What is Energy Conservation?

Energy Conservation is a term used to describe making sure you don’t tire out before a task is complete. It involves building in rest breaks throughout the day and reducing the amount of effort we need to put in to complete a task.

How do I do this?

These are the four P’s of energy conservation to help you on a typical day:

1. PLANNING
   • Think about/make a list of the activities you want to get done during the week
   • Space more strenuous and challenging tasks throughout the week
   • Plan for rest breaks during and in between activities
2. PACING
   • Break up the activity within in the day, or plan to complete task over a few days
   • For example, if you have 3 loads of laundry, do one a day instead of all at once
3. PRIORITIZING
   • Choose the most important tasks of the week and be okay with not getting the others done
   • Delegate tasks to family and friends if needed
4. POSITIONING
   • Keep frequently used items close by
   • Use adaptive devices, such as reachers and shoe horns to promote safety and make tasks easier