Pacing systems are used broadly for folks experiencing chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and other challenges related to a disability or chronic health issue.

The Boom or Bust Cycle

A pacing system is essentially any system that helps you monitor and manage energy more sustainably. Pacing Systems are helpful because many fall into the Boom-or-Bust cycle when managing a chronic illness or disability (you can read more about the "Boom -or- Bust Cycle here). The boom-or-bust cycle is characterized by: overextending ourselves on "good" days, which is then inevitably followed by a crash. Each time we go through the cycle, it takes us longer to get back to our baseline, which is how we end up in positions of chronic pain, fatigue, and burnout.

Pacing systems are a helpful way to even out our energy expenditure so that we don't get stuck in the boom-or-bust cycle. Pacing systems helps create a lifestyle that balances energy expenditure. Various pacing systems are available (Spoon therapy, Energy accounting, Traffic Light System).

Pacing Systems 101

Pacing systems is one way of intervening with the boom-or-bust cycle by creating a system to have a more balanced expenditure of energy throughout. There are various energy systems; you likely will gravitate toward one more than the others. Below I introduce you to three of my favorites:

Energy Accounting System

Energy accounting was developed by an autistic advocate Maja Toudal when she was a teenager. She initially developed it to communicate with her parents what it was like to be autistic (and to have limited resources). Energy accounting is similar to balancing a checkbook. You decide the amount of energy (deposit and input) each activity costs and then "balance your checkbook." You can see an example and further directions for the energy accounting system in the course materials.

Green Light-Yellow Light-Red Light System

If you are prone to getting over-fixated on numbers, you may do better with a color pacing system. You may consider giving the Green Light-Yellow Light-Red Light system a try.

Red Light Activities: High energy expenditure activities

Yellow Light: Medium to neutral

Green Light: Activities that restore and recharge you

With the light system, you first identify your red light activities, and you are mindful to A) space out your red light activities B) plan yellow and green light activities between, and C) are mindful of how many red light activities you have in a given day or week.

Spoons Theory

The third pacing system is spoon theory, which was developed by Christine Miserandino when she was explaining to a friend her experience of how lupus impacted her energy units and ability to perform daily tasks (you can read her original post here). The analogy includes that when you have a chronic disease (or invisible disability), you have a limited number of spoons you wake up within a given day, and activities tend to take more energy units. Given these limitations, a person needs to consider "how many spoons" they have that day and how they will choose to use them.

To read about the spoon theory as adapted for Autists you can read this fantastic article by @aspiemusings here.

Top 3 Reasons Pacing Systems are Useful for ADHDers and Autists

1) They turn something abstract like "energy" into something concrete and visual. Many pacing systems rely on visual metaphors, which work well for the neurodivergent mind. Talking about "spoons" or "energy units" provides a concrete concept to anchor the conversation.

2) It provides language to talk with other people about our needs. Saying, "I am tired," is vague. Creating language around energy accounting or energy units helps us to communicate to others about our needs which is a foundational step in self-advocacy.

3) It increases self-compassion: A pacing system encourages mindful check-ins. Having a pacing system in our life encourages us to check in with ourselves gently ("how am I doing right now? How much energy do I have? How much energy is this activity going to take? What do I need at this moment right now"). This sort of gentle, compassionate check fosters self-compassion.

How to Use a Pacing System

Monitoring energy expenditure is vital and can be helpful for managing chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and more. Whether using spoon theory, energy accounting, or the traffic light system the point isn't to get lost in the details of monitoring but rather to keep the big picture in mind. The big picture is this: you want your energy input and output to be relatively stable. And given that "mundane" tasks often require additional energy for the autistic and ADHD individual, we often benefit from being mindful of our energy use. The goal is to create a more sustainable life where you can feel more empowered--so you experience more agency over your everyday activities (versus feeling as if you are at the mercy of your body).

If you’re more of a numbers person you will likely do well with Energy Accounting. If you’re color oriented and want something broad and basic to capture your activities you will likely enjoy the Traffic Light System, and if you’re already familiar with Spoon Theory you will likely enjoy learning about Spoon Theory adapted for Neurodivergent people. I have created fillable workbooks for all three which you can find available to purchase here.