Time management is an essential skill for any working man. Creating a balance between personal needs and work needs while maintaining accountability and responsibility to work and relationships takes discipline and smart time management. Addiction and alcoholism are full-time jobs. Prioritizing the brain in such a way that nothing else matters, men who are living with addiction and trying to manage their lives often struggle to maintain balance. While they may keep up most of the requirements of their life, they may not be living in a way that helps them thrive but actually creates more stress. For most people, time management in recovery is essential to a full recovery.
Stress and Relapse Prevention
Relapse prevention and stress management are two skills that men learn when they go to treatment for addiction and any dual diagnosis issues. Much of relapse prevention is stress management because cravings for drugs and alcohol are triggered by various forms of stress. Stress often seems general, like work stress, but is more commonly specific, like work stress because of poor habits. Other stressors can include moodiness because of hunger, lethargy because of a lack of balance, and more. Managing time is part of relapse prevention because time management can be recovery friendly. Basics of recovery which need to be met every single day are described as HALT- hungry, angry, lonely, tired. Time management makes sure that your priorities are addressed. These include getting enough sleep, interacting with others, eating enough food regularly, and keeping your stress in check with meditation.
In the early stages of recovery, it is best to make time for talking with a sponsor, having regular sessions with an addiction therapist, and being of service to other recovery peers. Planning your day with your phone calendar or a handheld schedule will create a visual calendar for you to show you what you have going on in the day and what you do or do not have room for. Knowing your priorities you can add into your schedule the different things you need for your recovery. Prioritizing your recovery will create structure in your time management in recovery from which you can organize everything else. You can create time to meditate in between meetings or tasks at work. Make visible time to check your progress and any procrastination that might have taken place. Use a calendar with half-hour increments so you can track how you’re spending your time.
Get Help From Oceanfront Recovery Today
When you think of your time management in terms of recovery and relapse prevention, you remove a tremendous amount of the stress which comes from managing time. You know what your focus is and how the theme of focus in other areas simply needs to be, “What do I need to do for my recovery?” Most often you’ll find a shift in perspective is all you need to make time more manageable.
Addiction affects the lives of millions of Americans every year. Understanding time management in recovery can make all the difference in its effectiveness. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, it is important to know that help is available. At Oceanfront Recovery, There are a number of programs to help begin a better, healthier future. Some of these programs include:
- Family Therapy Program
- EMDR Therapy Program
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program
- Aftercare Program
Oceanfront Recovery is a men’s treatment program offering residential detox, inpatient, intensive outpatient, and specialized executive track programs. We believe that men can change the story of their lives. When they change their story, they change their lives. Our goal-focused treatment approach empowers men to recreate their approach to life. For information, call us today at 877.296.7477.
