Energy Conservation

Everything we do from waking up to going to bed is classed as an activity and uses some form of energy. It’s important to understand how you spend your time and energy. Knowing how much you are doing and which activities are more or less demanding is the aim of energy conservation and will improve your quality of life. Here’s some helpful tips to keep in mind to conserve your energy and improve your quality of life!

Activities Of Daily Living:

• Set clothing out on bed prior to getting ready
• Minimize leaning over to put clothes or shoes on.
• Utilize safety grab bars in the shower/tub to decrease falls
• Make sure your bathroom is well ventilated (leave a door or window open)

Cooking:

• Sit down when preparing vegetables or mixing ingredients
• Cook larger quantities that can be saved for individual portions and frozen
• Prep meals the night before to save time
• Use a portable tray to transport items to avoid extra trips to/from kitchen
• Break the task down into stages

Housework:

• Spread cleaning out over a week
• Let dishes soak to eliminate scrubbing
• Empty rubbish bins frequently
• Ask others to undertake heavier jobs e.g. cleaning kitchen or vacuuming

Laundry:

• Use a long handled reacher to put items in washer and dryer
• Use a push/pull cart to transport items to washer or clothesline
• Use fabric conditioner to reduce creasing

Shopping

• Pack perishable and non perishable food separately
• Know the quieter times to shop and consider shopping during these times
• Ask family/friends to assist with a once the month bulk shop
• Complete lighter shopping yourself and get bulky shopping delivered
• Consider online grocery shopping to save time