Creating your return-to-work plan

After a stroke, many people want to know how long it will be before their life goes back to "normal." And a big part of that is going back to work.

This returning process can take time, however. Time for you to feel well enough and time for you (and your employer) to put any necessary support in place.

If returning to work is important to you, it's a good idea to create a return to work plan.

What is a return to work plan?

A return to work plan is a plan of action for someone wanting to go back to work after a stroke. It will include information about:

• the stroke survivor's needs,
• how their employer can support them,
• plans on how to manage the effects of stroke at work,
• and, if someone is phasing their return, how each phase will look

You can find more detailed information by clicking here to view our "Returning to work after a stroke" guide.

Before writing your return to work plan

Before you start writing your return to work plan, there are a few things you should consider:

Communicate with your employer

It is vitally important that you keep your employer in the loop during your recovery. Don't feel that you have to provide them in-depth medical information. But communicating how your recovery is going can help them understand where you are in the process.

Employers don’t always have an understanding of stroke. You may also wish to share our 'Complete guide to stroke for employers' with them.

Explore different types of therapy

Following a stroke you may need or want to work with different types of therapists. There are lots of different kinds of therapists who can help you return to work. For example, working with an occupational therapist can help when building up your return-to-work plan (see this video for more information.

Practice working and travelling

When writing your return to work plan, practicing both the actual work and travelling to/from work can be helpful. Practicing your tasks will help you get an idea of how long you can work and what you feel that you can do (see this video for a stroke survivor's experience.)

Doing some test runs of your commute can also help you identify what works and what doesn't. This practice can give you insight into how much it may impact your energy levels when you first arrive. You may need to consider alternatives to how you used to travel. Take look into the Access to Work scheme for support with travelling to work.

Phasing your return to work

Many people manage their return to work in phases, starting with returning part time and taking on simple tasks to start with. Once you feel confident and have built up some stamina, you can gradually build up the hours and tasks over time.

When writing a phased return to work plan, speak with your employer about what each phase will look like. Once you have finished, make sure both you and your employer have a written copy of this phased return to work plan.

When writing up each phase, there are a few things to consider:

• How many hours will you work each day? Each week?
• What practical support will you need?
• What tasks will you be given? And how heavy will the work load be?
• How often will you and your employer review your progress?

The next few sections will cover these questions in more detail.

Length of your day

Think about when you practiced your travel and other work tasks. What do you feel like you can achieve right now? What do you think you will be able to achieve in a few weeks or months?

The goal of this part of your plan is to build up your stamina, without exhausting yourself.

Plan out how long your day will be in each phase. Build in breaks and recovery periods into your work day.

Make a plan for how you will extend your hours and communicate your progress with your employer.

Practical support at work

Speak with your occupational and physiotherapists to talk what practical support you may need. Discuss these with your employer.

Some people will need a new chair to better support them. Others may need a quieter work space or extra breaks in their day.

You may also want to talk to your employer and/or GP about emotional support and counselling. Returning to work can be stressful and you want to have support in place before you start.

Tasks and work load

In the first phase of your return to work plan, discuss with your employer and medical team what you feel currently able to tackle. Look at what you can do right now and start there.

When Andrew wanted to return to working as a magazine photographer, he started small. This gave him an introduction back into the world of photography.

Schedule regular reviews

It's important to be regularly reviewing your progress with your employer and medical team. Sit down at least once a week with your employer to discuss what's working and what isn't.

Be honest. If it's too much right now, you can always scale back and then build up again. Be patient with yourself: celebrate your achievements but don't let setbacks weigh you down.

Everyone will have different reasons they want to return to work. They will also have different goals for when they get there. So it's no surprise that everyone will have a different return to work plan.

If you'd like to discuss your return to work with other stroke survivors, you can also join our forum. Click this link to read what others have said in the Work and Benefits section.

You can read more about your rights at work after a stroke by clicking this link.