Staying on Track When You’re Autistic and Learning Something New
Struggling to stay on track isn’t a sign something is wrong with the autistic person, or with the people supporting them. It’s usually a sign that the conditions just aren’t matching the way they learn best.
When something is new, there’s a lot happening at once:
- unfamiliar steps
- unclear expectations
- social pressure
- new sensory environments
- switching between tasks
- trying to hold too much in working memory
It’s not the learning itself that’s hard. It’s the load.
From our perspective, there are a few things that make the biggest difference:
1. A single, clear starting point
It's not a plan or a schedule - it's just the very first step, plainly written out.
Autistic brains do well with certainty, so a single anchor point calms the whole system.
2. Breaking the task into small pieces
This isn't “chunking”, it's more about breaking something down to the level where the mind stops resisting. Think logical, small steps.
If the step still feels too big, it is too big!
3. Reducing the number of moving parts
New tasks can fall apart when too many variables compete for attention.
Removing even one source of friction, such as a noisy environment, unclear instructions, an unpredictable person, vague timing, etc. changes everything.
4. Externalizing the process
Autistic adults do well when the steps live outside their head:
- written lists
- visual maps
- timelines
- scripts
- checklists
- whiteboards
It saves bandwidth and reduces pressure to “keep track.”
5. Predictability
- Not rigidity; predictability.
- Knowing when something starts and when it stops.
- Knowing how long it might take.
- Knowing what will happen first, second, third.
Predictability is energizing and can be fuel to overcome work and life challenges and changes.
6. Zero shame when something stalls
A lot of autistic adults have been blamed for “checking out” or “getting stuck,” when really their cognitive load hit capacity.
There’s nothing moral about it - it’s just how the brain works.
When the load is lowered, the task moves again. Again, empathy is very important when holding back and checking how well we are doing, in our own communication, boundaries and advice.
Working with autism
Usually the autistic people we support aren’t struggling with the material itself. They’re struggling with the conditions around the material - the transitions, uncertainty, pace, sensory load, unspoken rules.
Once those are adjusted, their ability becomes obvious.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
This is the kind of practical, conditions-first thinking behind INCLX Delta, our workplace diagnostic that anonymously surfaces hidden frictions affecting performance (especially for neurodivergent employees) and recommends low-cost universal changes with measurable ROI.
If you're a manager, HR leader, or executive interested in turning invisible workplace barriers into visible productivity gains, without spotlighting individuals, reach out. We're running focused pilots now.
Email [email protected] to talk about bringing this to your team.
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