PACING
One of the best strategies for coping with your M.E. is pacing. This is done by rationing your activities so that you do not become over exhausted.

Find your baseline and halve it
Your baseline is the amount of activity that you can manage comfortably. Work this out, and then aim to do about half of it. As you get a little better, you can increase your activity slowly, but still keeping within your baseline.

Listen to your body
Your body is a great self-pacer. If you overdo it, you may be fine today, but you're probably going to suffer for it in the next couple of days! If your body says stop, then listen to it!

Take plenty of rest breaks
Few things are so important that they have to be done in one go. Try not to do any activity for more than about 20 minutes at a time. Even a short break can help, before you go back to the task. For long activities that you just have to do, try to think of a way of breaking them down into shorter steps.

Ask for help
A lot of us don't like asking for help. We think we're imposing on people, or admitting failure. You'll usually find that if you only ask, most people are only too willing to help you. It makes them feel needed, and people generally like to feel needed.

Use gadgets
If there are jobs you find difficult, is there any aid which will help you do it more easily? For example, using a long handled brush or mop is much easier than getting down on your hands and knees. Use furniture or fittings to pull yourself up from a bed or chair. You'll soon find ways to make things easier, and somewhere out there is usually someone who can supply what you need. Look at the disability catalogues: they have gadgets such as kettle tippers, bath rails, and all sorts of other things to make your life easier.

Plan ahead
If you have a big event coming up, visualise what you will be likely to do, and see if you can think of ways to make the day easier for you. And try to get plenty of rest beforehand, and factor in time for resting afterwards.