What are the risks of not having regular routines?
Studies have linked being inactive with being overweight and obese, type 2 diabetes, some types of c Read More
What do autistic routines look like?
Imani Mertz
2025-07-31 09:17:16
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: 22
Routines simplify things In a world that can feel uncertain and overwhelming, routines give us one less thing to think about. They reduce cognitive load, in other words. We know what’s supposed to happen next; we can prepare for it; we don’t have to make too many decisions, don’t have to weigh up too many factors, don’t have to put in too much mental work. We get to focus on just one thing, getting through the routine, step by step, seeing it through to completion. Often, the thing we focus on brings us a sense of comfort or satisfaction. Shattered expectations can feel like a crisis for autistic people, as routines can feel like an island of stability in uncertainty. Autistic people tend to experience a lot of inertia, so it takes time and effort to get going, or change course. A disruption to routines means discarding all of our expectations, abruptly changing course, and probably starting from scratch.
Monroe Doyle
2025-07-22 05:45:48
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One of the reasons I’ve been doubting the possibility of having autism is because I don’t seem to have that many routines, which is such a common symptom. All the routine examples I’ve heard of are stuff like eating the same meals every day, or getting upset if you have to wear a different set of clothes on a specific day or something, which aren’t really great examples. What are some everyday examples of routines.
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Brendon Deckow
2025-07-15 00:08:59
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: 26
Examples of this can include following set routines and rituals – examples include eating the same meals each day, doing tasks in the same order, using the same items, taking the same route to school or work, children asking the same questions to hear the same answers.
For things to be in order – for example, collections are well organised, toys are lined up, no sudden changes are made to schedules.
Knowing what is going to happen in detail – for example, the order of events, which bus or train you are going to catch, what you are going to eat, which people are going to be at an event, and when you can leave.
For information to be precise, accurate and make sense, so that what is going to happen is predictable – the bus turns up on time, there are clear rules that make sense and that everyone follows.