executive function – Quietly Neurodivergent

What Is Spoon Theory? A Guide for Neurodivergent People and Those Around Them

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Spoon theory started in chronic illness communities but has become one of the most useful frameworks in neurodivergent spaces. This article explains where it came from, what it means for autistic and ADHD people specifically, and how to use it practically, both for yourself and for understanding someone in your life who lives with limited, unpredictable energy.

They’re Not Ignoring You: How to Support Someone Who Struggles with Phone Calls

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

If someone you love watches their phone ring and doesn't pick up, it's probably not about you. This guide explains why phone calls are genuinely hard for many neurodivergent people, and offers practical, low-effort shifts for partners, friends, family members, and colleagues who want to communicate in a way that actually works.

When the Job Hunt Is the Job: Neurodivergent and Looking for Work

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Job hunting is hard. Job hunting while neurodivergent — from a standing start of redundancy, gardening leave, and a nervous system not built for relentless self-promotion — is something else entirely. This article covers the application process, interviews, disclosure decisions, psychometric testing, and the emotional load, from someone writing in the middle of it.

When Time Off Isn’t Restful: Neurodivergent Brains and Unstructured Days

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

For many neurodivergent people, holidays and unstructured days can feel more draining than a working week — not because something is wrong, but because structure does more cognitive work than most people realise. This article explores why time off doesn't always feel restful, and offers gentle, low-pressure approaches to making unstructured time a little more inhabitable.

Supporting Quietly Neurodivergent Students: A Guide for Teachers and Lecturers

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Quietly neurodivergent students are often the ones teachers and lecturers never worry about. They’re present, polite, and doing well on paper – but may be masking hard and running on empty. This guide offers practical, low-drama ways to redesign teaching and respond more gently, without putting anyone under a spotlight.

Planning Assignments When You’re Time Blind: A Step-by-Step Guide

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Planning assignments when you’re time blind isn’t about suddenly becoming a perfectly organised student. It’s about turning one vague, overwhelming essay into small, visible steps that your brain can actually work with. This guide walks through a real example, then offers 4-week and 1-week templates you can reuse to give “future you” fewer last-minute crises.

Taming Email and Messages When Your Neurodivergent Brain Is Already Full

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Email and messages are meant to keep us connected, but for many neurodivergent people they mostly arrive as a steady stream of demands and tiny emergencies. This piece looks at why inbox overload is so common, and offers small, realistic ways to use quiet hours, simple triage, templates and clearer expectations so email feels a little less hostile to your already-full brain.

“Am I Just Making This Up?” Navigating Doubt After a Late Neurodivergent Diagnosis

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Late diagnosis or self-identifying as autistic or ADHD can be a relief and a shock at the same time. If part of you keeps asking “What if I’m making this up?”, this piece looks at where that doubt comes from and some gentle ways to come back to your own experience.

Vague Instructions Are an Access Issue

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:45:22 +0000

“Can you just pull something together?” can feel like a small request, but for many autistic and ADHD people it creates a huge amount of hidden work. This article looks at why vague instructions are an access issue, how our brains juggle multiple interpretations at once, and offers simple, kind scripts and questions to get clearer outcomes, deadlines and formats without feeling difficult.

Surviving Meetings When Your Brain Is Already Full

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 19:12:07 +0000

Meetings can look like “where the real work happens” from the outside and like sensory and cognitive overload from the inside. This article explores why meetings are so tiring for autistic and ADHD people, shares how I cope with agendas, notes, quiet fidgets and reset time, and offers small, realistic tweaks that can make your next meeting a little less overwhelming.