Living with chronic pain has taught me that my life is no longer about sprinting through the day—it’s about taking things a little slower, a little gentler and much more intentionally.
To assist me with this, I use the help of something called pacing.
The Art of Pacing A Proven Approach to Moving Forward Through Chronic Pain
Living with chronic pain has taught me that my life is no longer about sprinting through the day—it’s about taking things a little slower, a little gentler and much more intentionally.
To assist me with this, I use the help of something called pacing.
Shortly after my ankle injury left me struggling to do even the simplest tasks, I quickly realized that pushing through the pain wasn’t strength…it was downright sabotage!
I found out that powering through the pain- even when my body kept screaming for me to stop-was leaving me irritable, frustrated and exhausted.
Worse though, it left me with a significantly increased level of pain coupled with a decreased ability to do anything in the hours-and sometimes days-shortly thereafter.
This outcome was frustrating to say the least; however, I didn’t know any other options available to me or what else to do… so I found myself settling into a frustrating cycle of doing too much resulting into not being able to do anything at all.
On the better days, I pushed and struggled to get as much done as I could.. reluctantly accepting that my reward would be increased pain and immobility until the next “good day”.
Rinse and repeat.
I honestly thought this would be the pattern of my life until one wonderful, glorious day a Physical Therapist taught me the concept of pacing —and my world was changed!
Pacing isn’t about laying around on the couch and never getting anything done.
It’s about looking at your activities, tasks and chores differently, with more intention and with much more grace. You will still get things done…those accomplishments will just have a different look, time frame and make up.
Pacing is about looking at your energy and “feel good” times as a precious commodity that deserves gratitude, mindfulness, as well as care and and caution.
I will link my article on the whats and whys of pacing which will give you a better understanding of what it is-please check it out here.
In this blog, I am excited to share with you an overview of how I employ pacing day to day along with tips and tricks to help you stay the course… as well as some pitfalls to watch out for.
More detailed blogs on each topic will become available soon.
Let’s get started!
Planning and Scheduling
My first order of business was to really get after scheduling and planning with passion and gusto.
There is nothing I do or plan to do within reason that doesn’t get scheduled.
I busted out my favorite planner and got to work mapping out my days meticulously.
A word of caution before you go diving into scheduling out your days and weeks…
Please be mindful of going slowly and cautiously by setting small and realistic expectations.
At first, set yourself 1-2 priorities that need to get done that day.. and make sure they are super simple and easy!
Break chores and tasks up into smaller chunks than you might have previously done.
For example, I like to do smaller loads of laundry more frequently so it takes me a shorter amount of time to complete.
This keeps me off my ankle for long periods of time as well as leaves me some excess energy for something else.
So remember, keeping things smaller and more doable will keep you from getting frustrated and giving up.
Small wins are better than big disappointments.
Overloading your schedule will put you at a high risk for a flare up-so go easy.
Once you figure out a rhythm and a system, you can always try add more later.
Setting a Timer
A timer is a must have tool in your journey with pacing-it will become your best friend.
A timer helps you to balance activity and rest in a timed and balanced way.
It’s best not to rely on your own sense of time..we all have a way of losing minutes and hours by getting engrossed in tasks.
It will amaze you what you can get accomplished in even ten minutes when you set your mind to it and realize you have a deadline.
Set that timer!
Share with Others
Once you have decided to use the art of pacing, and what that looks like for you, I strongly recommend informing family members and friends that your days are going to look different and more scheduled.
This will alert them to the fact that if they need you or your help- a heads up and some advance notice will be appreciated and needed.
Like any other lifestyle changes, telling those you love is considerate and beneficial to not only them but also to yourself.
This gives them time to adjust their expectations as well as an opportunity to extend their support and love to you as you make changes and adjustments for your health.
This will help you show up for yourself and others with more love, mindfulness, and intentionality..allowing you to be more fully present in all you do.
Be Confident and Committed
Pacing will without a doubt help you with your health and pain management…period.
It’s important we all learn to advocate for our well being and draw boundaries to protect our energy so we can be present for our commitments and activities with confidence, gentle firmness, and clear communication.
Will everyone understand at first? No…
Will everyone eventually get on board? Hopefully…
Will it matter if they don’t? I sincerely hope not…
What you do for your health and wellness determines how you show up for yourself and others.
Please do everyone a favor-especially yourself- and protect fiercely the positive changes you are making.
Final Thoughts
When I was first introduced to the concept of pacing years ago from that God-Send of a Physical Therapist, I’m not going to lie-I was skeptical.
Would it really help and make a significant difference?
Would I actually be able to change my ways and expectations to incorporate it?
Did I have any energy left in me to give it a solid try and set myself up for success?
I wasn’t sure of the answers even with the encouragement of my PT.
However, I felt so desperate and stuck that I was willing to throw all my doubts out the window and give it my all.
Whew.. so happy I did!
Pacing made all the difference in my life-and I’m confident it will in yours as well!
Rewriting pain together,
Kiki
