4 Ways to Live With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

1. Adjust Your Schedule

After observing how your energy goes up and down over a period of weeks, make the appropriate adjustments in your schedule to accommodate these peaks and valleys. Get up later, go to bed earlier and schedule time to take a nap during the part of the day when you know you'll be the most tired. Schedule light activities for yourself when you know your energy will start to go down, while saving the more strenuous activities for when you're feeling better. Adjusting your schedule may involve coming up with a new work routine with your supervisor or re-arranging your class schedule at school, but it's worth it. You'll ultimately get more done and feel better.

2. Learn to Say No

Don't take on more than you can handle. For some people, this can be extremely difficult, especially people who have always been independent, social and involved in the lives of their friends and family. If this is you, you may experience profound guilt if you say no when someone asks you to do something. However, it's essential to not bite off more than you can chew when you have chronic fatigue syndrome. If you find yourself over-committed, you'll get stressed out and overtax your meager energy reserves, which will combine to make you feel all the worse. Only take on activities you know you can easily accomplish and that are the most important to you. Then, educate your family and friends about your condition so they'll understand when you start to say no to some of their requests.

3. Delegate Tasks

In order to conserve your precious energy for the things that are really important, it's critical that you don't take on everything yourself. Delegating housework and errands to family members will not only ease your daily burden, but it will also eliminate a lot of anxiety and stress, because you'll know things are getting done and not piling up because you're too tired to attend to them. Give your children age-appropriate chores to do, and enlist the help of your spouse as much as possible. If you can afford to do it, hire people to do some regular work around your house, such as housekeeping, attending to the lawn, running errands or cooking.

4. Make the Time to Socialize

When you have chronic fatigue syndrome, you'll often be too tired to leave your bed. While the rest of your family and friends get on with the business of life, you may start to feel left out, lonely and forgotten. Combat the loneliness by scheduling time to visit with friends and family when you're feeling up to it. If at all possible, have them come over to your house, even if they have to visit with you in your bedroom while you're resting. Talk to people on the phone and send emails as much as possible when you're just not up for visitors, and you'll maintain your connection with the world.