Move to Improve: It’s important to be active while you are in the hospital
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Energy conservation

It is important to conserve (save) physical and mental energy so you have energy during the day to get moving and do activities you enjoy. Use the Four P’s when you think about your day:

  1. Prioritize: Think about what is important to do each day and focus on them first. Ask yourself:
    1. Does this need to be done today or can it be done later?
    2. What part of my care routine can I do, by myself or with help?
    3. How can I plan my day to save energy to do the things that I enjoy?
  1. Pace: You don’t have to do everything all at once.
    1. Plan breaks so you rest before you become tired.
    2. Think about how you can split a task up into smaller steps.
    3. Move slowly and don’t rush yourself.
  1. Plan: Make a plan before you start. Do the hardest tasks when you feel rested or have the most energy.
    1. Spread out the hard and easy tasks so your body has time to recover in between.
    2. Give yourself extra time to do things and take breaks.
    3. Have a back-up plan for times you are not able to do things on your own.
  1. Position: Think about how to position your body to do activities using the least amount of energy.
    1. Standing or sitting hunched over for too long can make you more tired.
    2. Doing an activity while sitting can use up to 25% less energy compared to doing things while standing.
    3. Set up items you need to use close to you before you start.