Been signed off sick, so not working but not sure what to do with my time…

[crumblingatwork]

Been having a really terrible time with anxiety and vomiting and pressure at work. Been signed off yday. Now not sure how best to rest. Prowled round the house yday.
what should I do to recover?

What do you enjoy doing? I always think walking in beautiful locations is good for the soul. Is there somewhere nice you can talk a walk?

Take your favourite book or podcast to the park and sit with a nice coffee watching the world go by.

Go see a film during the day like you never get chance to when working.

Take out a 30-day gym membership and go to whatever classes they run - you might find something new that you love!

But I hear you - going from a million miles an hour to zero throws you. Doing nothing / very little feels wrong. It’s not. You’re off for a reason, so relax in whatever way you need.

Be kind to yourself.

The adrenaline in your system will be what's making you "prowl". As you recover, it'll lessen.

Personally, I'd do a mix of things, use the need to "do something" to tackle a simple house job in the morning (couple of hours sorting my clothes out for charity for example), make myself a good lunch, and then do something fun but relaxing in the afternoon (crafting/gardening/reading/walking/yoga would be my choices)

I think a walk outside everyday would be a non-negotiable too, as it always helps me feel better

Do you usually exercise? I would try to include some movement in your day, gentle walking absolutely fine to start with if that's all you feel up to

Allow yourself to sleep in the day if you feel you need it

Any gentle hobbies you would like to get into now you have some time? Cooking, yoga, crafting?

Eat well - lots of plants, protein, fibre. Watch your sugar intake and avoid alcohol. Plenty of water

Treat yourself as if you're recovering from flu. Take everything slowly

Hope you're feeling better soon

Make the most of the good weather and spend time outside, walking in woodland and sitting in the shade when it's too hot.

Is there anywhere outside you can go for a swim? Local lido? Spa?

Try some easy reading. Shops are full of 'beach reads' at the moment, this book might be something you can relate to and help you see the path to recovery:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burnout-hilarious-romantic-comedy-bestselling-ebook/dp/B0BZH6Q8GN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

I'm not the sort of person who can just do nothing even when signed off work so I would maybe tackle some things around the house that needed doing. DIY or cleaning.
Some walking ( I live near a country park) esp with the lovely weather at the moment. Take a book and stop somewhere with a coffee or picnic for the afternoon
Fitness classes or gym as I like that sort of thing.
Hobby stuff - I love to bake and find it relaxing.

Maybe a treat day of a spa, or lunch out or a shopping trip if needed.

Whatever feeds your soul. I would agree with making sure you get some physical activity each day but beyond that, do what you love and what will help your peace of mind.

DIY/decorating or learn a new language?

When my doctor signed me off in similar circumstances he expressly told me to "exercise and socialise"

So go for a nice walk and soak up your surroundings, or do some gardening, or meet with a friend?

OMG OP are you me? I am currently sitting at home, swallowing back nausea, and psyching myself up to go for a walk.

I'll keep checking this thread for more excellent tips, thank you everyone

What do you feel up to?

I retired early on medical grounds and people kept saying "exercise", "meet people" etc. Some days I needed to just do nothing. Sit mindlessly with a box set for a day, couple of times a week, and then gradually realise I was healing and able to do more.

In a similar situation a few years ago, I was surprised to find that for a while it was an achievement if I managed to get up, get dressed, have something to eat, and sit on the sofa staring at the walls. But if you're feeling able to do a bit more than that, it's fine to go out and do the things you don't have time to do when you're at work, even if it's only going for short walks or going to a café, getting a drink and a cake, and staring at different walls.

The inertia that overcame me when I first went on sick leave was terrifying at the time, but it was necessary to recover and it gradually lifted.

This. Your system sounds like it's stuck in fight or flight and the "flight" is causing the prowling. I'd go for a combination of moving your body in whatever way feels good, try some different things, and relaxation, so guided meditations, long baths, and cooking really good food that's going to get you back on track. If you can get some laughing and a few hugs in there too all the better.

Weights, resistance training. Don’t have to be super heavy but will give the adrenaline somewhere to go!

I posted a very similar thread 2 years ago. I'd recommend using the time to work on your mental health. Not sure what's available in your area but I was referred to self-led CBT through Mind, which was really helpful, and I also got a lot out of self-help books and podcasts for anxiety and the Balance app for mindfulness exercises. Now I'm back at work, I find it really hard to make time for this stuff even though I know I'd still benefit but at least I have a good base. Also, counselling if you can afford it. I also did a lot of cooking, getting jobs done around the house and meeting up with friends. I would recommend not putting too much pressure on yourself - it's also good just to sit and take your mind off things. I got through some good boxsets on streaming. Take care of yourself - it sounds like it's all very recent and will take time for your body to come out of panic mode.

Oh you poor loves - I’ve been there so have such sympathy - your nervous system has been super aroused and got stuck there causing all these symptoms - so definitely gentle walking and gentleness to bring it back into the calmer resting state where we feel ok.

give yourself time - a bit each day and lots of good foods and water

If you feel like you need to keep busy, Gardening can be quite a mindful thing plus outside and gets you moving
Journalling or writing down any thoughts which are making your prowl?

Go for a swim, especially if you can go to a nice place, is there a smart gym nearby you could join or get a day pass for?

Cook something new, something really nourishing or a treat for you. Or, an old favourite that you don't normally make.

But also it's ok to do nothing, to rest, watch a new or old favourite TV show. Something which you know will make you laugh maybe.

I'm considering whether to ask for time off due to an unsustainable workload and expectations, so really I'm just thinking what I'd do but obviously it needs to be what you love so I would go with whatever of the suggestions so far strikes a chord with you. Take care x

Thank you all for kind replies. Can’t believe it’s only 1045

I was signed off for 6 weeks with severe depression. For the first week and a half I couldn’t do anything but stay in bed. The rest of the time I put my headphones on and went on long dog walks whilst listening to music or podcasts. I never actually enjoyed walking before but now I do

Agree with posters who say don’t put pressure on yourself

During a similarly stressful period (being made redundant) I spent the first few weeks tidying the house, making myself nutritious food & going for walks

When I felt a bit better I added yoga classes to the mix - and being around other people in the day helped (I was younger so friends worked FT and not available to meet)

Enjoy some peace & the good weather and hopefully in a few days even you will start to feel better

I had a long period of time out of work last year due to severe burn out. My mind was so frayed and friable I found even small tasks completely overwhelming.

In the initial few months the best advice came from my GP who said “Imagine you are recovering from a very severe case of pneumonia and you’ve just come home from hospital. Be kind and gentle to yourself in just the same way, it’s going to take a while to recover.”

I took that advice to heart and I did very little. I gave myself permission to sleep whenever I felt tired. I listened to Steven Fry reading the Harry Potter series. I ate healthy food. I didn’t drink alcohol. I said no to all social events. I pottered about in the house.

Following that my recovery included counselling. Going for a walk every day. A complete reset with regards to social media. Rediscovering a joy in reading. Finally I came to a place where I could make decisions about what I wanted to do with my career.

Best wishes for your recovery x

I've been there and it's terrible. I felt like I wasn't sick sick so felt guilty doing nice things but taking it slow and doing things you enjoy are absolutely part of your recovery.

Once I was signed off, I think everything hit me at once so I slept for ages. However, after a few days, I did things I enjoyed.

• went to yoga or the gym
• went for a coffee and read a book
• visited friends
• organised things in the house that I couldn't get round to until I was signed off
• watched box sets and films

Just take it easy and do things you enjoy for now. Don't put pressure on yourself to do anything.

I also used the time to organise face to face therapy which was hugely beneficial and something I couldn't pursue when working.

Go to bed early. Wake up and go for a walk while it's nice and cool outside, yoga, declutter a drawer or cupboard, spring clean a room, read a chapter of a book, listen to a meditation podcast, journal, plan and batch cook healthy meals to freeze. Sit in the garden with a cuppa and listen to the birds...

Try a puzzle, even if you are not sure / sure you're not a puzzle person.

I started off pretty much swapping between being in bed or knitting. Then added walks, gaming and sorting out cupboards of old stuff. Eventually got back to normal social life, and then to work. All the best!