The Importance of Routine in Recovery
Patients at our residential rehab in Massachusetts follow a strict schedule. Daily programming typically includes individual and group activities that focus not only on working through addiction but also on developing healthier habits. When you leave a drug rehab, you may become complacent and start to deviate from this routine, but doing so can lead to trouble. There are several benefits of routine in addiction recovery including not only getting healthy but also reducing the risk of relapse. Addiction can destroy someone’s physical and mental health. Prioritizing your health with regular exercise, a healthy diet, and a good sleep schedule can not only help you heal from the damage caused by years of addiction but have also all been shown to reduce the risk of relapse.1,2,3 Similarly, boredom, as well as high levels of stress and lacking a feeling of purpose, are all common reasons for relapse. A healthy daily schedule in recovery can help you fill your free time, set time aside to de-stress, and give you a sense of purpose that motivates you to keep moving forward. All together a healthy routine in recovery could greatly increase someone’s chances of finding lasting recovery.
What to Include in A Healthy Routine in Recovery
What you include in your routine is just as important as creating a routine in recovery at all. In general, a healthy routine in recovery should include:
- Recovery meetings/continued care
- Regular exercise
- A nutritious diet
- A regular sleep schedule
- Self-care
- Work/school
- Hobbies/a passion project
- Social time
- Reflection/meditation
Because everyone has unique needs or specific areas of their life they want to focus on improving after getting sober, addiction recovery routines can vary from person to person. Find something that works for you and your life.
How to Create A Routine in Addiction Recovery
Even though you may understand the importance of building a routine in recovery, finding the motivation to stick to it can be much harder. Follow these ten helpful tips for creating a routine in recovery and following through with it include:
- Make your sobriety your priority
- Write down a daily and weekly routine
- Be consistent with your schedule
- Start with small changes and gradually work your way up to bigger ones
- Enlist friends or family members to keep you honest about your recovery routine or join you
- Try several different hobbies and activities before finding one you are passionate about
- Plan ahead when you know your regular recovery routine will be interrupted
- Set small goals and reward yourself when you achieve them
- Give yourself some flexibility and change your routine as needed so it works for you
- Make your recovery routine fun instead of viewing it as a chore
It is one thing to know how to create a daily routine after addiction and what to include it in but another to actually follow through with it. If you are struggling in recovery or feel that you are at risk of relapse, do not wait to get help. Our intensive outpatient program in Pittsfield gives people added support in early recovery to help them stay on track. To add us to your addiction recovery routine or just to learn more about our programs, contact us today. Our care team at Swift River is here to help.
