Managing energy not time – how I organise my work week
One of the most helpful things I’ve learned in the last few years is this: it’s not about managing my time. It’s about managing my energy.
As an autistic person, my energy levels don’t follow a predictable pattern.
I can’t assume that eight hours of work will take the same toll every day, or that all tasks will cost the same amount of brainpower. Some things drain me fast—unexpected changes, long meetings, noisy environments, lots of back-and-forth messaging. Other things give me a bit of breathing room—quiet focus time, familiar routines, tasks I can approach in my own way.
Understanding the energy cost of tasks
A one-hour meeting might leave me more drained than three hours of focused analysis. An afternoon of context-switching between small admin tasks might be more tiring than a full day working on a single report.
That awareness has changed how I plan my weeks. Instead of treating every hour as equal, I try to map out the flow of my energy.
How I plan my work week
Here are a few things that help:
- Theme days: I group similar tasks together when I can. For example, having a day that’s mostly quiet, deep-focus work, and another day where I do all my meetings or calls. Reducing context-switching helps me stay regulated.
- No meetings days: These are game-changers. Knowing I have protected time where I won’t be interrupted lets me plan more confidently.
- Buffer space: If I have something that will drain me (like a presentation or a social event), I try to leave space on either side of it. That might mean blocking out the rest of the afternoon, or not booking anything demanding for the following day.
- Flexible hours: Some mornings I can jump straight in. Other days I need to ease into things. Having the option to flex my start and end times, within reason, helps me avoid some stress.
Listening to early signs
If I’m starting to feel foggy, emotional, or snappy, I know I need to adjust. That might mean finishing early, taking a longer break, or switching to a lower-energy task.
There was a week recently where I noticed I kept getting tearful in the evenings. I realised I’d overloaded myself with meetings and had no processing time. So I changed things: moved some calls, took a day with no meetings, and gave myself a proper break. By the end of the week, I felt more like myself again.
What if you don’t have that flexibility?
I know not everyone has full control over their schedule. Some jobs are tightly structured, with fixed hours, limited autonomy, or environments that aren’t easy to tailor (I have been there!). But even in those settings, I’ve found there are small ways to work with my energy, not against it.
Here are a few things that have helped me in more rigid roles:
● Micro-adjustments: Even if you can’t move your meetings, can you take five quiet minutes between them? Can you go for a short walk after a draining task? Or go to the loo, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to ground yourself in the privacy of a cubicle? Small pauses can help reset your nervous system.
● Task matching: When you notice a low-energy moment, can you switch to something more repetitive or familiar (if the task allows)? Saving your most focus-heavy work for times you tend to have more capacity—even if it’s just morning vs. afternoon—can make a difference.
● Communicating patterns: If you can, share a bit about how your brain works. I’ve sometimes said things like, “I do better with notice—if you can give me questions or agendas in advance, I’ll give better input.” It’s not always easy, but sometimes a small disclosure can create more understanding.
● Building in recovery: If you know certain days will drain you, is there anything you can do before or after to soften the impact? Even things outside work—like having a very low-effort dinner planned or protecting a quiet evening—can help to bounce back.
● Noticing patterns: Early on, I kept a private log of what kinds of tasks or interactions left me drained vs. energised. Over time, I got better at predicting my needs—and where possible, advocating for them.
Reframing productivity
For a long time, I felt guilty about needing this kind of flexibility. I worried I wasn’t doing enough. But I’ve come to see that managing energy is doing enough. In fact, it’s the thing that lets me keep going without burning out.
I still have goals. I still work hard. But I work differently now. I plan with energy in mind, not just time. And that has made all the difference.
Because for me, productivity isn’t about packing every hour. It’s about creating a rhythm that actually works for me — one that’s sustainable, kind, and honest about what my brain needs to thrive.
June 2025
