Depends on exactly what you are having done ?
Had both of mine worked on now, as well as elbows and wrists, topped off with a spinal fusion at C5/C6.
Both my shoulders have had bone re-shaping and removal plus muscle/tendon repairs, including rotator cuff rebuild.
Before each operation I was told between 2 and 12 month for full recovery, scare mongering or covering their asses ?
Don't know which, but none have caused serious problems, first shoulder was painful but I was riding (gingerly) a motor cycle less than 3 weeks later.
Left shoulder was a bit stiff, and full movement took a while to come back, but I was driving in less than a week.
Spinal fusion, any sudden movement was painful for a month, but I went on a camping holiday 3 and ½ weeks after the opp, and did a clay shoot
and range day with rifles. Your body is the best gauge of what you can do, not the doctor, unless you rely on painkillers to get you by.
If you do that then sitting at home is the only safe way to go, as they will let you do damage to yourself.
I have another couple of spinal fusion to go through this year, not looking forward to them, but not terrible worried either, and I will do as much as I can as soon as I can.
Good luck with yours
Neil.