Priming, Pacing, Planning, and Pairing
Prioritizing after a concussion
Last time we talked about how to prioritize after a concussion. We talked about sifting through all of the things you could do to find the things that are best to do.
You might be thinking “Been there, done that. But I still don’t know how to get started!!”
Today we’re going to talk about The Four Ps: Priming, Pacing, Planning, and Pairing. These strategies help you make a reasonable plan so you can start executing your priorities.
Neurofatigue after a concussion
Maybe you start out strong but get tired quickly. Or, you always just feel exhausted! Neurofatigue is a common problem after a concussion.
Neurofatigue happens because the brain is trying to heal itself from the concussion injury. It’s also working hard to deal with changes in vision, movement, and thinking skills.
Neurofatigue has to be treated a little differently than exhaustion. It’s not “normal tired.” You can’t take a power nap and feel 100% better. The Four Ps help you conserve your cognitive energy so you’re not trying to do too much on an empty tank.
Priming, Pacing, Planning, and Pairing
Here’s a list explaining what the Four Ps are and how to incorporate them in your daily schedule. You don’t need to use every strategy on this list. Read through the list and then go back and choose 1-2 to try.
Priming
These strategies help you stay focused and calm. Use these strategies to prime your brain for success.
It takes a lot of mental energy to multi-task. It also takes a lot of mental energy to go back-and-forth between tasks. So, choose one task to complete at a time. Decide what you want to accomplish and how long it’s reasonable to work. If other tasks distract you, write them down on a piece of paper to look at later if you can.
Give yourself time to transition between tasks. Clean up your workspace, reflect on what you’ve just finished and what you plan to do next, or take a short stretch break.
You may need to calm your brain so you can focus. Everyone is different. Some helpful techniques include mindfulness exercises, deep breathing, listening to a song, or taking a walk. They don’t need to take a long time.
Pacing
These strategies help you conserve precious energy after a concussion.
Think of your day like a marathon and not a sprint. In order to make it to the end of the day, take it a little slower even when you feel good.
Carefully monitor your symptoms. Take breaks to manage your symptoms. Too much rest is a problem after a concussion. But, take breaks so symptoms don’t escalate to a very high level.
Prioritize habits that support brain health and recovery. Plan blocks of work time around mealtimes, rest breaks, exercise, etc.
Planning
These strategies prompt you to plan ahead. You may have trouble predicting your energy levels and how long it takes to complete tasks. These planning strategies remind you to aim for a reasonable plan.
Start early! Give yourself plenty of time to accomplish a task in case it takes longer than expected or problems happen.
Work on hard things when you have the most energy. Even with unpredictable energy levels there is likely a time of day or situation when you feel the most focused. Plan your most challenging tasks then.
Write it down! Fill out your planner or calendar with 1-2 priorities a day. Your priorities may change as the week goes on so “pencil them in” and revise your planner each day as needed.
Before you commit to a plan, visualize it. Walk yourself through your plan from beginning to end. Notice if your plan feels rushed. Make adjustments like breaking the task into smaller parts or simplifying the task as needed.
Pairing
Pairing conserves your mental energy because it takes less energy to do similar tasks at the same time.
Pair activities together. For example, carve out a chunk of time to make phone calls. It takes mental energy to switch cognitive processes so doing the same type of thing in one time block helps you focus and decreases the task’s cognitive load.
Next Steps
If you’re on your own and don’t know where to start, I recommend these three: 1) plan blocks of work time around break times, 2) choose one task to complete and get focused before you start, and 3) pair activities together.
Share this article, your priorities list, and your plan with a trusted friend or family member. Talking with someone else about your plan can help you know if it’s reasonable or not.
Read more about sleep hygiene if poor sleep is impacting your daily fatigue.
As always, it’s best to work with a trained healthcare provider to help you apply these strategies and find the ones that work best for you. Ask your doctor for a referral to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in your area!
Please contact me if you don’t know where to start. I would love to hear your story and connect!
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