Early recovery can include a lot of down time in between treatment programming and activities. Sometimes downtime can be triggering because the impulse to use or drink still remains. One day you’ll learn to be comfortable with nothing to do, but you don’t have to be! Here are 8 ways to make the most of free time and live a full life.
Get Physically Active
Exercise is often a normal part of someone’s routine so it never really feels like an option for down time. Getting physically active doesn’t have to mean going to the gym.Taking a walk through the neighborhood, cleaning the house, reorganizing your room, or having a dance party can help you pass the time and get your body moving.
Learn Something New
Always wanted to learn a language? Interested in learning how to change the oil in your car yourself? Thanks to the internet, you can teach yourself how to do just about anything. Set yourself to a task and work on it a little bit each day. You’ll be amazed what you can accomplish!
Take Time For Reflection
With daily therapy and treatment programming you’ve probably had your share of sharing. Personal reflection time is helpful for taking quiet time to yourself and looking honestly at what you are accomplishing.
Choose A Hobby
Doing the same old same old can get boring. Boredom is a trigger for most people who are in recovery for an addiction. Instead of doing the same things, try something completely new. Choose a new hobby that is totally out of your comfort zone.
Go On Adventures
Everything can be an adventure if you want it to be! Adventuring in nature is proven to be good for mental health. Get some friends together and head to some local hiking trails, beaches, or whatever nature is nearby.
Travel
Traveling in early recovery can be difficult when there is a financial challenge. Travel doesn’t always have to be exotic to a far away place. Take a short drive to visit a friend or family member, explore a new area, or visit a new town. Getting out of your element broadens your horizons and helps you grow.
Practice Self-Care
Self-care is a special time for helping nurture and care for yourself in a healthy and positive way. Whatever it is that helps you relax, take time for yourself, and feel good is what you need to do for self-care.
Tend To Your Needs
Usually when we talk about tending to our needs in recovery, it is followed by discussion of self-care. Life has a lot of demands which become personal needs. However, we don’t often label them as personal needs. For example, you need to pay rent, pay your phone bill, and take care of what needs to be taken care of. When you neglect these things you put yourself at risk for creating stress, guilt, depression, and anxiety.
Enlightened Recovery is a partial care program, offering day treatment services at partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient services. If you or a loved one are looking for a certified treatment center for healing co-occurring disorders of addiction and secondary mental health disorders, call us today at 833-801-5483.