One of the things you may have learned in your substance abuse treatment program is that leading a chaotic life contributed to your drug or alcohol addiction. If you are going to recover from substance abuse, you need a healthy recovery routine. A recovery routine in GA keeps you on track, gives you direction, and keeps your mind off your addiction. It will also help you prioritize your life and provide you with structure after rehab at Atlanta Detox Center.
How to Create a Healthy Recovery Routine
Here are some steps you can take to create a healthy recovery routine beginning with setting up a daily routine. Having an idea of how you want your day to go is different from sitting down and mapping it out on paper. When creating a routine, you want every minute within a 24-hour span accounted for. This includes work, family time, alone time, meals, sleep, personal errands, exercise routines, and any other item that takes up your time.
Your routine on the weekend may look different than it does on Monday through Friday. So, give yourself some flexibility if not every day looks the same. For instance, your days off may look completely different than the days you are working. There may be certain commitments you have on some days that you do not have on others. Make sure your healthy recovery routine fits into your lifestyle. Do not force your lifestyle into an unrealistic routine.
Prioritize Your Recovery
Once you begin to create your daily routine, you will quickly fill up the hours. Work, sleep, and meals will take up over 80 percent of your day. Plus, you may have family commitments and errands to run. All these items can easily push your recovery efforts aside. However, if you do not make time for a healthy recovery routine, you may crash and burn in all other areas.
Therefore, you should prioritize your alcohol addiction treatment program, as well as other areas of your recovery, such as:
- Support groups
- Individual therapy program
- Family therapy program
- Meditation/mindfulness
- Alumni program
Schedule your therapy sessions and support group meetings in advance and stick to them. Right now, therapy may seem like it is competing with other areas of your life. However, your recovery is the most critical area in your life, as it will help you with all other life priorities.
Carefully Monitor Sleep, Diet, and Exercise
Three areas are critical to your recovery: plenty of sleep, a balanced diet, and daily exercise or activity. Sleep is critical to helping you maintain an active lifestyle and keeping you mentally stable. If you are exhausted all the time, you are likely to relapse. At a minimum, you should get eight hours of sleep. Also, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time. This helps your entire body adjust to a routine.
Next, eat healthily and do not skip meals. Your body will grow accustomed to processing food and energy at the same time every day. If you skip meals or eat whenever you can, it will throw your body’s schedule off. Last, try to get in physical activity every day. You do not have to go at it hard at the gym. You can exercise on some days and take a walk on others. Physical activity is good for the mind and body and keeps you in a positive mindset.
Schedule Some Personal Time
You need some you time. This does not mean time to catch up on all your work or obligations. Instead, it means time to devote to having personal fun, personal growth, or even having a hobby. During your individual therapy program, you may have discovered that you are good at or are interested in. If so, you can start there.
Devoting time to yourself and your interests is a great way of promoting self-worth and value. It is okay to be selfish and have me alone if your alone time is positive and does not lead to a relapse.
Develop a Recovery Routine at Atlanta Detox Center
If you would like to learn how to develop a recovery routine in GA, then contact Atlanta Detox Center at 470.450.2355. We can help you develop a healthy recovery routine that promotes lifelong recovery from addiction. Call us today to get started with your treatment plan.
