TEACCH Tip#7 for Adolescents & Adults – Learning a Flexible Routine
Changes in routines, plans, environments, or expectations can bring up a wide range of emotions. You may feel confused, frustrated, disappointed, anxious, or overwhelmed when something unexpected happens. While change is a normal part of life, it can be challenging when it disrupts your plans or routines.
One way to build resilience is by creating a flexibility routine—a predictable set of steps to follow when unexpected changes occur. Having a plan for handling change can make flexibility feel more manageable and help you respond with greater confidence.
Just as physical exercise helps keep our bodies healthy and flexible, practicing coping and flexibility skills helps strengthen emotional well-being. Flexibility is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and improved over time.
Practicing a Flexibility Routine
- Notice the change. Recognize that something is different than expected. Simply identifying the situation by saying, “This is a change,” can help increase awareness and reduce stress.
- Pause and use a coping strategy. Take a few deep breaths, count slowly, or repeat a positive statement such as, “I can be flexible” or “Different does not mean bad.”
- Gather information. If you are unsure what the change means, ask questions and seek clarification from someone you trust.
- Adjust your plan. Update your schedule, expectations, or activities to fit the new situation and focus on what you can do next.
Helpful Hints
- Write your flexibility routine in a simple step-by-step format and keep it somewhere easy to access.
- Practice the routine during small, everyday changes so it feels familiar when larger changes occur.
- Ask a parent, family member, teacher, mentor, or trusted support person to help you remember and use your flexibility routine.
- Remember that flexibility does not mean liking every change—it means having strategies to cope when changes happen.
- Celebrate your successes. Every time you practice flexibility, you are strengthening an important life skill.
Building flexibility takes practice, but having a predictable routine for managing change can help make unexpected situations feel less overwhelming and more manageable.