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Everyone has different amounts of energy. You could think about your energy like a battery, if we use too much energy our battery will run out quickly, if we use the ‘just right’ amount of energy our battery can last for longer and we can do more of the things we like. Pacing is when you use the ‘just right’ amount of energy so you can do all the things you want to do during the day without getting too tired.
Most people have good and bad days. Good days may feel like you have a fully charged battery and you can do more. If you do too much on your good days, then your battery may become empty and the following day you might feel really tired. This is called the ‘Boom and Bust’ cycle.
You have a good day with more energy and motivation to be more active, or you have lots going on so you have to do more. You do more than you should and push through the tiredness.
After this you crash and feel very tired and less motivated. This means you need lots of rest, may need to cancel plans and stay at home to rest.
Then the cycle repeats.
Pacing is a way of reorganising how you do everyday activities. Everyone has to pace. Some people need to think about this more than others because all our health needs are different. You can pace when you are at home, school, on holiday, with your family, with your friends or out and about.
Everyday activities might include:
Activities might use up different amounts of energy depending on the person.
When you wake up in the morning, think about your energy battery. Does it feel full or not fully charged? Also think about what jobs you have to do in the day. This might be going to school, going out, seeing friends and family or playing.
You can pace your energy by:
An example of how you might pace your energy during the day might be:
Remember that everyone is different and we all need to find our own balance between activity and rest. If you would like to talk more about pacing and how it can work for you, ask to speak to your therapist.
The aim is to find amounts of activity do each day, that are about the same and little by little increase those amounts, so that your body gets stronger and stronger and you begin to manage more and more of what you want and need to do each day.
Please note: this is a generic information sheet relating to care at Sheffield Children’s NHS FT. These details may not reflect treatment at other hospitals. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professionals’ instructions. If this resource relates to medicines, please read it alongside the medicine manufacturer’s patient information leaflet. If this information has been translated into another language from English, efforts have been made to maintain accuracy, but there may still be some translation errors. If you are unsure about any of the guidance in this resource or have specific questions about how it relates to your child, always ask your healthcare professional for further advice.
Resource number: PT75
Resource Type: Article
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