By Sunday night, I had 0 energy level to do anything. Again. For the third day in a row. This is what three 10-hour warehouse shifts actually do to an autistic adult's energy, baked with real data.
So, over the past week, I've normally been working 3 days a week, 10 hours a day at my warehouse job. I decided to track my spoon/energy levels over the course of those 3 days, while also considering the days that I do not to track how well my recovery is going.
I can definitely explain right away that in most cases without support it is an immensely draining experience, which is a common occurrence. I feel like I have to do everything in my power to not tap all of my energy reserves in one day, which makes recovering a lot longer and a lot harder.
If you're familiar with the term "spoons" by any chance, you definitely think of it as an energy meter, for instance, where certain sensations, especially those that neurodivergent people often face, can be immensely draining if the sensation (such as loud noises, yelling, or persistent noises such as whistling that happen repetitively) can easily zap your mental energy, for instance, in just a few scenarios, or even just one if it's profound enough.
And most environments, such as warehouses, or construction sites can are incredibly loud and demanding and involve a lot of social dynamics, make it very challenging for those who are also on the spectrum. This can lead to an immense feeling of mental exhaustion and fatigue, where you simply have no mental energy to do pretty much anything, even basic tasks or habits, such as doing the dishes, smiling, or even showering.
If you've ever wondered why you're completely destroyed after work while your coworkers seem fine, this is that answer with actual numbers."
Current Starting Energy: 80/100 - 8 Out of 10 Spoons
Current date: Friday, September 5, 2024
7:30- AM - Starting shift
10:30AM - First Break
2:30 PM - Lunch
6:30 PM - End of shift
Current Starting Energy: 70/100 - 7 Out of 10 Spoons
Current date: Saturday, September 6, 2024
7:30 AM - Starting my next shift
10:30AM - First Break
2:30 PM - Lunch
6:30 PM - End of shift
Current Starting Energy: 70/100 - 7 Out of 10 Spoons
Current date: Sunday, September 7, 2024
7:30 AM - Start of the last work shift of the day
10:30AM - First Break
2:30 PM - Lunch
6:30 PM - End of shift
Current Starting Energy: 40/100 - 4 Out of 10 Spoons
Current date: Monday, September 8, 2024
Current Starting Energy: 20/100 - 2 Out of 10 Spoons
Current date: Tuesday, September 9, 2024 (Today as of me making and publishing this post!)
As you can see, most of the days that I was at work consumed the majority, if not all, of my energy reserves throughout an entire shift. Most times of the day, managers are often pushing productivity instead of prioritizing rest, which leads to forced eye contact, masking, constant context switching, and often in most cases, such as extreme as these -> meltdowns or shutdowns (Likely even both!)
My rest days weren't really a significant improvement either. Due to my intentional decisions to not talk to anyone due to how burnout out I was and how easily I could burn through the little spoons I had just by engaging in small talk with someone, just like it occurred on Monday, easily zapping the little energy reserves I had left and further extending my recovery period to gain most of them back, if any, with this cycle EASILY repeating week by week, as most sensory accommodations are not accounted for, which makes life at times extremely frustrating and exhausting for the majority of neurodivergent people that do not have these needs respected, even to the smallest degree.
If you are reading this, you are probably most likely in this situation too, probably dealing with far more profound stuff than I dealt with here and still managed to put up with (especially if you work at a grocery store or another location that demands constant small talk and social cues!). There are some things you can do, despite the inevitable challenges you will face, to make your life just at least a little bit easier.
There's no magical solution here. Managers won't change. The sensory environment won't improve.
That's why I'm building Spoons - an autism-specific energy tracker. One slider. No decisions. And especially no neurotypical bias either! Because when you're at 0 spoons, even opening a journal app is too much.
If this data looks familiar, join the waitlist at getspoons.app (Only if you want to!) We deserve tools built by people who actually live this."
Thanks for reading, as always!
