Self-care is an essential aspect of recovery. Throughout the treatment process, you have likely learned many mental health practices and established a self-care routine.
Transitioning this routine to your life outside of treatment may seem simple. However, self-care routines are often harder to adapt than people realize. Ensuring you have a plan in place to implement self-care within your exit plan is a great way to keep these habits intact.
Transitioning Your Routine
You may assume that you will be able to keep the same routine and practices outside of treatment. While this may be the case, remember that you will be spending your time not only on self-care but also on other adult commitments such as work and errands.
It is important to fit your self-care routine around your schedule. Ensuring you have time to complete these practices is essential. Fitting them into your schedule will help you be sure to stay on top of your self-care.
One main consideration when establishing your new self-care routine is to observe the effects of the routine you used in treatment. Look at the different actions you engaged in that benefited your state of mind and ability to maintain sobriety. If you feel that some practices were a waste of time, they may be worth altering.
Pay attention to the time of day you regularly engage in these habits as well. Keeping the same timeframe can help this transition feel more natural. If you are not able to keep the same time frame, mentally prepare yourself for the alteration in your routine that is about to come.
Aligning Your Routine With Your Goals
The self-care practices you choose to implement will depend on your personal preferences, enjoyment, and goals moving forward. Determine which practices will be a beneficial addition to your routine. Review the following practices and consider what you need to add or maintain to achieve greater balance in life.
#1 Meditate
Utilizing meditation is highly recommended if you are consistently feeling high levels of stress, anxiety, or uneasiness throughout your recovery journey. If your recovery goals include regulating your emotions, appreciating yourself, reducing stress levels, or anything similar, meditation could be a great addition to your self-care routine.
There are many different types of meditative practices, each providing unique benefits. Many individuals will engage in one form of meditation, decide it doesn’t work for them, and give up on the process of meditating altogether. However, they may have simply not found the meditation that would work for them. Remember that it may take time and experimentation to find which specific practices work best for you.
#2 Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a form of meditation. It can be practiced at any point of the day. This is a great practice to attempt for nearly any situation, as it helps bring you a clearer understanding of what your needs are. The meditative practice of mindfulness aligns beautifully with the goals of improving self-awareness and acceptance of reality.
#3 Maintain Physical Health
Various self-care practices are included in the realm of improving physical health. Engaging in physical activity, maintaining adequate nutrition, and staying hydrated are all essential in giving your body what it needs to function at its best.
The level of engagement within each of these practices will differ for everyone. Nutrition and exercise may be different after you leave treatment, as your freedom opens you up to many new opportunities.
This is a great time to adjust your physical health routine. Review the aspects of physical care that you engaged in through treatment. Look at how those practices worked for you and how you can implement similar tactics into your newfound life. These practices will help you achieve the goals of reducing cravings, regaining physical abilities, enjoying your body, and improving your health.
#4 Sleep Well
An important aspect of maintaining physical health that is worth special consideration is your sleep health. To have energy and motivation for each day, ensure you are getting enough sleep each night. As your mind goes to sleep, you can process information and reset for the day ahead of you. Prioritizing healthy sleep habits can go a long way in the care of your physical health.
#5 Enjoy Life
One key goal of any self-care practice is to help you feel satisfied with yourself and create the space needed for you to enjoy your life. As you attempt to implement a new form of a self-care routine, think about what you need to improve your happiness. While the recovery process can be difficult at times, it is important to take the time to enjoy your surroundings. This is a key technique in helping you to maintain motivation levels and continue your success in recovery.
Remember that self-care does not always require a great deal of commitment or effort to practice. Your self-care routine should consist at least mostly of practices you can look forward to doing! If you are struggling to implement self-care practices into your daily schedule, try simply engaging in an activity that you enjoy. Play a sport, go on a nature walk, visit friends or family, or take a bath. Self-care practices do not always require a scheduled routine. They can be achieved through simple acts of enjoyment throughout your day.
Self-care is essential for healthy living. Keeping a focus on self-care in recovery can ensure that you stay on track with your recovery and appreciate yourself. These practices help you not just make it through life but to live your life with joy. Switching up your routine after learning treatment and adapting new self-care habits into your new routines can be difficult. While you may choose to keep many habits the same, reviewing your previous practices can help you determine what alternations need to be made in your self-care routine. Ensure your scheduled self-care habits align with your other responsibilities. To learn more about establishing a self-care routine outside of treatment, reach out to Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.
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