Most drug and alcohol rehab programs have a time to get up.  The most simple method to prevent relapse is to have structure in your day.  The key to structure is that is has to be automatic.  The axiom is that if you have to think about it…….it is not structure.  So how do you get a day rolling with structure?  The same method that is used in most drug rehab centers.

Have a set time to get up.  Honor it and stick to it.  Get out of bed and immediately make your bed. Do it every day, no exceptions. Accomplishing a task within the first minute of getting up really sets the tone for the day.  Shower and get dressed and have a healthy breakfast.  Clean up and put your dishes away as soon as you finish.   Follow a routine that gets you going right into the day.  Have healthy rituals to provide some stucture at the beginnning of the day.  While you are enjoying your breakfast take out your daytimer and look at what your plan for today and the following two days.  Make absolutely sure you have something planned to start your day no matter what.  If your first real task is going to work that is great.  If it is a day off or you work later in the day, have something planned to start the day that involves other people.  It will make sure you start the day with action.

Using  the tasks of getting ready for the morning while cleaning up immediately after your self will make a large difference in your life.  Do it without exception.  Make your bed, have breakfast and clean up after your self.  It is done universally in drug and alcohol rehab centers, and keep it up when you leave.

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 21st, 2007 at 7:31 am and is filed under Drug Rehab. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.