COPD Tips: Conserving Energy While Working with COPD

When you have COPD your energy is low, everyday tasks may appear daunting. Use these tips to think about how you can organize your home core and work environment to save energy.

House & Yard Work

Common tasks around the home and yard can be taxing to people with COPD. Some of these jobs, like cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn, also may put you in contact with airborne irritants. Here are some ideas for lessening the impact of routine chores on your health and ability to breathe.

¨ Decide which jobs are essential and which are not required to make your home comfortable and attractive.

¨ Delegate. Ask family members to help with specific assignments and tasks.

¨ Straighten up rooms as you go. Never leave a room empty handed.

¨ Enlist help for vacuuming and leave the house while it's being done to avoid exposure to the dust.

¨ Use a riding lawn mower, or better yet, get someone to mow your lawn for you.

¨ Sit down when gardening and use long-handled tools to minimize reaching.

At Work

Unless you have a lung disease, you may not notice all the little tasks around your office or workplace that can drain your energy. The stress and physical demands of commuting, carrying heavy books or papers, and sitting for hours at a desk or computer can all demand energy. Consider these ideas for pacing yourself and rethinking how you work.

¨ Take rests from talking! Using your voice can be tiring for people with breathing problems.

¨ Request a handicapped parking space, if there is a long walk from the parking lot to your office.

¨ Use a rolling briefcase or folding luggage cart to transport work items to and from your office.

¨ Keep your arms supported when using your hands for writing or computer work. Rest your forearms on your desk.

¨ Put items you use most in drawers or shelves that are between waist and shoulder level, so you don't have to bend down or reach up.

If your job requires physical exertion:

¨ Avoid lifting and bending as much as you can. Roll, push, pull, or slide objects instead.

¨ Learn pursed lip breathing techniques and use them before exerting yourself.

¨ Lift with your legs, use both hands, and carry things close to your body.

¨ Avoid rapid, jerky arm motions as this can cause shortness of breath and fatigue.

¨ Maintain good posture. Using your body properly saves energy.

¨ If you can, do the most strenuous activities at a time of day when you have the most energy.

¨ Break big jobs into smaller steps. Or put a restful activity between strenuous activities.

¨ Use slow, deep breathing during exertion to minimize breathlessness.