A Story About My Physical Strength Declining After Rework and Leave of Absence—Things to Know During the Recovery Phase
There was a time when I felt like I was starting to get a little better.
However, when I actually tried to move, my body didn't move nearly as well as I had expected.
The decline in physical strength is quiet.
During a leave of absence, you basically "don't move." Days go by without going out. You don't talk to people.
It's easy to think that because you aren't doing anything, your physical strength shouldn't have declined. But it's the opposite; the period where you "do nothing" is when your physical strength declines the most.
Muscles atrophy when not used. Cardiopulmonary function also declines. You might find yourself exhausted just from "riding the train for 30 minutes."
Communication skills also decline.
Just like physical strength, your "ability to talk to people" also declines.
During a leave of absence, opportunities to talk to people drop drastically. If you continue a life where you only have short conversations with family, you will find it exhausting to talk among multiple people for a long time.
The reason you don't need to rush.
I understand the feeling of impatience during the recovery phase, thinking, "I should be able to do more."
But physical strength and communication skills will return if you use them. Just like increasing the distance you run little by little, you should increase your activity level little by little.
You don't need to suddenly aim for a "state where you can work full-time." You can start by "being able to take a walk" or "being able to spend two hours at the library."
The recovery phase is a "preparation phase."
I think of the recovery phase as a "preparation phase" before returning completely to how things were.
It is okay to go outside while you are not yet fully recovered. It is a period to get used to the outside air little by little.
If you rush, you will collapse again. I learned through experience that that is the longest way around.
Shitsukan / Rework Avert
MA in Museum Studies (University of Leicester, Merit) | Engineer | Experienced in Rework
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