Keeping Routines in Sobriety
For you and your family

By Amy Tilley, PsyD
Chief Clinical Officer, Desert Star Addiction Recovery Center

 

We’re in the dog days of summer. Hopefully the month of  June and July were full of fun, travel, and relaxation for you. August is here and there is a sense of getting back into our routines.

If you have children, you are probably looking at school calendars, the endless list of back-to-school supplies, and what the newest fashion trend is for your tween’s bookbag. Are you preparing to get back into a Monday through Friday schedule, with structured wake up and bedtimes, time for homework, and all those extracurricular activities you and your family participate in?

 

Time management tips for back to school:

Remove distractions: Distractions can reduce productivity and motivation, so try to eliminate them. Start with reducing screen time for the entire family. Put the phones and tablets away in the evening, and limit time during the day. Get your family outside and exploring nature, play a board game, go to the library, or see a movie.

Create routines: Set aside time for studying and assignments based on when you feel you can focus best. For your children, this may be right after school, or after dinner.

Prioritize tasks: Make a checklist of everything you need to do, including assignments, projects, and study groups, and add their deadlines. Make a monthly family calendar and post it where it is visible to everyone. This can help structure the busy weeks ahead. Keep a daily calendar with you and check off those items from your ‘to-do’ list as you finish them.

Set goals: Identify what needs to be done and when, and set goals with deadlines. Planning ahead (weeks and months) can help ease anxiety for adults and children and give you an idea of how to budget in the coming months. Include fun activities into this schedule too: time with friends and family, a weekend getaway for respite, school functions, and recovery activities.

Avoid procrastination: Start studying for tests as soon as possible to avoid tension and anxiety. Don’t wait until the last minute to finish that work project—get ahead of your deadlines and feel a sense of accomplishment!

Avoid multitasking: Schedule one task at a time and take breaks to avoid burnout, professionally and personally. If you are a successful multitasker, good for you! Keep on keeping on! For those of you who do best with one task at a time, do it to your fullest extent and cross it off the list before moving to the next one. The Premack Principle states that we can reward ourselves after completing a difficult/less desirable task. If you have an important work project to complete and really aren’t motivated to do it, choose to reward yourself when you complete it. Maybe it is a coffee, an ice cream treat, or going to a concert. This helps avoid burnout and gives your brain a break from the “must-do” tasks of work.

Keep your recovery at the forefront of the back-to-school routine. Don’t forget what is important to you. Continue to exercise, go to 12 Step meetings, help others in recovery. You can build all these activities into your daily routine as the new school year comes in to focus.

 

For more information about programs and services at Desert Star Addiction Recovery Center visit desertstarARC.com or call 520-638-6000.