If you are set to undergo surgery on your foot or ankle in the coming days, you are probably wondering how you’ll pass the time during your recovery period when you can’t be all that active. Scrolling on your phone for a bit or checking out a new Netflix series is fine, but if you’re looking to unplug a bit and avoid screens, what can you do to pass the time and keep your brain engaged? In today’s blog, we take a look at 10 tech-free ways to pass the time while you’re recovering after foot or ankle surgery.
Recovering With Screens
If you want to pass the time without staring at a screen after foot or ankle surgery, keep these activities in mind:
1. Grab A Book – Head to the library before surgery to grab a few books that you’ve had your eye on for a while.
2. Puzzles – Set up a table and dive into a 500- or 1,000-piece puzzle to pass the time during your recovery.
3. Crosswords – You can also buy a book of crossword puzzles or Sudoku puzzles to keep your brain engaged while you recover.
4. Call A Friend – Pick up your phone and give a friend or family member that you haven’t spoken with in a while a call to catch up.
5. Write A Letter – Write a letter to friends or family. Everyone likes getting hand-written letters from loved ones, so pass the time by writing an “old school” letter to someone.
6. Start A New Hobby – Have you ever wanted to learn to play the guitar or cross-stitch? Now’s the time.
7. Continuing Ed – Don’t fall behind on your schoolwork if you have to miss class after surgery, or use this time to pick up continuing education credits if you have a licenses that requires you to pursue CE credits at regular intervals.
8. Make Lists – You can also pass the time by making lists. You can start listing birthday or holiday gift ideas for loved ones so that you’re ready when the time comes, or you can just challenge yourself to see how long of a list you can create. How many fruits can you name? How many animals that start with the letter “C” can you name? Have some fun making lists.
9. Read Up On Your Rehab – Odds are you have some reading materials from your care team that you can read during your recovery. Learn more about your operation and recovery so there are no surprises and you’ll be armed with the knowledge of how you can help your rehabilitation along.
10. Board Games – Gather the family around your recovery area and play some board games! Play a new game each night and see who is the overall champion by the week’s end!