Occupational Therapy is the way
Most people know what it feels like to be tired. A bad night’s sleep, a big week at work, a cold that’s hung around too long. But fatigue — the kind that makes getting through a single workday feel impossible — is something else entirely. It doesn’t go away after a rest. It can make concentrating, making decisions, and completing even routine tasks feel genuinely overwhelming.
For many Australians recovering from illness, injury, or living with a chronic health condition, fatigue is the single biggest thing standing between them and getting back to work. Some good news: occupational therapy has a strong track record in helping people manage fatigue — and find a realistic path back to the working life they want/need.
Not just tiredness
Fatigue that interferes with daily life is common across a wide range of health conditions — including long COVID, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. It shows up physically (heavy limbs, pain, low stamina), cognitively (brain fog, poor concentration, forgetfulness), and emotionally (feeling overwhelmed by things that used to be easy).
The word “occupational” in occupational therapy doesn’t just mean paid work — it refers to all the meaningful activities that fill your days, from caring for family to cooking dinner to doing your job. But for most adults, returning to work sits high on the list of goals, and research consistently shows OT can play a meaningful role in making that happen.
What your OT will do
An OT’s starting point is your life — not just your diagnosis. They look at your job, your home environment, your daily routines, and the specific tasks that drain you most. From there, they build a plan that fits your situation rather than a one-size-fits-all program.
A 2022 systematic review found that fatigue self-management programs led by occupational therapists — covering approaches like energy conservation, activity pacing, and structured exercise — produced significant reductions in fatigue, and improvements in quality of life across a range of chronic conditions. OTs are trained to help you work smarter when your energy reserves are limited.
Energy conservation and pacing
Two strategies are at the heart of OT fatigue management.
Energy conservation means completing the tasks you need to do while using the least amount of energy possible. This might mean reorganising your workspace so everything is within easy reach, sitting instead of standing for certain jobs, batching similar tasks together, or timing your most demanding work for the part of the day when your energy is at its highest.
Activity pacing — sometimes shortened to just “pacing” — means spreading activity across your day rather than going flat out and then crashing. It’s about finding a level of activity your body can sustain, and then gradually increasing it over time as your capacity improves.
Research on OT-based energy management programs — including work done with people recovering from long COVID — has shown that these approaches help people understand their fatigue patterns, build effective personal strategies, and feel more confident managing their daily lives.
Planning a return to work
Getting back to work after illness or injury is rarely a single moment. It’s a process. An OT can map out a phased return — starting with reduced hours or modified duties and gradually building back up — so you’re not setting yourself up to fail on day one.
They can also work with your employer on workplace adjustments: changes to your workspace, task modifications, flexible scheduling, or ways to reduce the cognitive load (the mental effort your job demands) while you rebuild your stamina.
A 2025 review found that OT interventions, particularly when tailored to the individual and delivered early, positively influenced return-to-work rates for people with both physical and mental health conditions. It’s money in the bank. Early, personalised support made the biggest difference.
Start with what you know
If fatigue is making it hard to work — or even to imagine working again — a useful first step is to track your energy across the day for a week. Note when you feel sharpest and when you hit a wall. This pattern is often the first thing an OT will want to understand, and having it mapped out gives you a meaningful start.
From there, an OT can help you turn that information into a practical plan — one built around your actual life.
The Therapy Inc, OTs take the time to understand your situation and build a plan that actually fits. Let’s chat. Ask a question or set up a consultation here.
References
- Maribo, T., Pallesen, H., Handberg, C., Vindbjerg, E., & Trenckmann, U. (2022). Fatigue self-management led by occupational therapists and/or physiotherapists for chronic conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Rehabilitation, 36(2), 149–163. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9397391/
- Preissner, K., & Preissner, M. (2022). Occupational Therapy-Based Energy Management Education in People with Post-COVID-19 Condition-Related Fatigue: Results from a Focus Group Discussion. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5550. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9023185/
- Romsland, G. I., Grenness, A., Hjelle, E. G., Sveen, U., & Askim, T. (2024). Energy Management Education in Persons with Long COVID-Related Fatigue: Insights from Focus Group Results on Occupational Therapy Approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(2), 124. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10815414/
- Fogg, L., Banwell, A., Radford, K., Kettlewell, J., & Bhattacharya, S. (2025). The effectiveness of occupational therapy supporting return to work for people who sustain serious injuries or develop long-term (physical or mental) health conditions: A systematic review. PLOS ONE. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12033565/
- Braveman, B., & Page, J. J. (2012). Occupational therapy and return to work: a systematic literature review. Work, 43(1), 3–16. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3163552/
- Tsai, P. C., Yip, J. C., Chan, C. C. H., & Chan, A. S. (2023). Energy conservation, minimum steps, and adaptations when needed: A scoping review. PLOS ONE. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9716468/