Anyone else never worked full-time before?

[Misty Avich]

The most hours a week I've done anywhere was go to school. Since I left school (some 16 years ago) I've only ever worked 25 hours a week or less. But it seems everyone else my age works 40+ hours a week even if they don't have a mortgage to pay and can afford to work less. It actually panics me to spend most of my waking life being somewhere not at home, having to stay focused on tasks even if you don't feel like it, and having to eat at a specific time, and apart from getting 4 weeks off a year you feel like you're just trapped in a monotonous rut.
Working part-time means less chance of burnout and gives me more time to do other things such as chores and attend appointments, as I have difficulties managing time and juggling all of life's demands.
But I'm scared that one day I might not be able to afford to work part-time and I don't think my diagnosises are qualified enough for financial support.
No I'm not lazy, I have difficulties. This is where I wish I were NT, but even some NTs get burnt out especially if they have anxiety or depression.
I feel like the only working person who has never worked full-time. Has anyone here never worked full-time in your life?

 

[Aspychata]

Maybe try part-time jobs with tips, like waitresses, etc. I didn't think l could do it, but l did it. In heavy volume restaurant. Maybe something part-time with a commission for selling cars, jewelry, etc. But full-time for me was difficult. I am a night owl, l am actually more on top of game at night then early mornings. I can't tell you how many times l have to apologize to store people in the mornings.

 

[tazz]

I have worked full time for most of my life. But I've realised lately that it's too much for me. I should have stopped years ago. I might have avoided falling into a deep depression for example.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I'm unable to work in crowded environments. I understand.

I like little cottage industries. Maybe be an amazon seller? Doordash?

 

[Jonn]

I worked 28 years straight.
It ended with autistic burnout.
I promised myself that if I ever had to do it again, I would kill myself.
Seriously

 

[Slime_Punk]

This is where I wish I were NT, but even some NTs get burnt out especially if they have anxiety or depression.

I do think though, on average people with ASD struggle pretty hard with traditional employment.

For example, this stat came up on google when I punched it in:

I've personally worked full-time for a few years, but I couldn't handle it. I'm not even a depressed person whatsoever, but I'd rather CS than ever do that again.

 

[Lecia Wynter]

The most hours a week I've done anywhere was go to school. Since I left school (some 16 years ago) I've only ever worked 25 hours a week or less. But it seems everyone else my age works 40+ hours a week even if they don't have a mortgage to pay and can afford to work less. It actually panics me to spend most of my waking life being somewhere not at home, having to stay focused on tasks even if you don't feel like it, and having to eat at a specific time, and apart from getting 4 weeks off a year you feel like you're just trapped in a monotonous rut.
Working part-time means less chance of burnout and gives me more time to do other things such as chores and attend appointments, as I have difficulties managing time and juggling all of life's demands.
But I'm scared that one day I might not be able to afford to work part-time and I don't think my diagnosises are qualified enough for financial support.
No I'm not lazy, I have difficulties. This is where I wish I were NT, but even some NTs get burnt out especially if they have anxiety or depression.
I feel like the only working person who has never worked full-time. Has anyone here never worked full-time in your life?

I have chronic fatigue, couldn't work full time even if I wanted to. Even with projects I care about, its like an uphill battle to maintain energy. I notice when its late at night I get ADHD and my mind can wander to dark places if I don't focus on the task at hand. Just telling me to "pay attention" or "try harder" doesn't really change things much, its like a physical process.

Summary: the future is neetbux and robots.

 

[Lecia Wynter]

I do think though, on average people with ASD struggle pretty hard with traditional employment.

For example, this stat came up on google when I punched it in:

View attachment 110402

I've personally worked full-time for a few years, but I couldn't handle it. I'm not even a depressed person whatsoever, but I'd rather CS than ever do that again.

Interesting statistic, perhaps chronic fatigue and autism are commonly found together?

Or another theory is society doesn't cater to autists so the workplace is adverse to autism.

 

[Misty Avich]

I don't really have issues with the social aspect of working, although I couldn't work with the public because I am too timid of strangers and I get too sensitive to their emotions and to the noise of screaming kids (the supermarket tends to be their favourite place to have a screaming fit).
I enjoy what I do in a garage but the thought of working anywhere full-time panics me because of the monotony of routine.
I think cleaning is the most repetitive thing ever because you know that as soon as you have cleaned it's definitely all going to be there the next day to do it all over again like you never done it the day before, and it feels like a thankless job.
Admittedly working with the public is more interesting and every day can seem different but like I said I can't work with the public for the reasons I already stated.
I sometimes get brain fog at work and find myself looking at the time and just wanting it to be finishing time - even though I'm enjoying what I'm doing. I often finding myself daydreaming or chatting to my coworkers or being distracted from my work in some other way.
But full-time work takes up a lot of your time and you have no choice but to commit to that routine. I don't understand how some people manage to fit in full-time work and have children. Surely there aren't enough hours in the week to do all that. Sometimes I feel there's not enough hours in the week for my part-time job!

 

[Lecia Wynter]

I don't really have issues with the social aspect of working, although I couldn't work with the public because I am too timid of strangers and I get too sensitive to their emotions and to the noise of screaming kids (the supermarket tends to be their favourite place to have a screaming fit).
I enjoy what I do in a garage but the thought of working anywhere full-time panics me because of the monotony of routine.
I think cleaning is the most repetitive thing ever because you know that as soon as you have cleaned it's definitely all going to be there the next day to do it all over again like you never done it the day before, and it feels like a thankless job.
Admittedly working with the public is more interesting and every day can seem different but like I said I can't work with the public for the reasons I already stated.
I sometimes get brain fog at work and find myself looking at the time and just wanting it to be finishing time - even though I'm enjoying what I'm doing. I often finding myself daydreaming or chatting to my coworkers or being distracted from my work in some other way.
But full-time work takes up a lot of your time and you have no choice but to commit to that routine. I don't understand how some people manage to fit in full-time work and have children. Surely there aren't enough hours in the week to do all that. Sometimes I feel there's not enough hours in the week for my part-time job!

I am wondering if autism and misophonia are connected or do you feel those are seperate issues?

 

[tazz]

I don't understand how some people manage to fit in full-time work and have children.

Sometimes I think that people actually enjoy having children...

 

[Misty Avich]

I am wondering if autism and misophonia are connected or do you feel those are seperate issues?

I think they are separate, as only certain noises can make me feel angry (but I can control the anger). But I find it hard to shut the sound out, or tolerate, or ignore. I can't do that. I don't find supermarkets noisy otherwise, just when a baby starts crying or screaming near me, it's really annoying to the point where I want to get away. If I can't get away I might wince or look annoyed in my body language, which then offends the caregiver of the loud baby. But it's nothing personal, I just can't bear the sound, and when working in an environment like that it can give me anxiety. Plus babies with a really high-pitched squeal can physically hurt my ears, as my ears have been sensitive ever since I had several operations on my ears which has left me with a perforated eardrum, so extreme tones can cause my ears to ring. Certain high-pitched sounds tend to cause tinnitus and certain low-pitched sounds tend to cause vertigo.
I work in a garage so it's noisy there but it doesn't seem to irritate me like the sound of babies crying.

 

[Misty Avich]

Sometimes I think that people actually enjoy having children...

I'm sure they do but it can still be work as well. My cousin has to work full-time to pay her mortgage off and she has a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old. The 3-year-old has to be at nursery 8 'til 4, which is more hours than I've ever done, and she is exhausted after coming home so plays her mother up. The grandparents look after the 1-year-old. Life must be very hectic and busy. Sometimes my cousin does get stressed and needs to take a nap even though she barely has time to herself. She's neurotypical.

 

[MMPATT01]

I have worked full-time my entire adult life. It is exhausting! The constant masking and sensory overload has pushed me to the point of what I would consider burnout. I look forward to retiring some day, if I do not crack from the pressure before then.

 

[Outdated]

I worked 28 years straight.
It ended with autistic burnout.

Almost exactly the same for me but I'm weak, I only lasted 27 years. I haven't worked since 2008.

 

[Jonn]

I only lasted 27 years.

Wuss.

 

[Jonn]

Sometimes I think that people actually enjoy having children...

As an antinatalist, I find that hilarious.

 

[Ella Spell]

I worked about sixty hours a week for close to 25 years because I was a single mother and needed to earn a pension, as well as paying my mortgage.

Life can be tough like that.

 

[Darkkin]

I've earned an income since I was about 12, when I started babysitting. (Single parent, blue collar family. You want something bougie, you help contribute to reach that goal, Mom wasn't going to just give it to you.) I worked 20 hours a week through high school and full time (40 hours) during college. (Undergraduate and graduate levels.) No student loans.

I worked full-time after I finished and I've been at my bookshop job long enough to have accrued an insane amount of vacation time that I never ask to use, so we came up with a unique solution. Weeks I have cardiac follow up, (twice a month), I work 32 hours and use 8 hours vacation. Normal weeks, I work my 40 hours. My PTO gets used and I get some much needed downtime when I don't have to worry about coming up short on expenses.

Something I have noticed, I do much better on weeks it is only 32 hours. Work, however, does provide much needed structure and an undeniable reason I have to leave the house. Grocery shopping, assorted errands, etc...are all completed using the: It's on the way principle.

I'm a self starter about completing tasks around the house (cleaning, space upkeep). When it comes to dealing with tasks away from home...eh...I am very reluctant hermit. I won't people if I don't have to, which is not a good thing for essential tasks.

 

[Misery]

I worked for a few years after college, but... I graduated high school in 2000, so that was many years ago. Once I got my diagnosis, well... havent worked since then. The family situation also changed at that point, so there was also no point in working a job anyway. Waste of time.

And boy am I ever thankful for all that. What jobs I did work were usually braindead nonsense, just a bunch of soul-sucking stuff that never felt like I was contributing to anything other than some ultra-wealthy fatcat's bank account. Something I very strongly remember is payday, at any of those jobs. Or to be more accurate, my absolute lack of excitement on payday. Just... didnt... care. My mood was too perpetually negative to care about much of anything. A couple of years of that... I genuinely dont understand how I got through it.

The only job that was even slightly interesting was working at a bank, but not doing the usual sort of thing. I operated the check sorters, which are big machines about the size of a car. You jam checks into one end in huge stacks, and they shoot through the thing at light speed to be sorted into trays at the other end. Which sounds simple enough but in reality, the job was primarily about constantly running back and forth between them (there were two of them) as they frequently went berserk and did things like spray checks into the air or mangle them up or a variety of other screwy things. Not very well designed.

Other than that, all other jobs (and I had a LOT of them, I couldnt hold any one down for long) were stupid retail nonsense. I doubt I have to explain the problems with that. Chances are, you already know. All of these jobs were just part-time, that was the best I could do. The very idea of working full-time at anything at all seems completely crazy to me. Pretty much existing just to do that kind of nonsense... I likely would find myself wondering what the bloody point was rather frequently and probably would have hit a very dangerous level of depression. Part-time was bad enough.

Also, I used to have frequent insomnia. I now know the cause to be a condition called non-24 sleep wake disorder, which causes a rotating sleep schedule. Since I dont have to work anymore I can allow that to just happen rather than fight it, so I dont experience sleep problems anymore.