AUTISM SOLUTIONS
accomplish your goal. The best place to hang a visual
is somewhere you will see it every day, like the bath-
room mirror or above your dresser. See the example
below.
Long Term Goal: Be more independent, and have
fewer check-ins with parents or teachers
Why: So I have more free time to play video games
8:30
AM
8:32
AM
8:37
AM
8:52
AM
8:55
AM
Brush Teeth
Make Bed
Eat Breakfast
Gather Items for Day
Walk to First Appointment
2
minutes
5
minutes
15
minutes
3
minutes
5
minutes
This tool can be used to plan for any necessary rou-
tines needed to accomplish long-term goals.
Step 3:
Make a Plan for Success
Now that you know your goal and the reason why
you want to accomplish your goal, and you have a
visual representation of your goal, it is time to figure
out how to make your goal a reality. Without a plan,
it is very unlikely you will continue daily routines. All
goals require us to be present; starting with a clear
morning routine is going to give you the best oppor-
tunity for success. A simple tool to make a plan is to
create a three-column worksheet. You can make this
digital or draw it on a piece of paper. The first column
should be titled TIME, the second TASK, and the third
TIME NEEDED. First, list out exactly what needs to be
accomplished every morning in the second column
titled task. Next, add the specific time needed to
complete each task in the third column. Then, start-
ing with the last task, add the time of day the step
needs to be accomplished and work backward. The
example below shows creating a plan for morning
routines.
Time
8:00
AM
8:05
AM
8:10
AM
8:25
AM
Task
Time
Needed
Wake Up
5
minutes
Motivate Self for the Day (review
5
goal, review schedule, etc.)
minutes
Take Shower
15
minutes
Get Dressed
5
minutes
58 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 87
Step 4:
Implement Supports
No one can accomplish a goal alone. Implementing
supports is key to getting back into routines to help
reach long-term goals. Supports can be electronic,
visual, or verbal/physical prompts. The simplest sup-
ports to implement are electronic alarms and remind-
ers. Using your plan, you can add alarms to remind
you to start a routine. You can also use a digital cal-
endar to send you reminders of tasks needing to be
completed throughout the day. Visual reminders can
be listed as steps on how to accomplish a task or re-
minders to complete the task. For example, putting
a note on the refrigerator stating, “Take medications,”
can be helpful to complete the task. Verbal and physi-
cal prompts can be very effective, but should be used
with caution. These prompts are great to start with if
a student is having a difficult time resetting a routine.
However, the support of being prompted by another
person should only be temporary as the goal is to be
able to manage daily routines independently.
Step 5:
Track Progress
Most people start new routines with high hopes.
However, distractions or unexpected events com-
monly interrupt day-to-day routines. Tracking your
progress will not only help you stay on track with
your goals but also help keep the motivation to fol-
low routines when distractions occur. You can track
routines electronically or on paper. The easiest strat-
egy is to have a monthly calendar or monthly track-
ing sheet posted in a location you see every day. At