Patient Education Materials

Tips to Save Energy

• Plan ahead so that you are not doing all of your work in one day or at one time during
  the day.
• Space your activities and work throughout the day. Do some work, then take a break. The trick is to quit before you feel tired. If you do small amounts of work at a time, you will be able to do more in the long run.
• Sit rather than stand when doing activities such as ironing, washing dishes, shaving, or brushing your teeth.
• At work, sit and rest during breaks and at lunch time.
• When doing a task, gather all the supplies you will need first. That way, you will avoid having to go back and forth as you are working. Buy a small laundry cart with wheels to carry items easily throughout the house.
• When climbing up stairs, put 2 feet on each step. Stop and rest if you feel you need to.
• If you feel tired, dizzy, or short of breath, you need to stop and rest.
• Ask your family and friends for help.
• Remember that saving your energy is even important on your good days, since you may be tempted to overdo it.
• You may have a certain time each day when you feel more energetic. Plan to do difficult tasks at this time of day. That way, you can take it easy during your low-energy periods.