Does your child drag their feet when it’s time to move from one activity to the next? Do they ‘run out of time’ at certain tasks because they don’t quite ‘get’ how much focus and energy to expend on it is reasonable? We all get caught up sometimes in misallocating our resources. So it goes without saying that everyone can benefit from time management skills. While the expectations that come with them can be problematic to teenagers, they can be particularly difficult for teens with autism. Challenges with transitions, executive functioning, and sensory processing can make managing time a tangible struggle. However, with the right strategies and support, teens with autism can develop strong time management skills to help them succeed in work, school, and daily life. 

Here are ten effective ways to build these skills for teens with autism in Toronto. 

1. Minimize Distractions

Is your child often taken off-task by the bleeps, boops and red buttons of their phone or tablet? Does talk of their special interests lead them astray from the job-at-hand? It’s not uncommon for teens with autism to struggle with distractions, which can make time management more difficult. At Monarch House, we work to create a quiet, organized workspace, using noise-canceling headphones or apps that block distractions can help maintain focus and improve productivity.

2. Use Reward Systems

Negativity, shaming, scolding, and punishment are not effective ways to guide a child with autism. Look to positive reinforcement to encourage their time management skills. One of the things that we can do at Monarch House is set up a reward system, such as earning extra screen time, treats, or a preferred activity after completing tasks on time. Systems like these can motivate teens to stay on schedule.

3. Practice Time Estimation

Do you often find your child spending too much time cleaning one little area, while neglecting the rest of the surface? They can have tunnel vision at times when it comes to the big picture of what needs to be done. It’s not uncommon for many teens with autism to have difficulty estimating how long a task will take. One of the things you can work with them on at home is practicing time estimation. You can do this by timing different activities and comparing the actual time taken with their prediction can improve their ability to plan and manage time effectively.

4. Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps

Have you ever come across a monumental challenge that you thought was impossible to achieve? Large tasks can feel overwhelming, making it difficult to know where to start. At Monarch House, we encourage breaking chores, assignments, routines, and responsibilities into smaller, manageable steps. This allows teens to complete tasks more efficiently and feel a sense of accomplishment along the way.

5. Provide Gentle Reminders

A friendly nudge in the right direction can go a long way towards positively encouraging best results. Instead of last-minute pressure, provide gentle and consistent reminders which can help teens stay aware of their schedule without feeling overwhelmed. Some ways that we suggest to do this are by using written checklists, sticky notes, or phone reminders, which can be effective tools.

6. 6. Set Timers and Alarms

It’s possible to create your own schedule using the technology you have at your disposal. When at home with your child, try using various visual and auditory timers and alarms. These can help your teen stay on track and understand how long certain tasks should take. Timers can be particularly useful for transitions between activities, helping to reduce anxiety and uncertainty.

7. Establish A Daily Routine

Doing the same thing, every day, at exactly the same time, can cement a pattern that will carry you effortlessly into the next steps that need to be done. A predictable daily routine helps teens with autism understand what to expect and reduces stress. Consistency in sleep, exercise, meals, schoolwork, and recreational activities can support time management and make it easier to transition between tasks.

8. Teach Prioritization Skills

Knowing what should be done first, second, and then third, with an exact idea of how much time should be spent on each task, can be a huge boon for those trying to build an internal schedule. At Monarch House, one of the things we do is help teens learn how to prioritize tasks. It’s a crucial skill. We use lists, planners, or colour-coded categories for urgent and non-urgent tasks. This can guide them in focusing on what needs to be done first, rather than feeling overwhelmed by everything at once.

9. Use Visual Schedules

Having everything laid out in front of you in an easy-to-digest format makes it a lot easier to navigate what your expectations are. In this way, many teens with autism benefit from visual aids. A visual schedule, whether in the form of a printed calendar, an app, or a whiteboard, can help them see what tasks need to be done and when. Using pictures, symbols, or colour coding can make schedules even more effective.

10. Encourage Self-Reflection

Instead of always externalizing time pressure in an us vs. them type scenario, encourage your child to process these expectations themselves so they can work on their own internal clock and schedule. Helping teens evaluate how they manage their time can lead to self-improvement. At Monarch House, we can encourage your child to reflect on what worked well, what didn’t, and offer solutions about how they can adjust their strategies to promote independence and accountability.

With some patience and practice, your child can learn the skills needed to prioritize and allocate the correct amount of time to each task in a series of steps. They can start by implementing these strategies. When teens with autism in Toronto develop stronger time management skills it leads to greater confidence and success in their daily lives. At Monarch House we have a professional, interdisciplinary staff of occupational therapists, behavioural therapists, psychotherapists, and speech pathologists that are here to help. With encouragement, support, and consistency, they can learn to manage their time effectively and reduce stress related to transitions and scheduling..