Preventing burnout is essential for maintaining long-term wellbeing, especially for those with autism, disabilities, or chronic illnesses. Burnout occurs when energy reserves run low from the physical, mental, and emotional demands of daily life.

A proactive way to help prevent this is by practising "Energy Accounting," a strategy based on Spoon theory, which was first outlined by writer Christine Miserandino in 2003 to describe her experience of living with lupus.

Energy accounting takes the theory and creates a process to help manage energy expenditure throughout the day. This method involves assessing the energy costs of activities and adjusting accordingly to avoid overexertion.

Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1

Start with a budget, which is the total energy you have in a day - this will change from day-to-day depending on how you feel. The easiest way to work out your budget is to think of a day when you have the most possible energy as 100, and the day when you have no energy at all as 0. Where are you on that scale today?

Step 2

Assign a cost to each activity that you want to achieve during the day. This cost equates to how much energy is required. For example, cooking dinner might cost a small amount, while completing an assignment will probably cost a lot more.

Step 3

Next, think about what activities help you to build your energy back up - a nap, watching a TV show, meditation etc., and give these a value.

Step 4

Now, tot up the costs for your day’s activities - does it equal more than your original budget? If so, maybe reschedule some activities for a later date, or add in some activities that will help balance your budget.

Step 5

Additionally, think about prioritising tasks based on their energy cost and when during the day you feel you’d be best able to tackle them - some people have most energy first thing in the morning, for others its later in the day. If you align your most energy expensive tasks with when you have the most energy to spend, you have a better chance of getting things done without ‘overspending’.

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Using assistive technologies like health apps or time management tools can significantly ease the burden of energy management. These tools help track daily activities, schedule rest, and create structure, providing much-needed support and allowing individuals to better manage their workload.