When you have a chronic lung condition, you may experience difficulty managing all your treatments day after day. Support from your health care team, family and support groups can help you to stay motivated and look after yourself.
Below are some tips that others have used to help them set goals and stick to them. When you set goals for yourself, it is important that they motivate you: this means making sure that they are important to you, and that there is value in achieving them. Set goals that relate to the high priorities in your life.
- Set realistic goals that are important to you.
- Write your goals down and let your health care team, family and friends know what they are so they can support you to achieve them. Reward yourself when you have done well.
- Understand that circumstances may change over time and that you may need to adjust your goals or give yourself more time to achieve them.
- Simplify your life as much as you can.
- Get to know your body and its responses; it will help both you and your doctor adjust treatment and activities accordingly.
- Be kind to yourself.
- Seek support from family, friends and others.
- Locate your nearest support group by contacting Lung Foundation Australia (phone: 1800 654 301 or visit: www.lungfoundation.com.au). Others have found the support from others in a similar situation very helpful.
- Ask your doctor to refer you to a pulmonary rehabilitation program and if there isn’t a program in your area, ask to be referred to a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist for an assessment and a home exercise program.
- After completion of pulmonary rehabilitation join a Lung in Action program (or similar maintenance exercise class). Lung Foundation Australia can give you the contact details of a group close to you or you can visit www.lungsinaction.com.au to find the Lungs in Action program nearest you.
- Ask a family member or friend to participate in your exercise and walking program, or join a local Heart Foundation walking group.
