Coping with variations in your week

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diagnosed 4 months ago, I am aware that I am very much high functioning as I generally cope 'ok' with day to things, and I have a job and am married with a child. My main AS issues are probably around socialising and I prefer to shut myself away somewhere quiet and read a book.

My question here is how people deal with fluctuations in their weeks. I have an office job where Tuesday - Friday the office is fairly quiet, not so many people are here, I get on with my job on my own undisturbed in the main and even sometimes have headphones in. but on a Monday all staff are required to be in the office and attend a number of meetings, the idea being that this gets them out the way and we are all free for the week then. I really struggle with Mondays. Loads of anxiety and I basically get no work done and that day is spent feeling like I have to try and make it to the end of the day alive so I can breathe again. So much is going on around me that I find it hard to do anything but just try and focus on something else and attempt to get through it

anyone else have this kind of thing?

Monday at school is by far the most difficult day for me to get through.

I don't mind variations during the week at work, as long as I can go home when my shift finishes and not after. I have a very physical job, so by the end of the working day I am tired and need to get home to wind down. When unexpected demands are put upon me in the last 15 minutes of my shift I get anxious. I sometimes find myself having to think of an excuse so that I can leave on time, like saying I'm meeting a friend or have an appointment. I know I shouldn't be there more than my contracted shift, but because a lot of others do, you kind of feel guilty, and I've been asked why I'm too eager to get home.

I don't find socialising a problem. I just don't do it and am far happier for it



My job now is nice and quiet with no meetings. However, my previous couple of jobs seemed to be just a big long list of meetings where very little was ever decided. A lot of managers seem to love them and it's up to us to put up with it. I've noticed that there are always a few very vocal personalities that seem to love the sounds of their own voices and I used to let them get on with it whilst I just faded them out and thought about more interesting stuff. Are you expected to take part? I used to have to give a department update but that would only last 10 minutes and then I'd get back to tuning everyone else out. As far as the noise from everyone else around you, I used to leave the office and go outside if it got too noisy. They generally took the hint that noise was not permitted in the development office, no work would get done and would go elsewhere and chat.

The worst thing for me was one particular director used to come into my office while showing guests around. While talking to them he'd lean on the back of my swivel-chair with his hand causing me to spin slightly from side to side. That really used to piss me off! Oh, and I used to get introduced thusly: "This is Andrew and I don't know what he does. Ha, ha, ha.". I write the software that you sell to pay everyone's wages you idiot!

I am asked a question now and again but I can usually get through them saying nothing and hoping to melt into the background. I work in a sales environment and so on mondays all the alpha males are in, first meeting this morning was around 60 people, many of which are all trying to be the most important person there. After that there are 15 of us in a room, I know them fairly well but it's just not my cup of tea, lots of demanding questions, people wanting answers now!, lots of pressure etc. Would rather just get my headphones back on and work on some reports tbh.

Oh, you poor bugger! I used to stay as far away from sales as possible. Their habit of selling "the moon on a stick" (features that didn't and probably would never exist) to clients could cause untold misery for developers. Like you say, thank dog for headphones!

I am somehow in sales myself, but it is more of a supporting role in reality. I don't see any customers at all, I just stay in the office working on quotes, spreadsheets, reports etc. then go on baffling training calls about software that I don't understand!

I had one job where they kept me as far away from customers as possible because of my habit of telling the truth Suited me fine!