What are some things you can do while recovering from an injury? How can you keep yourself busy? How can you feel productive?
If you’re starting to feel like a couch potato and have officially run out of Netflix series to watch while injured, here are a few ideas for you. (Well, actually here are LOTS of ideas for you! And CATEGORIZED! WOO!)
Want to listen to an athlete’s story about this first?
Social Things to Try
- A book club (Rebound is my personal recommendation!)
- A COOK BOOK club! (Host a dinner party, and everyone tries a recipe from a cookbook.)
- An escape room
- A game night
- Dig deeper with a card game like We’re Not Really Strangers (or this list of free questions from Beyond Introductions!)
- Call your long distance bestie (Research shows strong social support can improve injury outcomes related to mental AND physical function.)
- Have an at-home spa night
- Run a cooking show-type challenge and make dinner for each other.
- If you can ride a bike, or have access to a golf cart, accompany your friend for a run.
- Or, just go golfing, ride in the golf cart, and enjoy some time in the sun.
Things to Feel Productive While Injured
- Try a new instrument
- Actively write down your “story” of how you’re going to think about this injury. Positive self-talk is related to positive outcomes. (This NPR article is a great read.)
- Try an online course like MasterClass. OR, my personal favorite, this free class on Happiness by Laurie Santos.
- Learn to cook!! (Tough if you’re working with three limbs sometimes, but a useful lifelong skill!)
- Go through your closet, and donate things you haven’t worn in a year.
- Master a party trick? Maybe there’s a really fast rap song you’ve always wanted to be able to bust out at karaoke?
- Get ahead on schoolwork. …not exciting, but future you will thank you.
- Make a goals list. Then break it down into smaller goals, and write out how you’d like to try to achieve them.
- Get dressed up. You may or may not feel better if you put on a fresh outfit. You’ve been wearing those sweatpants for 4 days in a row now (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!)
- Organize your computer files (and delete some things)!
Looking for a thrill?
- Axe Throwing
- Try Virtual Reality or an online flight simulator.
- Game-ify your rehab. Ask your PT how to make it a bit more thrilling.
- Depending on your injury, get inspired by the Paralympics and how those athletes stay competitive. Obviously you cannot joing a league, but maybe you and your friends want to try sitting volleyball.
- Watch a scary movie.
Creative Projects
- Write a letter to your injured body part. Or a poem, or whatever you want. But “say” everything you need to say. I promise it’s cathartic, even if it feels weird at first.
- Do a puzzle.
- Take a pottery class.
- Make friendship bracelets.
- Write a short story.
- Make a photo album.
- Design your own stickers and share with friends or teammates.
- Freshen up your living space.
- Try to make your own pickles or kombucha.
- Design a funny inspiration poster to help you get through this.
Things to do to forget you’re injured
- Go play with puppies! Or a friend’s pet!
- Volunteer. Helping others is the best way to forget about yourself for a bit.
- Similarly, help out a friend. Provide advice. Or share your story to other athletes. You can come on the Fuel Your Comeback podcast and share your story by emailing emily@injuryrd.com.
- Plan a vacation. Make a Pinterest board with your wedding ideas. Make a vision board. Daydream, my friend.
- Read more about achieving “flow state” in general.
Projects that help you become a better athlete
- Create super strong sleep habits. Hey, maybe if you have a bit of time where you don’t have to go to 6AM lift, this becomes a bit of an easier challenge?!
- Learn more about your body. More on how to become a “scientific observer” in Can Nutrition Help My Swelling?
- Become a student of the game.
- Work on your mental skills with a sports psychologist.
- Work on your nutrition, so that by the time you get back, the habits are there, and it’s EASY! Think about joining our next round of Feed the Quad, or working with me 1:1.
