More Than Procrastination: Shedding Light on Autistic Inertia

In our recent 90-minute event, we were joined by Professor Liz Pellicano from University College London to explore the topic of autistic inertia—a term often used within the autistic community to describe the difficulty some people have with starting, stopping, or switching tasks. It’s a feeling many of us know well: being “stuck” in a certain state, despite wanting or needing to move on.

Professor Pellicano explained that autistic inertia is closely linked with executive functioning, but is still poorly understood in research. In fact, she described it as a case of undone science—an area that matters deeply to the autistic community but has been largely overlooked by researchers and professionals.

Her talk focused on two studies. The first involved interviews with autistic adults, capturing their lived experiences of inertia. The second explored how people talk about inertia online, particularly on platforms like Reddit. Together, these studies are helping to build a clearer picture of what autistic inertia is, how it feels, and what might help.

Audience members were invited to consider a number of questions:

·         Do people with other forms of neurodivergence, such as ADHD, also experience inertia?

·         How does autistic inertia relate to energy levels, or the idea of “spoons”?

·         How long can episodes of inertia last?

·         And crucially, what helps people manage or move through it?

Several practical insights were shared during the session. Some attendees talked about the role of external deadlines or accountability in helping them “unstick.” Others highlighted how routines, structure, and advance planning can reduce the mental load involved in getting started. One participant also offered a helpful reframe: seeing periods of stillness or “non-doing” as part of a broader process of internal consolidation, rather than wasted time.

The session made it clear that autistic inertia is more than just procrastination or laziness. It can have a real impact on day-to-day life—and deserves more recognition in both research and support systems.

Professor Pellicano’s work is a valuable step toward that. Most importantly, it’s grounded in autistic voices and priorities. This session was a reminder that when lived experience shapes the research agenda, we all benefit.

This was a particularly interactive and well attended event, which I thoroughly enjoyed hosting.

Nick Stone, Autism Hub peer support facilitator & ALAG member, 7 May 2025