Few people like living in chaos – if given the choice, many would choose to live in such a way that emulates peace and relaxation. But due to the busy nature of our lives, this is a reality few can obtain.
That being said, there are ways in which you can incorporate peace into your daily life, even if the overall tone of your day is busy.
This is incredibly important for anyone to do, but even more crucial for those in addiction recovery. By adding healthy habits, ditching old ones and revamping your life with organization in all its forms, you can increase recovery success and sobriety maintenance.
How to organize your life in recovery
If you want a hard reset for the sake creating a safe space in which to foster addiction recovery, you may have a general idea of what you need to prioritize or focus on. But if you are not quite sure where to start, we are here to help.
Go through your clothes
Getting rid of unnecessary items in your closet is a great way to begin decluttering and starting fresh. If you haven’t worn an item in six months or more, donate it. If you own shoes you’ve been holding on to since high school, maybe it’s time to let them go. Has your style changed or has your professional attire grown outdated? Take your least favorites and sell them at a consignment shop.
Emptying space in your closet will help simplify your space, as well as provide some room if you choose to replace your old looks with some new, fresh finds. Consider donating and thrifting clothes as a means of giving back to the community and benefitting the planet in a simple, yet impactful way.
Clean out your kitchen
Do you have an overflow of coffee mugs that never get used? Old kitchen appliances that you don’t ever cook with? Baking soda with an expiration date from two years ago? A fridge full of old salad dressings and condiments that have turned into health hazards?
A cleaned-out kitchen not only offers a sense of freshness, but it may motivate you to cook more, knowing what you now have in stock. And clean healthy eating is a vital aspect of addiction recovery. Taking the time to clean out and restock your kitchen is likely to benefit your healing journey in more ways than one.
Design a schedule
Routines are beneficial to addiction recovery and mental health enhancement as they leave minimal time for boredom and bad habit-building. While in recovery, you might consider investing in a planner where you can write down what your daily routine will be for each day of the week.
Consider incorporating time each day for plenty of sleep (7-8 hours), at least thirty minutes of exercise (running, walking, yoga, cardio, weight lifting, etc.), work and social obligations, as well as time for journaling or meditation and other leisurely activities/hobbies. Each week set time aside for chores, meal prepping and any other responsibilities you may need to complete.
Situate your finances
If you are overwhelmed with financial responsibilities, or simply feel like you are not doing a good job navigating them, you might consider taking some time to organize finances. Build out a spreadsheet to help visualize income and bill payments; gain a better understanding of insurance by looking over your policy; consider minimizing subscriptions to help you save a little money.
No matter how you choose to organize your finances, you are likely to find a little peace of mind and even empowerment knowing you have a handle on them.
Build an exercise routine
Exercising benefits addiction recovery in numerous ways due to its ability to address both physical and mental health complications. The recommended amount of exercise each day is approximately 30 minutes – and the beauty of this is you can make that 30 minutes look like whatever you want.
An easy way to track this is with a fitness journal where you have each day of the week outlined with the workout for that day – Monday could be assigned cardio, Tuesday can take on yoga and stretching, Wednesday you might opt for a rest day, and so on. Building out an exercise routine will not only keep you accountable, it will keep you from missing days as well.
Give your car some attention
Some people spend so much time in their vehicles it starts to feel like a second home – and look like one, too. But driving around in a clean car feels so much better than one you’re embarrassed to let your friends see. Take an afternoon to clean it out, throw away garbage, vacuum and wash it, and maybe even splurge with a new air freshener.
It’s a small way to organize your life, but it becomes one less thing you feel may be out of control.
Need more addiction recovery tips?
If you are looking for some support in your addiction recovery, Bluff Augusta is here to help. We have plenty of resources on our website, including lifestyle and recovery blogs, not to mention contact information to get you in touch with a mental health therapist should the need arise.
To get in touch with someone today, contact us at 844-242-0806 or contact us online anytime.