Should I keep my normal routine during cancer treatment?

If you feel well enough, yes. The National Cancer Institute encourages people to keep up their daily routine during cancer treatment — going to work, spending time with family and friends, taking part in activities, and even going on trips — because routine can offer a sense of normalcy during treatment.

How much of your routine you can keep depends on your energy, your treatment schedule, and how you're feeling physically and emotionally. What works can shift from week to week; a routine that feels manageable early in treatment might need adjusting later, and that's normal rather than a setback. NCI also notes the importance of doing something for fun, looking for what makes you laugh, and setting goals to look forward to.

Physical activity is part of this too — activities like walking, swimming, yoga, or biking may give many people more energy and help control stress, but it's important to get your doctor's okay first, since what's appropriate depends on your treatment.

Talk with your care team about which parts of your routine make sense to keep, and which might need to flex during treatment.