Getting Organized
“I have this bad habit of just putting my papers crammed in my backpack,” wrote a high school student diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. “I have lots of trouble keeping my papers together and in the right folders.” She says she ends up with a frustrating mess at the end of the day.
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The young lady who sent the question had an interesting observation about the possible cause for her backpack problem. She said, “I think I feel a need to just stuff the papers in my backpack quickly so I can pay attention to what my teacher is saying.” She has zeroed in on a challenge encountered by many individuals on the spectrum of autism. Although she is a bright, compliant student, her autism prevents her from being able to quickly and accurately process all the verbal input that occurs at the end of classes in high school and college. The teacher is giving rapid-fire, last minute instructions while some students are asking questions about assignments and other students are talking about lunch or boyfriends or broken nails. Occasionally an announcement on the loudspeaker adds another layer of noise and information. She must sort through all of that and make quick decisions about what applies to her. If she focuses on filing papers neatly in her backpack, she might find it impossible to process all of that verbal input.
So, the trick is to develop a strategy that allows time to put papers in the appropriate class folder without distracting from important verbal information at the end of the class period. Here are some ideas to help you move toward keeping papers more organized.
STEP 1. At the beginning of class, put your folder for that class on the corner of your desk.
STEP 2. As the class progresses, jot down any instructions for homework.
STEP 3. As soon as a paper for that class gets to your desk, put it in that folder. If you need to look at that paper later in the class, just open your folder, but don’t take the paper out of the folder.
STEP 4. At the end of class, jot down single word memory-boosters to help you remember any last minute instructions.
STEP 5. When the bell rings, cram your FOLDER in your backpack. Cramming a folder instead of sheets of paper in your backpack will keep important papers somewhat organized and uncrumpled.
So, keep us posted. Let us know if some of these ideas work. Also let us know if you develop some other strategies that work for this challenge or for other issues you encounter every day.
NOTE to FAQautism.com listeners and readers: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. You can click on a button to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solutions. Check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. www.FAQautism.com
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