Pacing yourself

F

funsearcher!

Member
Some discussion around here about what you think you want to do in a day or week vs. what you can do realistically--in other words, accepting your limitations, energy wise and physically.
Have you found this to be a challenge as you have gotten older or had to recover from an illness or injury??
My friend was just commenting that we retired so we have all this time, and now we stay home because we are tired or recuperating.
 

Last edited:
funsearcher! said:
Some discussion around here about what you think you want to do in a day or week vs. what you can do realistically--in other words, accepting your limitations, energy wise and physically.
Have you found this to be a challenge as you have gotten older or had to recover from an illness or injury??
My friend was just commenting that we retired so we have all this time, and now we stay home because we are tired or recuperating.
Click to expand...
Change of pace is the biggest change I have noticed in retirement. And learning to be OK with this season of life.
 
Even having to work at a bit slower pace than I use to and also dealing with some health issues I can still accomplish more in a day than most people. I do get a bit frustrated at times when I find myself struggling at something that use to be easy for me but the nice thing about being retired is I have the extra time needed.
 
I will try to pace myself when doing physical tasks and fit in breaks, but even with that there is sometimes too much to accomplish even with pacing and breaks, but I forge ahead and do it anyway and am burned out the next day.
 
I keep a large bottle of Ibuprofen on hand for the end of the day when I'm recuperating from my daily activities. I don't drink, so I need a little help for the aches and pains.
 
I still work at the speed that I achieved things in my 30's and 40's.. the only discernible difference is that I have pain where I didn't have pain then.. so for example, my back hurts like billy-O when vac'ing.. and washing up, or changing the beds... but I don't let it stop me , I still do those things, and then sit down with a heat pad for a while..

I'm a very fast walker, but I do notice that I tire after a shorter distance than I would have before..but then I'm slightly overweight so that probably accounts for it

I have Osteoarthritis in my predominant hand but I wear a splint most of the day so that helps me literally handle things.. but I'm fortunate that unlike many I can still run up and downstairs.. (despite a dodgy knee at times)... I can still move speedily through the chores.. and today I surprised my self by getting down on the floor ( literally lying on the floor fixing something under the entertainment unit).. and getting back up from a prone position without holding onto anything...
 
hollydolly said:
I still work at the speed that I achieved things in my 30's and 40's.. the only discernible difference is that I have pain where I didn't have pain then.. so for example, my back hurts like billy-O when vac'ing.. and washing up, or changing the beds... but I don't let it stop me , I still do those things, and then sit down with a heat pad for a while..

I'm a very fast walker, but I do notice that I tire after a shorter distance than I would have before..but then I'm slightly overweight so that probably accounts for it

I have Osteoarthritis in my predominant hand but I wear a splint most of the day so that helps me literally handle things.. but I'm fortunate that unlike many I can still run up and downstairs.. (despite a dodgy knee at times)... I can still move speedily through the chores.. and today I surprised my self by getting down on the floor ( literally lying on the floor fixing something under the entertainment unit).. and getting back up from a prone position without holding onto anything...
Click to expand...
Who or what is a billy-O????
 
I pace myself and have done so all my life. When I was a child one of my favorite books was the Tortoise and the Hare. I compared myself to the tortoise because I have always had slow reaction times as though I was born that way. I do one task at a time and then continue on to the next task. Now that I am much older, I take many breaks with things that are physically active. Walk up and down stairs by putting both feet on each stair when going up or down.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top