Focus

"Always remember, your focus determines your reality." – George Lucas

Focus. Not as easy to do sometimes after a stroke. 

You may find it easier to get distracted, harder to pay attention, and tougher to focus.

All of this is part of cognitive fatigue, which is common after a stroke.

I discovered that it was harder to focus on driving with the radio on right after my stroke. Strange as it sounds, it made me nervous for some reason. 

So, I turned it off. I learned that I got distracted when I was on the phone and the TV was on, even in the background. I went to another room to continue the conversation. Those small changes made a difference.

Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule really helped me focus, and the biggest benefit I’ve noticed is that I don’t wake up tired like I did before I started using it consistently.

Since I help care for someone else now, my phone is with me 24/7.  But I’ve found that leaving it where I can see it, screen side up, but on silent, gives me the option to answer or let it go to voicemail.

Other things that may be helpful include using a calendar or to-do lists, and setting alarms on your phone to remind you of appointments.

To keep from being overly tired or stressed, take rest breaks. Sometimes, just 10 minutes of downtime can change your entire outlook.

Your therapist can offer you lots of great resources and tools. Just ask. 

Staying focused is like everything else you take on: the more effort you put into it, the greater the impact.