Energy-saving tips for managing neurodivergent burnout

Living in a world that does not always accommodate neurodivergence can be exhausting. Neurodivergence is a term used to describe the unique way a person perceives and experiences the world, communicates and socialises, as well as how their sensory system works. Some examples of some types of neurodivergence include autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and dyspraxia.

If you are neurodivergent, you may notice that your energy levels tend to go down and your anxiety goes up. This may be especially true when you have to spend a lot of time in certain environments that may feel overwhelming or do not meet your needs. In schools, universities, workplaces or social situations, there can be a lack of acceptance of differences in how you process information, communicate, or move in ways that feel natural and soothing to you. Trying to “mask” or hide your neurodivergent traits or conform to unspoken rules and expectations in environments like these can lead to neurodivergent burnout.

In this article, you will find information that covers:

The meaning of autistic burnout
How to save energy through pacing
Three pacing systems for minimising the risk of neurodivergent burnout
What to do if you are already in neurodivergent burnout

If you would like to learn more about what neurodivergent burnout is, specifically autistic burnout, visit our article on how to cope with autistic burnout and life stress.

What is autistic burnout?

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of a specific type of burnout, thought to be unique to the experience of being autistic in a world that rarely accommodates autistic ways of being. This kind of burnout, known as autistic burnout, happens when an autistic person is expected to do or tolerate more than what they can over a long period of time, often without appropriate, personalised support or accommodations. Researchers have described three key features of this state of chronic stress, including:

• Physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that affects multiple, if not all, aspects of an autistic person’s life
• Loss of skills
• Reduced tolerance to stimuli, such as sound, light, smell, touch, or taste

Research highlights some common features of autistic burnout, but the experience can still look and feel very different from one person to another. The length of burnout also varies: for some it lasts days or weeks, while for others it can continue for months or even years. When someone is living with too many expectations and not enough support, it can create a cycle of burnout. They might regain some energy for a while, only to become overwhelmed again if the pressures and lack of support stay the same.

While more research is required to understand burnout and its effects on different people, this experience of burnout is likely to affect people with many different types of neurodivergence. For this reason, the term “neurodivergent burnout” is used throughout this article.

How to save energy through pacing

Pacing is a strategy for managing your energy by planning your daily activities around the amount of energy you have available. It involves balancing activity with meaningful rest to reduce the risk of becoming burnt out.

Pacing was originally developed as a tool to help people with fatigue-related health conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or chronic pain, manage their energy more sustainably. In recent years, however, some neurodivergent people and neurodiversity-affirming mental health professionals have adapted pacing strategies to suit neurodivergent needs and challenges. Neurodiversity-affirming means that they respect differences in the way neurodivergent people experience and interact with the world, without viewing these differences as deficits.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to pacing. The three strategies below have been adapted for neurodivergent people by advocates, therapists, and psychologists. Each one offers a different way to help you plan and manage your energy in daily life:

• Energy accounting
• Spoon theory (energy budgeting)
• The traffic light system

Read more about managing a chronic illness flare-up.

Three pacing systems for minimising the risk of neurodivergent burnout

Below you will find a short description of each pacing strategy and how to use it. No single strategy is better than the others; the most effective approach is the one that works best for you. It is also possible to mix and match systems to design a strategy that meets your personal needs and feels sustainable in the long term.

It is important to bear in mind that while you may find these pacing strategies helpful, they are not medical treatments. They may not increase your energy or reduce physical symptoms of co-occurring long-term health conditions. Co-occurring health conditions are health conditions that a person has in addition to a primary diagnosis.

If you are experiencing ongoing fatigue, distress, or think you might be going through autistic burnout, it’s a good idea to speak to a GP or a neurodiversity-affirming psychologist for support. The final section of this article offers alternative immediate self-care approaches that might feel more manageable in the short term, especially if you are already in autistic burnout.

1. Energy accounting

Energy accounting is a way of managing your energy like a budget. It was developed by autistic psychologist, Maja Toudal, and Dr Tony Attwood.

According to this method, you treat your energy like money in a bank. Some activities “withdraw” or reduce energy, and other activities “deposit” or increase energy in the bank. The idea is to avoid going into “energy debt” by balancing activity with rest.

You can try energy accounting by taking the following steps:

Track your activities

Start by keeping a simple log of what you do each day and how each activity affects your energy. You can use a simple number system from 0 to 100, like the one below, if it helps:

• Uses up a lot of energy = -100
• Uses up a little bit of energy = -10
• Gives me a little bit of energy = +10
• Gives me a lot of energy = +100

Plan with balance in mind

Once you understand your typical energy spend and gain, try to space out energy-draining tasks with neutral or energy-restoring ones. For example, if you know a group project meeting usually withdraws –30 energy points from your energy bank, try to follow it with an activity that deposits some energy, like taking a quiet break or going for a short walk.

The goal is to try to make sure you are putting in enough energy deposits to balance out your energy withdrawals at the end of each day.

Check in with your energy regularly

Notice how you’re feeling throughout the day. Take regular breaks and adjust your activities if something is taking more energy than expected.

Keep a bit of energy in the bank

Try not to plan your day so that you have no energy left by the end. Aim to leave a little in reserve, just like saving money, so you don’t feel totally depleted. That leftover energy helps your brain and body recover, and can help protect against burnout.

Be gentle with yourself

Your energy levels can change from day to day. It’s okay to shift your plans if something unexpected uses up more energy. Being flexible with your energy budget can help reduce stress and make it easier to pace yourself over time.

You can download a Daily Energy Account Form from Dr Maja Toudal’s energy accounting website.

2. Spoon theory

Spoon theory is a helpful way of describing the management of limited energy developed by Christine Miserandino, an American writer living with lupus. You can try budgeting your energies using the spoon theory by taking the following steps:

Start your day with a set number of spoons

Think of spoons as your energy allowance for the day. For example, you might start the day with 15 spoons. That number could go up or down depending on things like how well you slept, how stressed you are feeling, or what’s going on in your life.

Track how many spoons different tasks use

Each task you do “costs” a certain number of spoons, and different types of activities can drain different types of energy. You might, for example, find that you have more energy available one day to do a physical activity than to do an activity that requires executive functioning ability.

You might find it helpful to split your spoons into different energy categories, like:

• Physical activity spoons
• Social spoons
• Focus spoons
• Language spoons
• Sensory spoons
• Executive functioning spoons

Don’t worry about categorising activities perfectly, as some activities are likely to draw on different types of energy spoons. The goal is to notice the type and quantity of energy spent on each activity, which you can track in the form of the type (e.g., cognitive, social, emotional, etc.) and the number of spoons.

Spread out tasks that use up a lot of spoons

Once you know which activities use up lots of spoons, try to space them out. For example, if you have to do something big that will take 5 spoons, make sure you have enough rest or low-spoon tasks before or after.

Build in “buffer spoons”

Life doesn’t always go to plan, so it helps to keep a few “buffer spoons” in case something unexpected comes up, like a last-minute change of plan or a stressful conversation.

Make sure you have a spoon or two left over at the end of the day

Try not to use up all your spoons in one go. Leaving a few of each type of spoon in the drawer, if possible, can help to protect your energy in the long run. This is especially true if you’re already feeling burnt out or overwhelmed.

Be gentle with yourself

Some days you’ll have more spoons than others. That’s normal. Check in with yourself regularly and adjust your plans if your energy changes. A flexible approach can reduce pressure and minimise the risk of setting unrealistic expectations for yourself.

3. Traffic Light System

The traffic light system is a simple way to manage your energy by sorting activities into three colour-coded energy categories: red, yellow, and green. Like the other energy budgeting strategies, the goal is to balance your high-energy tasks with lower-energy ones in order to reduce the risk of entering a crash-and-burn cycle.

To use the traffic light system strategy, think of your activities like traffic lights, and use the following steps as a guide.

Assign each of your activities a colour

• 🔴 Red = High energy: These are tasks that take a lot of energy. They might be mentally, emotionally, socially, or physically draining. Examples might include noisy social events, difficult conversations, job interviews, long travel days.
• 🟡 Yellow = Medium energy: These activities take some effort but are more manageable. Examples might include replying to emails in a quiet environment, cooking a simple meal, or attending a short online meeting with a clear agenda.
• 🟢 Green = Low energy: These are restful or calming activities that help recharge your batteries. Examples might include listening to music, watching your favourite TV show, doodling, spending time in nature, or stimming. Stimming is short for self-regulatory behaviour and refers to the repetition of physical movements or sounds as a way of calming yourself or expressing emotion.

It is important to remember that red, yellow and green-light activities will be different for everyone.

Plan your day or week by mixing the colours

Try not to stack too many red activities in a row. If you know you have something red coming up, build in green time before and after to recover.

Check in and adjust

Your “traffic light” ratings might shift depending on the day. Something that’s usually yellow might feel red if you’re low on spoons. That’s okay because the traffic light system is meant to be flexible. Use it to listen to your body and protect your energy.

What to do if you are already in neurodivergent burnout

If you are currently experiencing burnout, you may be starting from a state where you have little to no energy available for the tasks of daily living. In spoon theory terms, this might mean that you are starting the day with very few or even a negative number of spoons.

As difficult as it can be if you’ve internalised the myth that you’re somehow defective or failing at life, being kind to yourself and practising self-compassion is an important part of recovering from neurodivergent burnout. Regularly criticising yourself for lacking the energy to do the thing you want or are expected to do during burnout can ultimately increase your level of everyday stress, and prolong the burnout.

Being kind to yourself can look like giving yourself the permission to balance your energy budget in any way that helps you recover, even if that looks different to standard recommendations or advice for neurotypical recovery from burnout. Sometimes, where you start when you’re burnt out has to look different, given that:

• Using pacing systems and building new habits consume energy in the short term that you may not have the capacity to spend right now
• Sometimes, having to juggle work, school, and family life may leave you with little free time or energy to engage in energy-restoring activities
• Optimal methods for recovering energy and wellbeing can feel inaccessible, especially when they do not take into account a person’s unique challenges and strengths

How to save energy when pacing systems are too much

If this feels true for you, the strategies below may help you regain enough energy to start slowly building your own personalised pacing system:

• Try doing your everyday tasks more mindfully: This can mean gently bringing your attention back to your breath, or noticing small details in your surroundings to help keep you in the present moment.
• Pause throughout the day to check in with your mind and body: Notice how you’re feeling and see if you need to take a self-care moment. This might look like doing a short breathing or grounding exercise, taking a drink, eating something, or channelling your inner supporter: “I’m okay, I’ve got this.”
• Reduce the impact of unavoidable responsibilities: You might use sensory aids, ask someone for support, or change parts of the task or environment, where possible, so it feels more manageable.
• Look after your needs and self-advocate: This is especially important during “red-light” activities or anything that uses a lot of spoons. Try to be kind and patient with yourself if you are finding it difficult to self-advocate, since doing so can feel intimidating when you’ve had negative past experiences or are unsure about the safety of an environment. Speaking to a neuro-affirmative counsellor or psychotherapist, or gaining support from other members of the neurodivergent community, can be helpful in developing self-advocacy skills and confidence.

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