Routines

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So, I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is just bizarre... I know that most people with AS especially love routines, but personally, even if I know they may be useful (especially for disorganized procrastinators, like me) - I always tended to be naturally chaotic, but lately I've been making a conscious effort to reject routine... because otherwise I feel like a computer program, which ends up making me sick.

How do people love their routines? I just don't know... sure, I realize after a while it'd be easier to maintain them, but I can never feel good enough to begin with and persevere, but only recently have I become forceful against any attempt, conscious or otherwise to set up repetition.

(Then again, in my fantasies I've always kind of thought I was the embodiment of primeval chaos, so yeah...)

I adhere as much as possible to my routines. I find that the routines I have in life bring me comfort. When those routines are messed with, I get anxiety.

Same as glider18. While I don't like to be a puppet to fate, I find sticking to routines gives me a lot more comfort. Being impulsive gives a temporary buzz followed by great anxiety or at times, guilt.

Parts of my day that have a routine, and other parts that don't. For example I have a bed time routine that last for about 1 and a half hours, and if it get messed up then it's hard for me to sleep, but around 5 to 6 oclock I just do what ever I need/want to do.

When my routines are taken away, I have a lot of anxiety. I can vary my routines voluntarily if I see the need, but if my routines are pulled out from under me, it can vary from causing anxiety to causing outright panic, a meltdown, or a shutdown. It can also seriously interfere with other parts of my routine, depending on various factors. I've had a break in my routines effectively negate some of my ability to function, and I guess an observer might have described me as "regressed" but I don't know that it would be an accurate description.

I didn't really think of my routines as routines before, but they're pretty important to me, and when I was diagnosed, what I thought was a mild need for routine was described back to me as an intense/severe need for routine.

Depending on how stressed out I am initially that day, I'll know whether or not I need to follow a routine. If I'm really anxious and stressed, I know that I won't be able to cope unless I know what's coming next in my day.

I dont have routine in the macro sense, however I like it in the micro sense. My days have no structure, I cant know where my headspace will be tomorrow, or even in 30minutes time to keep to any sort of routine. However, I like routine on a micro level, like someone always greeting me in the same way, interacting with me in the same sort of way, makes it easier to have greater predictability. I notice patterns in peoples behaviour and really, really dont like it if they suddenly deviate from their patterns, it makes me nervous and unsure of how to interact with them. I like things such as always eating the same breakfast, wearing the same clothes (multiple sets of the same items).

I find routines just help offload information. I don't have to worry about the stupid day-to-day things because they're all incorporated into a finely honed routine. It means the only things I do have to think about are the more important things, like organising work. It's probably linked the working and prospective memory impairments often present in AS.