Balancing Work, Family, and Treatment

When facing the idea of adhering to a new life full of sober activities such as meeting attendance, maintaining a new living schedule, tending to responsibilities, keeping up with self-care and taking time for family, it may appear as a huge strain to overcome while you’re in recovery. If so, you’re not alone. This may seem intimidating and overwhelming to achieve a total balance in recovery. It is not, however, impossible to maintain a balance between, work, family and treatment.

• Finding Balance 

It may seem natural to want to dive in and get everything done right away but it’s just not possible, not to mention, it may cause stress, issue disappointment, mistakes and thwart your progress of recovery.  Since you are in this recovery journey for life, there’s no need to pressure yourself into doing more than you can handle. A key aspect of finding balance when you’re in recovery is setting an acceptable pace with a plan.

• Create a plan

Those who have completed drug and alcohol rehab are familiar with creating plans. It’s part of the process of recovery. If you plan carefully and ask for help before starting rehab, your family may be more available to help with your needs during treatment.

• Set goals

Set goals and priorities to establish a plan of action. Focus on saving time and energy with “to do” lists. It may help to combine responsibilities and personal activities to keep an even flow between treatment, work & family. Provide clear communication with your current and new relationships and set limits on what you can and can’t do. Become comfortable with saying “no” as this can help yourself and others to know what is important to you. Ask for help, as sharing responsibilities with those willing and able to do so, can alleviate some stress as well as provide assistance with time management.

• Keep an open mind

Being prepared to go into your recovery with an open mind and having the willingness to adapt while accepting the ongoing juggling of a new way of life, will help build a foundation for managing the different areas you will come into regarding treatment requirements, work adjustments and your family’s own approach to your personal recovery.

References:

https://www.beachhouserehabcenter.com/learning-center/how-to-find-work-life-balance-when-youre-in-recovery/

https://hr.duke.edu/wellness/mental-health-stress/success-over-stress/balancing-work-family

To our readers: If there is any other advice you have for considering sober living, we’d love to hear from you!