10 Ways to Pace Yourself with a Chronic Illness
Your chronic illness can impact how you navigate your day. It can be difficult to get tasks done when you’re dealing with a flare-up or become exhausted while completing a task. You may feel disheartened that while you desire to do different activities, your body limits you from doing so.
One method to help you do more during the day with a chronic illness is to pace yourself. Pacing involves separating your activities throughout the day to avoid exceeding your body’s limits. Pacing has shown to be beneficial for people with chronic illness, with a 2017 study involving patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome revealing that pacing therapy helped with symptom management.
If you’re looking for better ways to manage your spoons, here are ten ways to pace yourself with a chronic illness.
Focus on what’s important to you
Think about which tasks are the most important to you for the day. For example, your priorities may be completing a work project, grocery shopping, or attending a yoga class. Once you figure out those tasks, consider how much energy you’ll need to achieve them.
Set rules for yourself
Setting personal rules is part of learning to pace yourself with a chronic illness. These rules can help keep you from burning out or running into a flare-up. For example, a rule you may give yourself is to not partake in strenuous activities, like cleaning the house or going for a run in the evenings.
Slow down when doing tasks
Many people believe that they're failing if they aren’t multitasking or getting things done within a certain amount of time. However, with a chronic illness, you can tire yourself out or experience flare-ups by working too fast or hard. So, as you’re doing activities, don’t hesitate to take as much time as you need.
Take breaks to rest
A common symptom of most chronic illnesses is fatigue. Feelings of tiredness and weakness can creep up on you throughout the day. With this in mind, don’t be afraid to take breaks when you feel your body giving out. It’s essential to allow yourself to rest to get tasks done.
Track your heart rate
As you go about your day, be sure to take note of your heart rate. An accelerated heart rate, known as tachycardia, can happen from exercise and stress. By monitoring your heart rate, you can keep track of your heart activity and be alerted when you’re overexerting yourself.
Delegate tasks when necessary
Sometimes, you may need a helping hand to get things done. A strong support system can significantly benefit you when your energy is too low some days. Consider which tasks require the most energy or are the lowest priority, and see if a loved one can assist you.
Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’
If you have a limited amount of spoons left or have completely tired yourself out for the day, don’t hesitate to decline going out with friends or other social situations. Of course, it’s not always easy to say no, but part of pacing yourself is putting your health first.
Break down tasks
Try not to overload yourself with big tasks. While it’s understandable that you may want to complete your tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible, your body can easily tire out. Instead, break down large tasks into smaller ones to better manage your energy.
Use a pacing journal
Using a pacing journal is a good method to keep track of your energy levels. A pacing journal helps you watch your energy levels, giving you more control over how you use your spoons. As someone with a chronic illness, a pacing journal can effectively manage your symptoms, like fatigue and flare-ups.
If you need a pacing tracker, check out Chronius Health’s free pacing journal here.
Listen to your body
Another way to pace yourself as someone with a chronic illness is to listen to your body. Your body tells you when you feel unwell and can alert you if you have crossed your limits. So, if you haven’t already, take some time to understand what your body needs, and it’ll help guide you through effective pacing.
How Chronius Can Help
If living with chronic illness feels like a full time job, you aren’t alone.
That’s why at Chronius, we make it easy to navigate the healthcare system as a patient. Our online care management platform brings together all of your health records and offers a 1-click appointment prep tool that easily synthesizes your health story for your care team. You also can track all of your symptoms, identify trends, learn from vetted medical information, and follow a custom patient journey map. Plus, if you needs hands on support, our Care Advocates are available to help you with any issues you may hit up against. Personalized support as you navigate your care journey is what we are all about.
Interested in learning more and signing up for our waitlist? Claim your spot today.
