Keep Up with Your Daily Routine

Two women practicing yoga — Credit: National Cancer Institute

If you feel well enough, keep up with your daily routine. This includes:

Going to work
Spending time with family and friends
Taking part in activities
Going on trips

Think about how you want to spend your time and who you like to be with. What makes you happy? What types of things do you enjoy the most?

My cancer made me take a closer look at how I spend my days. I vowed to use my time in ways that were good for me or brought me pleasure.

Lindsay

Have Fun

You can still have joy in your life while having cancer. Sometimes people with cancer try new, fun things that they have never done before. For instance, have you always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon or go on a boat cruise? What fun things have you always wanted to try, but have never taken the time to do?

Try to do something just for fun, not because you have to do it. But be careful not to tire yourself out. Some people get depressed when they are too tired. Make sure to get enough rest so you feel strong and can enjoy these fun activities.

Look for What Makes You Laugh and Smile

Is cancer life-threatening? Yes, but why die mad? So I joked about it all the way through, and I think it helped me.

Ari

If you like to joke with your friends and family don't stop now. For many people, humor is a way to gain a sense of control. Laughter can help you relax. When you laugh, your brain releases chemicals that produce pleasure and relax your muscles. Even a smile can fight off stressful thoughts. Of course, you may not always feel like laughing, but other people have found that these ideas can help:

Ask people to send you funny cards
Enjoy the amusing things children and pets do
Watch funny movies or TV shows
Listen to comedy recordings and podcasts
Buy a funny desk calendar
Read humor-related books or articles
Check out websites and videos on the Internet. If you don't own a computer, use one at your local library

You may even find that you can laugh at yourself. "I went by to help a friend this summer, and it was really hot, so I took my wig off," one woman said. "I got ready to go and I couldn't find it. After searching high and low, I found it hanging from her dog's mouth. But I just stuck it on my head and went home. My husband said, 'What happened?' Needless to say that wig has never been the same."

Benefits of Exercise. Exercise to reduce any cancer-related symptoms and improve how you feel. Exercise can: boost mental health; improve sleep; reduce fatigue; strengthen immune system; help lose weight; decrease pain and increase mobility and strength. Cancer.gov/nci-connect — View and Print Infographic

Exercise and Physical Activity

Research shows many people find they have more energy when they take part in physical activities such as swimming, walking, yoga, and biking. They find that these types of exercise, or anything that gets their body moving, helps to keep them strong and makes them feel good. A bit of exercise every day:

Improves your chances of feeling better
Keeps your muscles toned
Speeds your healing
Decreases fatigue
Controls stress
Increases appetites
Decreases constipation
Helps free your mind of bad thoughts

Even if you have never exercised before, you can start now. Choose something you think you'd like to do, and get your doctor's okay to try it. There are things you can do even if you have to stay in bed.

Set Goals to Look Forward to

You may find it helpful to look beyond your treatment and think about what you want to do when you feel well again. Many people set goals so that they can work toward something. For example, they research and plan a trip, or they think about classes and learning things they’ve always meant to learn. They may look forward to going to a wedding or meeting a new grandchild.