Giving Yourself Time to Recover

Post-Operation Reflections and Advice

Recovering from an operation requires patience and self-care. I am three weeks post-operation and have learned the importance of allowing oneself adequate time to heal. My surgery was thankfully a straight forward day procedure on a Monday, and by the Wednesday, I was already back at work. Working from home played a significant role in my ability to return so quickly, allowing me to protect myself from potential risks and set up a conducive work environment and of course a reminder of how technology is an enabler for accessibility needs.

However, I was on painkillers throughout that first week, which definitely aren’t best for my head as I learnt. ?Sleep was also challenging, leading to a combination of tiredness and the effects of medication, which was probably the unexpected element to manage. I did however, take this last week off spending most of my time resting and recovering.

This experience reminded me of a conversation with one of my team members, Jess, who asked if I had returned to work too soon. In hindsight, despite the ability of home working the answer is probably "a little". While working from home provides flexibility, a proper physical setup, protected environment and good technology the last three weeks have underscored the necessity of giving oneself sufficient time to recuperate sufficiently whatever your scenario is.

The combination of the operation, anaesthetics, painkillers, and poor sleep quality has made it clear that recovery should not be rushed. Therefore, I advise anyone going through a similar experience to ensure they give themselves ample time to recover fully. As a manager of a team, I understand the importance of fostering an environment where we support each other's recovery and well-being and this personal experience give to deeper empathy to others needs.

In conclusion, prioritizing recovery leads to better long-term outcomes, both personally and professionally. So, let's ensure we give ourselves and others the necessary time to recuperate effectively.

[This note was prepared in Word using Dictate and Copilot with some final draft editing]