Asthma, pacing and overcoming fatigue

7) Practical tips for pacing yourself

Hand writing on a notebook

  • Plan your day; use diaries / timetables to balance activities with quieter times / rest to manage your symptoms.
  • Listen to your body – watch out for, and use, warning signs to set limits. Don’t keep going with something “just to get it finished” if your body is telling you to stop.
  • Remember symptoms can vary day-to-day. Take this into account when planning your day.
  • Think about the true cost of activities. Is one task worth more to you than another?
  • Break each activity down into manageable chunks (Occupational Therapists are trained in analysing the detail of activities and can support you with this if necessary).
  • Alternate activities throughout the day.
  • Use energy saving devices.
  • Relaxation – include the things you enjoy, the ‘nice stuff’!
  • Watch out for times you feel pressured to do too much. Set limits and say “No”.
  • Let people around you know what you are doing – they can provide support and encouragement.
  • Think about your goals and make plans, see Self management and how can it help you? “People who fail to plan, plan to fail”.