This post is the second and final entry in our short series about little habits that can serve you well in recovery. In the first entry, we identified four such habits:
- Start Your Morning by Setting Yourself Up for a Good Day
- Get in (at Least) a Little Exercise
- Pay Attention to Hydration and Nutrition
- Make Time to Check in With Yourself
In this entry, we will explore four additional habits that can help you keep your recovery intact.
But first, we want to remind you of the guiding principle of this series. In a world where most everyone prefers big, dramatic, and thrilling moments to quieter and less flashy behaviors can be underappreciated. We would argue, however, that it is often the smaller choices you make on a consistent basis that can lead to the most progress—including when you are working hard to leave drugs or alcohol in your past.
Let’s get started.
Break Tasks into Small Steps to Stay Calm and Focused
Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we just can’t convince ourselves to tackle a task we know needs to be done. Mental health challenges of one kind or another can make it difficult to get started. Often that leads to the feeling of being overwhelmed—and being overwhelmed leads to increased levels of stress. Those higher levels of stress pose a threat to your recovery.
One effective way to get yourself going when something we need to do threatens to overwhelm us is to break the task into smaller pieces.
Imagine, for example, that you need to write a blog post—something 800 words long or so. When you are starting a blank page, 800 words can seem like a lot. When you are facing down the whole project, it can be hard to get started.
But what if all you had to do was get started? What if instead of focusing on writing the full blog, you just worried about the introductory section of the piece? Now you are trying to write, say, 150 to 200 words instead of the full 800. Once you have written that section, you can move on to the next section. Writing the blog piece by piece can keep you going—and keep you feeling calmer while you do it.
Lean Into at Least One Connection
Even if you consider yourself an introvert, you—like everyone—benefit from strong relationships. Given that this is so, it is important that you commit to keeping at least one strong connection active in your life—even when you might not feel like it.
Ideally, you might set up regular times to get together with a good friend or family member. Coffee on Saturday mornings, a shared walk on a weekday evening, or a commitment to playing a game together once a week are all ways to keep a connection going.
But there are smaller ways to do so, too, if social activities seem challenging for one reason or another. A quick phone call or exchange of text messages can do the trick. And remember, you do not have to discuss your recovery or other challenges each time you connect with a friend. Just enjoying one another’s company while you do something you both enjoy is enough to add some brightness to your routine while also providing a boost to your recovery efforts.
Celebrate One Win—Or Even Two or Three—Each Day
It can be so easy to get to the end of the day and find yourself thinking about every little thing that went wrong or was annoying. But you do yourself and your recovery a favor if you take a few minutes to turn your attention to at least one thing that went right or made you smile that day. An intentional focus on something positive can boost your mood and remind you that good things happen in your life.
Some people find that keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to bring to mind positive moments from the day. Those who keep such a journal tend to write down three things each day for which they are thankful. They can be big or small, repetitive or new, from that specific day or from your life more generally. Grabbing hold of gratitude definitely supports your recovery efforts.
Create a Relaxing Wind Down Routine to Support Restful Sleep
Sleep is so important to your physical health, your mental health, and your recovery. A good wind-down routine can help ensure you get the sleep you need. Every person’s routine is going to be a bit different, but key aspects might include powering down your screens an hour before bed, doing some light stretching or writing in a journal, listening to quiet music or reading something calming, and so on.
Sticking to a regular and pleasant nighttime routine can make a real difference in the quality of your sleep while firming up the foundations of your recovery.
One Last Tip: See Us for Help
Located near St. Louis, Missouri, The Aviary Recovery Center is regularly recognized as one of the nation’s top treatment centers for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. If you need help, we are here to provide it.
