Improve Your Cognition After a Brain Injury By Using These 5 Strategies
Have you had a stroke, concussion, or traumatic brain injury and noticed changes in your thinking and memory? Are you finding it difficult to complete daily activities and finding yourself getting overwhelmed and easily fatigued? Here are five small strategies that can significantly impact cognitive changes after a stroke or TBI.
1. Plan out the task beforehand
When you think of too much at once, you run the risk of cognitive fatigue. Pick one task to complete and write down the steps in order, the materials you will need, when you can complete the task, and how long it will take to complete. This is an excellent way to organize your thoughts and set yourself up for success. Set a reasonable time limit for yourself to complete the task. For example, you have wanted to organize your closet but feel overwhelmed about where to start. List out the steps you need to take to complete this (i.e., making a donate and keep pile, folding the clothes, etc.) and focus on that for 30 minutes, then take a break. Make sure you don't push yourself too far by working on it for hours because you increase the risk of cognitive fatigue.
2. Use a planner
More often than not, people try to remember everything in their heads. Whether it's appointment times or our grocery list, it's not a failure to write things down. Using a planner to offload information will allow you to focus on more important things. Pick a planner that works for you; do you want a small and portable planner or a wall calendar that you hang in your kitchen? Whichever it may be, writing down daily appointments and events will help alleviate memory overload. Get into the habit of not only writing down your medical appointments but also lunch dates with friends, deadlines for work, etc.
3. Use your phone
We all have our phones on us 24/7, so let's use them to our advantage! You can use your phone as a tool to set daily reminders for appointments or important information you need to remember. You can also use your phone's calendar to put daily appointments/events in and get notified when they are coming up. Have you ever used the voice command feature "Siri" on your phone? Siri is a valuable tool to utilize because your phone will do the bulk of the work for you. By simply stating, "Hey Siri," you can tell your phone to do numerous things. For example, while preparing dinner, you can tell your phone to set a timer for you by stating, "Hey Siri, set a timer for 15 minutes." The opportunities on our phones are endless!
4. Pay attention to one thing at a time
You may notice that you get distracted more easily when a lot is happening in your environment. Limit the number of distractions around you, especially when trying to complete a task. For example, if you are paying a bill, turn off any competing noise, whether it's the TV or music. Bring only the materials you need into a quiet room and clear off the rest of the table, so you don't get distracted and overstimulated.
5. Make To-Do lists and prioritize
Making to-do lists can help prioritize your day-to-day activities. Write down the things you need to complete for that day and cross them off once you finish them. Remember, there is such a thing as "too organized." Don't create a list that is too long to handle because you will become overwhelmed and discouraged when the list is not completed. Prioritize and highlight the most important things first to complete for that day. Then you can tackle the remaining items on the list in order of priority. Set an achievable goal for yourself, and don't pile on the responsibilities too high!
After having a stroke or TBI, it may feel like your brain isn't working the way it once was. These cognitive changes can be very discouraging, but with some help from a speech-language pathologist, you will see improvements in your daily life! If you have noticed any changes to your memory, attention, or executive functioning, reach out for a cognitive evaluation! (716) 817-8855
Neuro Speech Solutions is the only speech therapy private practice in Buffalo, NY that specializes in adult neurological rehabilitation. Our specialty is in brain injury, including stroke, TBI, and concussions, as well as neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia. All of our SLPs are dedicated to providing evidence-based neuro therapy that will help you target the impairments you may be experiencing in a way that fits with your daily life. If you are searching for an SLP, give us a call and see what makes our clinic different than the rest!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Morgan, MS, CCC-SLP
Sarah is a speech-language pathologist with Neuro Speech Solutions. A native of Syracuse, she moved to Buffalo to specialize in adult neurogenic speech therapy. Sarah enjoys working with clients post-stroke and brain injury to help them communicate their thoughts and feelings and return to doing the things they love.
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