Being seriously injured is a significant plot twist in the average life. It always happens when you’re least expecting it, and it prevents you from doing many of the things that you want to do.
In this guide, we take a look at what to do and how to manage your life after a serious injury. We’ll explore the psychological aspect as well as the practical, day-to-day things you should try to do in order to improve your situation.
Embrace radical acceptance
As hard as it may sound, it’s a good idea to embrace radical acceptance after a serious injury. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about it, so your best option is to simply get additional overhead that can damage your quality of life. The good news is that most people who experience a serious injury feel as happy as they did before their injury after about a year. This means that injuries are totally manageable and something that you can deal with effectively if you use the right approaches.
Become the CEO of your own recovery
The next thing you want to do is become the CEO of your own recovery. If you get trapped in the medical system, it can feel like you’re on a conveyor belt moving forward in a direction that you know nothing about. Therefore, track everything and keep a dedicated notebook or digital folder. Choose your physical therapist, doctors, and occupational therapists personally, and make sure that they meet your needs.
If necessary, use a life care planning service. Outsource some of the planning to third parties that deal with issues like this daily.
Perform shadow work
When you’re seriously injured, nobody tells you about all of the administration and paperwork that can come with it. It can often feel like a part-time job. You have to complete disability forms, deal with medical bills, and coordinate with HR at your work. Over time, all of these jobs pile up, and you have so much to do.
The best approach is to pick an hour each day when your energy is high and tackle these issues. Set a timer and work through as many of them as you can. If you can’t complete all of them, don’t worry. You still have another hour tomorrow, and then the next day. Getting the shadow work out of the way provides you with psychological energy you can use to push toward your recovery.
Protect your social battery
Finally, make sure you protect your social batteries. Some people will pull away if your injury makes them uncomfortable, while others will saturate you with attention that you might not necessarily want. If you can use the people around you in the ways that serve you best, that’s a good idea.
For example, you could give them micro tasks like picking up food for you or taking your dog for a walk tomorrow morning. You can also be direct with them and say that you’re tired of talking about your diagnosis and you want to discuss something else.
No Comments