In the COVID19 world, we have additional need and expectation to be able to work remotely. For many on the Autism Spectrum (AS) who have been adjusting to work environments this change can be a big disruption. Below are some tips for those of you on the spectrum working from home, to assist you in remaining calmer and being more productive. These tips may also prove helpful for those support AS people

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Tips on working from home when you are on the Autism Spectrum 
Introduction 
In the COVID19 world, we have additional need and expectation to be able to work remotely. For many 
on the Autism Spectrum (AS) who have been adjusting to work environments this change can be a big 
disruption. Below are some tips for those of you on the spectrum working from home, to assist you in 
remaining calmer and being more productive. These tips may also prove helpful for those support AS 
people. 
General tips 
Many of the methods you use at work to stay on task are applicable in the home. Avoiding distractions 
and staying on task are key challenges for anyone working at home, but perhaps more so for AS people. 
Tips for everyone working from home can be found from a quick search. Here are some you may find 
affective. Some key highlights include: 
• Set formal work hours and regular routine
• Plan your work
• Show your availability
• Reward yourself for your work efforts
• Take regular breaks
• Stay off social media
Mindfulness in your workday 
It is hard to avoid all distractions, but as conscious, mindful humans we have the ability to control our 
own minds to achieve what we want to. Below are two key phrases that may resonate for you, from 
advocates and specialists in the field of mindfulness are these:  
“Choose your distractions mindfully” 
Rasmus Hougaard, Author, Founder and Managing Director of Potential Project 
You don’t have to make every minute of your workday 100% productive, but you could aim to make 
every minute of your work time productive. We all need down time, so be kind to yourself, and 
consciously plan and decide on the times and things which you will allow to distract you: a hug with a 
dog, preparing a cup of tea, a couple of minutes of meditation, even just closing your eyes for ten 
seconds while you take three deep breaths.  
“Don’t guard your time and squander your attention.”  
Sam Harris, Author, philosopher, neuroscientist, meditation and mindfulness teacher. 
We all get distracted, but you can train yourself to be aware of when your mind is wandering off. And 
through practice you can get better at stopping it earlier. Sam’s Waking up app is a great way to try out 
mindfulness meditation, which can help train us to be more aware of and in control of our minds and 
our emotions. 
For some on the spectrum, some report mindfulness is less effective than for neurotypicals.  We 
encourage you to look at strategies that have worked for you in the past and try those. 
Work hygiene 
Some specific suggestions for those on the Autism Spectrum (though again they can apply to many 
people) are below: 
• Try to create a regular place for work at home which is free from distractions  
• Create a regular work schedule, just like you would at work. 
• Plan and schedule your day and your activities into your calendar, with reminders to start tasks.  
• Schedule time for breaks, which could include mediation, walks, or some other sort of exercise. 
• Make contact with your work colleagues or supervisors via remote means (Skype, Teams, Zoom, 
Life Sherpa) 
• Make sure people know you are online 
• Get involved in online “morning teas” and other social events 
• Get involved in seminars offered by your support staff or organisation 
o These can help you to stay in touch with others, and to continue your training and 
personal development, including your understanding of yourself, your preferred 
learning methods, and your own brand of autism, which shares qualities with many 
other’s but is unique to you. 
Workload management 
If you run out of work to do, Don’t Panic. People understand that working remotely can cause ebbs and 
flows in workload management and distribution sometimes.  
• Plan your work out and tell your manager or supervisor ahead of time (where you can) if you 
think you will run out of work.  
• If you run out of work, find yourself some training to do online. It’s best to plan this out in 
advance as part of your development plan, then you can go to it any time you run out of work.  
• If you are struggling to choose something, ask your supervisor or a college for some suggestions.  
Distractions 
Some distractions and suggestions for resolution may include: 
• Using the same PC you game on or socialise on. 
o Shut down the apps you don’t need during your workday to avoid unnecessary popups 
and notifications.  
• Being in a place with others’ movements attract your eyes. 
o Try to find yourself a space where you don’t see these movements or put up screens to 
minimize impact on your visual field. 
• Worries about data usage. 
o If you have significant data limitations or costs, talk with your supervisor about this. 
There may be some other options for you. 
• Noise around the house. 
o Try using noise cancelling headphones or music to mask other noises 
o Try planning with your house mates when certain activities will occur, so as to reduce 
noise in core work times, for everyone’s benefit. 
• Looking after family members. 
o If this is part of what you have to do, try to schedule these things so you can get chunks 
of work done in between.  
• Conflicts in instructions  
If you’ve been told to do something, but you need to be in the work office to do it… 
o Contact your supervisor and discuss the matter 
o Do not go to work unless your supervisor authorises you to 
• Worries about COVID19 or anything else 
Worries are normal for everyone in these times.  
o Discuss your worry or anxiety strategies with your support people and care team. 
o Exercise the strategies. 
Other Resources for AS people and their support workers 
Neurodiversity Hub 
https://www.neurodiversityhub.org/ 
https://www.neurodiversityhub.org/resources-for-employers 
4D. STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING REMOTE AUTISTIC EMPLOYEES.  
An extremely useful, and very topical, webinar by Integrate Advisors - Tracy Powell-Rudy, VP 
Corporate Engagement, and Marcia Scheiner, President. Also a downloadable tip sheet 
resource. Tips for managing autistic employees 
https://www.neurodiversityhub.org/resources-for-students  
Section 8. ANXIETY   
A. NEURODIVERSE SELF-CARE: MANAGING ANXIETY THROUGH CONNECTION 
Webinar and tip sheet from Integrate Advisors - “Strategies for managing remote autistic 
employees" 
https://www.neurodiversityhub.org/s/Managing_Anxiety_Through_Connection_02b_Final.pdf  
B. NEURODIVERSITY WELLNESS: LINKS TO SOME GREAT COVID-19 RESOURCES  
Links to some resources on the Stanford ND project website - including a webinar from Dr Janie 
Hong: “Life Interrupted - Managing Stress and Anxiety during a Global Pandemic”. 
https://med.stanford.edu/neurodiversity/wellness.html 
 
 
 
The Black Dog Institute  
https://blackdoginstitute.org.au/  
The Black Dog Institute is dedicated to understanding, preventing and treating mental illness. The 
institute has recently launched a new ‘Steeling the Mind’ webinar series. 
https://blackdoginstitute.org.au/education-training/community-and-schools/covid-19-webinars 
 
Autistica / University College London 
https://www.autistica.org.uk  
https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/coronavirus  
 
Beyond Blue  
https:// beyondblue.org.au/ 
Beyond Blue also has many valuable resources, including some specifically about working during the 
COVID19 epidemic. 
https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au/ 
 


Tips on Working From Home When You are on the Autism Spectrum

In the COVID19 world, we have additional need and expectation to be able to work remotely. For many on the Autism Spectrum (AS) who have been adjusting to work environments this change can be a big disruption. Below are some tips for those of you on the spectrum working from home, to assist you in remaining calmer and being more productive. These tips may also prove helpful for those support AS people.Tips_on_working_from_home_when_you_are_on_the_autism_spectrum.pdf: 131 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

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Tips on Working From Home When You are on the Autism Spectrum

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