Daily Routine Changes in Recovery, Part One

One of the requests I received for post topics was how daily routines change in recovery. How do they change? Completely. Shifting from active addiction to addiction recovery is to change your life - everything in your life is affected. Even if some aspects of your daily routine don’t change (for example, you still go to work five days a week), your motivation and mindset change. Your daily routine no longer revolves around using drugs or alcohol.

Every addict lives life differently, so it’s hard to talk generally about how daily routines change in recovery. Some people will have radically different daily routines, while others may have relatively the same routine as before, minus the substance(s). Instead of using, the goal each day is to “stay on the wagon.” To accomplish this, routine is the key word. Everyone can benefit from a routine, but addicts especially.

Routines give stability, and stability is so important for people in recovery. If you have a shaky foundation, then that wagon you’re trying to hold onto will be very difficult to grasp. Without a routine, it’s harder to manage the unexpected, harder to cope with the normal ups and downs of life. Most of the time, people (in recovery or not) who have daily routines are happier and more secure than people who don’t.

To say it’s difficult to adjust to life without drugs or alcohol is an understatement. Everyone has different daily obligations that will affect their personal routine, but there are some things that almost everyone can incorporate into their day. For one thing, most people can stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Good sleep is absolutely essential for people in recovery - you already have enough things to worry about, and inconsistent sleep patterns/insufficient sleep will only make things harder. Choose a time to wake up every morning and go to sleep every night, and do your best to get eight hours of sleep in between. Get up within half-an-hour of your set times, even when you’re off work.

Good eating habits are also important in our routines. Try to eat three meals a day, around the same time every day, with small snacks in between. I won’t go into the details of having a healthy diet, because there’s simply too much to cover and it strays a bit from our topic. Overall, your diet should consist of plenty of water, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. Try to avoid junk.

Exercise is another thing everyone should have in their routine. Personal time is another. Every day, set aside a certain time that’s meant for you to relax and de-stress. This can be time to meditate, pray, take a bath, write in a journal, read, or do whatever it is that helps you center yourself. This personal time is essential - it helps you stay in tune with your body and emotions so you can stay on the right path in recovery.

How did your daily routine change when you entered recovery? Do you keep a consistent sleep schedule, healthy eating habits, exercise, and personal time? Tomorrow I’m going to write about another important aspect of changing your daily routine, so stay tuned...

Lisa M. Hann is a freelance writer and author who specializes in addiction recovery. She holds a B.A. in Journalism from Temple University. She resides in New Jersey with her son. She has been sober since 2010 and is a Caron PA alum. She is the author of "How to Have Fun in Recovery" and "365 Ways to Have Fun Sober" (available in the Kindle store).