Drained. Swamped. Overloaded. Bogged down. Whatever word fits for you, running low on energy feels familiar. Energy accounting for ADHD and autism is a way of tackling this by tracking how different activities either deplete or restore energy, and trying to keep those two things in balance.
Find out more about energy accounting (and Spoon Theory), why its important, and how to get a free tracker to manage your energy levels.
What is energy accounting (and spoon theory)?
Energy accounting comes from autistic clinical psychologist Maja Toudal and autism specialist Tony Attwood. In their book, Energy Accounting: Stress Management and Mental Health Monitoring for Autism and Related Conditions, they outline the method as a way of tracking your energy through the day: what each activity costs you, what gives energy back, and what you have left.
You may know a version of this as Spoon Theory, created by Christine Miserandino to describe the limited energy available to people with chronic illness. In this metaphor, spoons stand for units of energy. You start the day with a fixed number of them. Getting out of bed might cost one spoon, showering another, and so on.
So, while spoon theory focuses on a fixed daily supply, energy accounting also tracks deposits, the things that restore energy.
Why energy accounting matters
The aim of energy accounting is to help manage energy levels so that they don’t exceed what is available. But what’s important is that it isn’t about just tracking the obvious, physical activities that take energy, like walking or exercise. It’s about also tracking the hidden energy costs caused by activities that many people may not feel deplete energy, but for autistic people, people with ADHD, and those with chronic illness or other disabilities, can be a significant drain.
For autistic people, that may be time spent in noisy or bright environments, or due to a change in routine, or having to mask their autism in social or work settings. For people with ADHD it can be the energy cost of a burst of hyperfocus, rejection sensitive dysphoria (an intense emotional reaction to criticism or perceived failure) or needing to try and concentrate for a prolonged period.
The result of these hidden energy costs can be significant: autistic burnout, physical and mental exhaustion, increased difficulties with executive functioning, or increased sensitivity to noise, light or touch. All of which can, in turn, lead to days absent from education or work, long periods of struggling to get things done, and low mood.
Balancing the budget
Start with a budget: the total energy you have for the day. Give each activity a rough cost. Cooking dinner might cost a little. Presenting to a group might cost a lot. The goal is to avoid spending more than you have, either by reducing activities that cost energy, or by adding activities that restore energy.
Here are some examples of different activities that may cost energy, and those that can help replenish it:
Energy Withdrawals | Energy Deposits |
|---|---|
Getting up and dressed (-20) | Listening to music, reading or rewatching favourite TV shows (+25) |
Travelling to college or work (-25) | Having time alone (+20) |
Having to spend time in a bright, noisy room (-15) | A quiet, low sensory environment (+10) |
Masking during a meeting or social activity (-30) | Time spend on hobbies (+30) |
Unplanned conversations at lunch (-15) | Going for a walk, or exercising (+10) |
So, if a day has to consist of getting up and dressed, travelling to college, attending classes in a bright room, then a group meeting, that is going to cost a lot of energy. Factoring in time to go for a walk after the class, then have time to spend on hobbies at the end of the day can help balance that cost out.
Everyone is different though, both in the activities that cost and replenish energy, and how much energy those activities will cost or deposit.
Free Energy Tracker (PDF or Interactive Google Sheet)
One way to help with balancing the budget is to keep track of activities, and whether they cost or deposit energy.
To help with that, we have created a simple, free energy tracker that anyone can use - there is a version created in Google Sheets that automatically keeps track of your overall energy level, or download the free energy tracker (PDF), which can be printed out and completed by hand.
Download the free energy tracker (PDF): Energy Tracker.pdf
To use, simply add a starting energy level for the day, then list out all the activities you plan to do, and a value for how much energy they will use, or add. At the bottom you can see your overall balance for the day. If its too low, either reschedule activities that are costing you energy, or add in more activities that will replenish you.
Is there an energy accounting app?
There are also some dedicated energy accounting apps that might be worth trying to see if they could help with energy accounting:
Battery.me is an Android and iOS app inspired by Dr Tony Attwood’s research. It focuses on tracking your emotional energy by logging what happens each day, rating the energy impact and using the app to discover patterns.
Spoon Manager is a simple to use iOS-only energy tracker based on Spoon Theory. It does not require you to sign up for an account, has no ads or tracking, and is free to use.
SpoonWise is an Android-only app with a range of features to help with energy tracking, including different tracking modes, mood and symptom logging, and basic task management tools.
Of these options, SpoonWise has the most comprehensive range of options, while Battery.me provides a clear and simple means of logging what happens and rating the corresponding energy impact.
Where Booost fits in
Booost is not specifically an energy accounting app. However, reducing how much energy something costs you, starts with reducing how much you have to think about it. And three Booost features are built around reducing cognitive load:
Your home screen shows only what matters right now, not everything at once, so you're not spending energy filtering out the noise before you've even started
Checklists break bigger tasks into smaller steps, so you always know the next thing to do rather than holding the whole task in your head
Booost Your Day helps you schedule breaks alongside your tasks, so rest is part of the plan rather than something you only get to if there's energy left over
None of this removes the real cost of studying. It removes some of the smaller costs sitting on top of it, the ones that add up before you've done anything at all.