3 Strategies to Reduce the Stress in Your Life

If you’re in recovery, you know that getting sober is more than giving up drugs and alcohol. A big part of sobriety is actually all about creating a new life and a new routine. As part of your plan of care, your recovery team has also probably worked with you to help you learn healthy coping mechanisms to handle stress since that is one of the most common triggers for relapse.

But, why not take that one step further and try to prevent stressful situations from even happening? While you can’t guarantee a stress-free life, you can take steps to prevent issues before they even arise.

As part of your new sober lifestyle, consider adopting some of the following strategies that can help mitigate stressful situations.

(1) Plan your meals a week in advance.
Do you ever look up from your desk at work and realize that lunchtime has suddenly arrived and all you have are some Tic Tacs and bottled water? Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an incredibly important part of your recovery plan. It can help you stay energized and replenish your system. To avoid making last minute choices at lunch, consider spending some time in the kitchen on Sunday afternoons to prep your lunches for the week. And, you can portion them out into individual servings in advance. You’ll feel more confident about meeting your nutritional goals and avoid scrambling to find something to eat at the last minute.

(2) Streamline your schedule. 

One way to reduce the amount of stress in your life is to cut back on your professional and personal obligations. If you’re constantly running from one event to the next, it can create stress and anxiety if you’re worried about maintaining your social obligations. While it is a good idea to adhere to a regular sober routine, consider focusing on the quality of activities rather than the quantity. Don’t put yourself in the position of having to constantly rush around.

(3) Switch to cash for daily expenditures. 

Do you ever stress about your finances? If sticking to your budget sometimes gives you anxiety, try only using cash for daily purchases like food and gas. Studies have shown that individuals are more mindful and cautious about making purchases with cash in comparison to plastic. Based on your personal budget, think about withdrawing the amount of money you need each week for out-of-pocket expenditures and use that instead of a credit or debit card.

Customized Addiction Recovery Treatment

At Rising Roads Recovery, we understand the unique needs of each client. Working together, our team of experienced addiction recovery specialists can work with you to create a personalized plan of care to help address substance abuse issues and co-occurring disorders. As part of that approach, our team can also help you learn healthy coping mechanisms to deal with stress and other addiction triggers. To learn more about our offerings, contact us today at (866) 746-1558.