Q: "I have always dreaded the Holidays. They make me feel so overwhelmed. Could you please tell me HOW to pace myself? I have never been able to do it. I have been in the go, go, go then crash mode for so long. I have never really learned how to pace. I guess that sounds silly ... but could you break it down for me? Thank you so much! Beckie"
A: Actually, that doesn't sound silly at all -- pacing is a skill few people learn in our society. We're expected to have a full-time job, keep an immaculate home, raise perfect children, etc. And few people give us a break "just" because we have a chronic illness.
There are a lot of different ways to pace yourself, depending on the situation and what works best for you. Some of them are:
- Knowing your body
- Short activity periods
- Scheduled rest
- Routines
- Prioritizing
- Switching tasks
For an explanation of those pacing techniques, read Pacing 101: Living With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Pacing: Readers Respond
And when it comes to the holidays, we could all use some extra help! Take a look at The Holiday Survival Guide as well.
Thanks for the question, Beckie! I know a lot of people are in the same situation.
If you have pacing tips or suggestions, leave a comment so everyone can benefit from them.
Do you have a question you'd like me to answer here? Send me an email -- chronicfatigue.guide@about.com -- or leave a comment below.
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When cleaning house~ To help pace myself, I do a bit of work ( no more than a half hour) then SIT DOWN, put feet up & Relax at least 15 minuets. Go start again, same thing. Just don’t PUSH yourself !! Realize that ” we” can’t do what we used to !!!
TAKE BREAKS~ often !! Remember~ ( Alot of us were perfectionists, but WE JUST CAN’T BE ANYMORE ) and it’s all right !! So there’s a bit of dust…..LIFE will go on !
Ask for help !!
Those are some of the things that I do now~ I used to be an OCD ” Clean Freak “, but now I REALIZE my health is the MOST IMPORTANT part, the house work, laundry~ CAN WAIT……..I also use my dishwasher MUCH MORE !! Try to find EASY ways to accomplish tasks! :~ )))
Get in the habit of putting things back as soon as you use them. That way you dont spend a lot of energy cleaning messes. Dust one day, vacuum the next, laundry the next etc. If there are other family members in the house let them take over some of the cleaning. Set a timer when you are cleaning and when it goes off you make yourself take a break. Drink lots of water too to keep up your energy levels.
I have fibromyalgia for 18 yrs now, I am still working but is more difficult every day. I found a product online that seems to reduce the inflammation-it contains sea plankton, I recommend these products highly. There are several different preparations online, just read the ingredients. Make sure you take it every day and after about 3 weeks you can feel the difference. Good luck