We all want to learn how to better manage our chronic health conditions. It is important to understand that when dealing with a physical condition or mental health issue, both the health provider’s role and ours is different than when treating acute health problems such as the flu or and infection. No matter what we do, it is important that we manage our chronic health condition every day. First we must choose to be either (a) A passive manager or (b) an active manager.
If the choice is to be an active manager, then we must be willing to take on 3-Self Management Tasks:
- Take care of our Health condition – take your medicine, exercise, change the way we eat
- Carry out normal activities – chores, employment, social life
- Manage emotional changes – knowing that there will be emotional “ups” and “downs” and that the “downs” are not pits to crawl out of, but natural ups and downs that we all have in life.
Self-management skills are the abilities that allow people to control their thoughts, feelings and actions. If you have strong self-management skills, you’re able to set goals independently and take the initiative to achieve them. Improving your self-management skills can help you increase your ability to better manage your health and daily routines. Throughout this week we shall introduce and describe 13 self-management tools that each of us can use to improve our health.
