How can you break this skill down?
There are several components that comprise this skill.
First, does the student understand the concept of “downtime?” You may need to teach them what downtime means, when it happens, as well as what to do during it. Define this in terms that the student can use.
Second, does the student know what is acceptable versus unacceptable to do during their downtime? They may need to be taught what is appropriate to do during downtime. What is appropriate versus inappropriate will vary depending on the job. For example, in some places, going to a break room where listening to music or talking on the phone is allowed would potentially set up a pattern of ‘inappropriate use of downtime.’ Even if the employer consented that the student could go to the break room after unloading a truck at the loading dock, realistically you are setting up an additional transition away from work activities and making it more complex to get back to work. Simply, does the student understand that his ability to ‘keep busy’ during work periods is desirable to supervisors?
Third, consider what tasks or activities the student will use to fill this time. In school, this question involves the student’s leisure skills. Find activities that the student knows how to do and enjoys doing during breaks or downtime. Many individuals struggle with leisure activities. For many individuals on the spectrum, “Work is play, and play is work.” Thus, you may have to develop some leisure skills that would be enjoyable for the student to engage in during downtime. In contrast, in work environments, use of leisure skills during downtime can lead to negative results in co-worker and supervisor relationships. Think about what secondary work activities the student can engage in until scheduled (high priority) tasks are available.
Fourth, the student should be able to initiate these activities independently. Some students may know what to do, but do not go ahead and do it unless they are prompted. Or, they may become overwhelmed by the unstructured time or unexpected break and handle it inappropriately.
Finally, the student needs to know how to ask others (i.e., their supervisor) what to do next if needed.
What sub-skill should you target first for the student to initiate? Given what the student can do presently, how will you present the task so that the student can perform steps within his capacity while learning a new step?
If the concept of ‘downtime’ is confusing to the student, you may decide to create a visual support (Downtime List of Tasks) and focus on having the student practice using the list in specific environments. For the student who can discriminate appropriate vs. inappropriate activities for a setting, you may focus on supporting the student in creating a list of activities that he will use in specific environments.