30 Results in executive functioning

How to reduce the number of transitions you do

For many people on the autistic spectrum, transitions are difficult. A 'transition' is basically any sort of change in circumstance, surroundings or activity. Transitions are most likely difficult for people with ASD because different activities require different thought processes, skills and general mental resources and the ability to undergo transition quickly is often very hard. Indeed, one of the impairments of autism is the ability to be mentally flexible. Many people also have sensory processing difficulties and transitions often cause disturbances of our senses, which can be very uncomfortable or even painful. I also find transitions hard because I get very focused on whatever it is I am doing and to have to suddenly stop that focus and shift it to something else, is hard. I also find transitions in the way I am feeling difficult and if I am doing one activity or doing the same thing, my mood tends to be constant and stable. Doing something different causes changes in feelings and a chance in mood and I find that hard as well. There are an infinite number of transitions that we all do every day, but here are a few examples based on some that affect me:

How might autistic people manage projects?

I've been thinking about project management. I think of projects in three stages: Planning Doing End result A part of being self-employed and running a business is that I have to manage a lot of projects (from start to completion) and I have to think of the work in terms of the bigger picture. So I work on all three stages all the time. This is opposed to someone who is employed and perhaps is more used to working mainly on the ‘doing’ aspect of the project and might not have to think much about the bigger picture. Lately I've had to do quite a few things that I really did not like doing, however I've been very happy with the final outcome. Possibly one of the differences between me and some of my friends and colleagues is that they very much like ‘doing’ whereas I very much like ‘thinking.’ Maybe this is another aspect of introversion (me) vs extroversion (them). Here are some thoughts on the subject of project management and how it may influence people on the autistic spectrum.

What happens when plans suddenly change?

Lots of people with ASD like to have plans and be able to follow them. Let's look at what happens and how a person might feel when a plan is suddenly changed.

17 tips for doing chores you hate

There are always certain chores that you are going to dislike doing, it's part of being human! However, as well as "disliking", people on the autistic spectrum may struggle with executive functioning - the set of mental skills that enables people to get things done, things such as planning, initiating, following steps, etc. Here are some of my best tips for doing the things you don't like to do. I hope you find at least one of them helpful!

Why a person with ASD might cancel last minute

I often make plans or agree to plans with others that sound OK, might even sound fun, but then when the time actually comes I don't want to go through with it. Throughout my life, I've been known to cancel on people last minute. Even though I like to think of myself as a highly reliable and committed person, I would more often than not cancel events and meetings. Interestingly, as an adult who has come to terms with my diagnosis I have created a life structure that is both helpful and energising. Subsequently, I cancel far less nowadays. In this post, I will talk about some of the reasons why a person with ASD might cancel something last minute and suggest strategies on how to lessen the chance of this happening. For other people, reading and understanding why plans can sometimes cause difficulty for people with ASD, you can help make their life easier too. 

Things for people with ASD to consider when looking for work

In October 2016, the National Autistic Society found that only 16% of autistic adults were in full time work. This is such a low percentage! But I completely understand why it might be so low. Reasons can include the person with ASD having trouble with the whole job application process, not passing interviews, or struggling to keep up with the social and executive function demands of employment once they do actually get a job, hence not lasting long before leaving. Another big reason is that most potential employers are not understanding of ASD in general and do not quite realise the reasonable adjustments that ought to be made to help a person with ASD pass the interview, for example. I know of someone who has applied for hundreds of jobs, has had hundreds of interviews, yet has not been in work for 10 years, despite really wanting to and trying hard! I've had - and still have - lots and lots of different jobs. It has taken me a while to get myself on the right career path however and I've been very miserable in some of the jobs I've had (jobs that should have, in theory, been very good for me). Here's my advice on finding the right job and perhaps thinking about it in ways you've not thought of.

Dealing with unsafe situations – recognising danger

Children with ASD may be more prone to putting themselves in dangerous situations than children without ASD. It doesn't stop in childhood - adults with ASD too, may unintentionally put themselves in dangerous situations more frequently than other people. There is already lots of interesting and helpful information about this subject on the internet and in books. In particular, sources often detail on sensory processing challenges - for example, a person not being able to recognise when something is too hot, too cold, or too sharp and touching it. I am going to look at recognising danger from some other angles, however. I hope you enjoy my thoughts!

‘Cognitive loading’ and how to improve learning

'Cognitive Load' is a theory developed in the 1980s by a psychologist called John Sweller. It refers to working (short term) memory. Cognitive Load Theory is a good way to describe how much 'load' there is on the brain, i.e. how much mental effort is being used at any given time. When a person is learning, the most efficient way to learn is to reduce the cognitive load so that information will be retained - and more easily stored in the long term memory - with the least mental effort involved. In this article we will look at the process of learning, the types of load, how they are influenced by autism, and how the load can be reduced in people with autism.

Choice – a burden or a privilege?

Lots of people like having choices. Choice makes many people feel they have a 'freedom', or that it's their 'right' to have a choice. Choice can make people feel good. However, we have to be more thoughtful when giving choices to people on the autistic spectrum. Often, a choice tends to be a burden rather than a pleasure. One of the constraints of choice is that choice does not define expectations or parameters. For someone with ASD who already has anxiety in daily life, not having clear parameters can add to their anxiety. Another problem with choice is that to decide, or to make, a choice, requires quite complicated mental processes (executive functioning). Neurotypicals tend to have good executive functioning, but it is something that many people with ASD have difficulty with.

Time limits and durations

The time I've planned to do something is important, but so is the length of time that I've planned to do it for. For example, it's just as important for me to know that I'm going to walk my dog at 9am as it is to know I'm going to walk her for 60 minutes.