The one tweak that makes homework stick
Let’s talk homework.
When therapy tasks don’t get done between sessions, we’re quick to label it “forgetting.” But it’s rarely just memory. More often, it’s about how the task is built into life or not.
When I coach physio and EP colleagues, the tweak I share is simple but game-changing:
Make the homework functional.
Ask yourself (and teach others to ask):
When will the client actually do it?
Can it be stacked onto something already in their day?
Would a quick checklist, cue, or visual help?
Do support staff know what it is and why it matters?
Could we make it more occupation-focused, not just rote reps?
Take me, for example. After years of practice, I still don’t magically remember my own rehab tasks (hello, Achilles recovery). What works? Calf raises while I brush my teeth >> Functional.
When we show teams this way of thinking, it reframes non-adherence. It’s not laziness or low motivation > it’s our lens of functional cognition in action. That single tweak changes how physios, EPs, and support staff plan, teach, and follow up. It makes therapy tasks doable in real life.
It’s not just about handing out exercises. It’s about teaching everyone; clients, carers, colleagues on how to set tasks that live in everyday routines. That’s where functional cognition becomes visible and powerful.
Until next time,
Imogen
