Practicing Pacing for Chronic Fatigue
Pacing is a very new thing that I only have just begun within the last month. I actually thought that I was pacing before, but it turns out that I was still overdoing it despite drastically cutting back on all of the healing I was forcing my body to do. I pushed too hard and too far to the point where the gentlest of things would really throw my body into a flare-up. I still have a long way to go though.
In pacing, individuals learn to balance activity with rest to avoid pushing themselves beyond their limits, which can trigger worsening symptoms. The goal is to prevent “boom and bust” cycles, where a person might feel good and overdo it, only to experience a major crash afterward, resulting in days or weeks of exhaustion and worsening symptoms. Pacing encourages individuals to listen to their bodies, recognizing their limits, and adjusting activity levels accordingly.
How I Approach Pacing
One approach is breaking tasks into manageable chunks. Instead of doing everything at once, pacing involves breaking up activities more manageable steps. You want to break up your activities in smaller chunks of time, allowing for regular breaks in between. I am notorious for wanting to get everything done all in one foul swoop. It’s been very challenging to undo this habit.
Make sure to set realistic goals. This can help to adjust expectations, accepting that some days will be more limited than others. It encourages maintaining consistent and sustainable energy which is more important than pushing for productivity. It’s important to prioritize rest. People practicing pacing often schedule regular rest periods, ensuring they don’t push too hard and leave themselves depleted. Over time, you learn to gauge how your body responds to different activities using trial and error to figure out the right balance of rest and activity.
By pacing ourselves, we can prevent or reduce flare-ups of symptoms, improve energy conservation, and maintain a better quality of life. I hope to continue to very intentionally try and practice pacing in my everyday life. You may also be interested in this blog post.
