Key #5:
Sustainable Recovery
Welcome to the final post of the Keys to RSI Recovery series!
5.1. Celebrate every sign of recovery
That last post was a lot of bad news – having patience is boring!! Let’s talk about the good stuff – what happens when you start to see signs of recovery. Pay attention during the journey and notice small changes. Congratulate yourself on days or even moments when your hands hurt less or not at all. Celebrations for yourself can be as simple as allowing yourself a mental pause from your busy day, perhaps while taking a walk or preparing a meal. Allow yourself to be indulgent when you accomplish major milestones, like hitting a new personal best in your workout, feeling improved strength and mobility, or finding a new path forward in your career.
In 2021, I decided to congratulate myself big – perhaps more than I had ever done in my life. I had spent the previous twelve months aggressively recovering from RSI: learning is much as I could about the condition from the Internet and from medical experts, getting in shape, strictly following my workers comp treatment and home exercises, using a computer (mostly) hands-free and (mostly) breaking my addictions to devices and video games, being successful at work by learning to be a more effective leader and teammate, and eventually quitting that job to pursue a more flexible career. I rewarded myself with a 5-month hiatus from my career, which also included a 4-week vacation to South America.
5.2. Take frequent extended vacations or rest periods
My goal is to take 8 weeks of vacation per year at least. In my case, weeks and months away from the computer has proven to be my #1 recovery strategy – it is extremely powerful. A hiatus from work simultaneously reduces 2 extreme risk factors: time spent in the environment that caused your injury (physically working at a desk/computer) and mental stress caused by the job. No other strategy that I can imagine accomplishes this level of health benefit/recovery acceleration.
Following a near-relapse in the summer of 2021, I realized that I would need to sacrifice my employment sooner than I had expected. My hands were in rough shape, and I asked for a week off but was denied. Back when I was newly injured, my employer enthusiastically gave what me what I needed, and granted me the time off that I asked for; when I just kept asking, they were not as understanding.
Just because my employer at the time wasn’t willing to work with me on this goal doesn’t mean yours will be the same. I still encourage you to ask for what you need. However, understand that they may say no, which is why it’s important to make a plan and have patience like we talked about earlier in this series. A willingness to be flexible in your career makes this goal much more attainable.
5.3. Practice self-awareness
In conclusion, take the lessons you learn through your recovery journey, and apply them to other aspects of your life. Choose not to let RSI make you miserable, and see your injury as a gift that opened your eyes to better ways of being.
You’ve made it to the end of this enormous blog series. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have already taken some of the most important and enormous steps towards success despite your injury, and aggressive recovery. I wish you the best of luck in life and in health.
ACTION PLAN #5:
1. Write in your journal: what are some small ways that you can reward yourself on a weekly or monthly basis? Consider things like going to events like live sports games or comedy shows, watching your favorite movie or TV series, or eating one of your favorite meals.
2. Write in your journal: what are some BIG ways that you can reward yourself? Pick one or more goals from your ACTION PLAN #3 which, when accomplished, will result in an epic reward for yourself.
3. In your journal: revisit the Action Plan from Key #1. Ask yourself whether you notice any changes in your emotions, moods, and mental patterns compared to when you first made the journal entry.
Thank you for reading! Let us know in the comments your thoughts and feedback.
For those interested in using a computer HANDS-FREE, check out Dragon Dictation and the 3DRudder Footmouse!
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