me the methods I use. He was the first person, I think, to understand what was up with me and he spent a lot of time teaching me all these tricks so that I could handle life better, learn things easier, and appear more NT. He taught me that golden rule, if you put it back in the same place every time you'll always know where it is and you won't have to waste energy trying to find it.

As strict as breakfast lunch and dinner goes, its slightly on the bizarre side to have a bowl you take everywhere to eat in when you consciously know what it is used for. I have eaten breccia sometimes mid to late afternoon but I would have to be deprived of calcium really to want to do that. Why don't you try Nesquik and see if your strict daily intake can be brought short to a lunchtime sequel. If no side effects besides food separation anxiety are reported, like hives or rash then I'd say you've passed the daily ritual test.
I have a relative with OCD, and her rituals are fairly on time morning wise, then right up until dinner, not much variety.
I snack whenever I feel like it, and that's little often than it used to be, whilst napping is just an extra curricular, sleep a mildly depraved necessity, its something,which I can eventually get.

Just to be clear, I don't take a bowl with me everywhere (that would truly be nuts! ) but I do fill a bowl with muesli each night, put a spoon in it, have all my clothes set out ready downstairs and then get to bed at the 'right' time each night. Makes me feel at peace to do that and I know I don't have to stress over things when I wake up.

To be honest it's basically out of laziness for me to run through basically the same routine daily on autopilot.

Not so much laziness maybe. Just much easier. Much Less stress. A lot more comfort. Comfort zone. Comfort in repetition. Comfort in predictability. The comfort overrides boredom from monotony.

Thanks for your repiles!
So I see I'm not the only one to use routines to go on autopilot without screwing things up. I work fairly well in the "emergency mode" so I can deal with disruptions but it takes energy.

"Autopilot" is exactly the word I would use to describe most of my routines too. To me, the words "routine" and "ritual" sound too much like something planned out and followed consciously, whereas my "autopilot" is all about avoiding executive problems by mindlessly repeating previous actions. The less conscious thought that goes into an action, the less likely I am to get stuck in an endless loop of procrastinating and being unable to begin a task.

I agree it's easier to run through the same basic routine daily. Less stress that way because you always know what to expect. It also helps move things along quicker.