Building Healthy Routines

Set-up:

1. If possible, set chairs and desks in a semicircle. If no desks are available; distribute  clipboards so participants have a sturdy, portable means of taking notes and completing  tasks.
2. If a whiteboard or projector is available, write the session objective;
3. Below the session objective, note the following questions/procedures:
   1. What did your routine look like when you were deep in addiction?
   2. How would you define a healthy habit?
   3. How would developing healthy routines support your recovery journey, and why?  and,
   4. What are some factors to consider when planning your routine?

Procedure:

1. Optional – Video Clip with Focus Task (5 minutes) – Though this clip is humorous  because the CEO gets very little actual work done, he schedules numerous health habits  throughout the day, including scheduling time to relax. A media player will be required.

   Before starting the video, tell participants to write down the CEOs routine as they watch  the clip. Ten inform participants that they’ll be asked after the video to provide their  thoughts on both the individual routine items as well as the order of the routine.

While this step is optional, it is recommended as the clip is an excellent way to build  interest and engagement in the topic while lowering a participant’s anxiety.

2. Session Objective – Read the session’s objective aloud.
3. Q1-2 Turn and Talk with Discussion (5 minutes)– Have participants read the questions  on the board and take a minute or two to consider their answer. Then participants pair share their thoughts with the person next to them. Walk around the room, listen, and  record any notable responses you hear. After 7 minutes, bring attention back to the whole  group.Creating healthy habits and routines is essential to continuous recovery. After all, the old  idiom, idle hands are the devil’s workshop, was and is one of life’s realities. How often do  cravings begin to intensify due to boredom? Very often. Assembling healthy routines in  our daily lives will help keep us on track in our recovery and build a sense of  accomplishment with each manageable goal we complete.

4. Q3 – Small Group Objective Task (15 minutes) – Now have participants form pairs with  a partner, but it cannot be the same partner they just spoke with. Tell participants they are  going to create a routine that is valuable for their own recovery as well as others in  recovery. Distribute writing materials, blank paper strips, or notebook paper with  scissors. Each group should work together to write down healthy routines. (Even though  they are working in pairs, each partner will make their own copy as they will need an  individual copy for later activities) .

   Encourage participants to consider why the habits they choose are healthy. After the  groups have come up with 10 to 15 items, instruct them to organize their list in order  of importance as it applies to their recovery, taking turns if a consensus can’t be  reached. If two things are of equal importance, such as attending recovery meetings and  getting adequate sleep, the two can share a spot at the top. Once each group has finished, take everyone on a gallery walk to see various responses; these can be used later.

5. Q4 – Mingle (20 minutes) – Have a very brief open discussion with the group. Ask them if  there are people in their lives who don’t trust them as a result of their past actions. Have  them quickly name some examples of people (Probation/Parole Officer, Judge, Parent,  Significant Other, Kids, Employer, etc.) Tell them that sharing schedules and routines  related to recovery goals is one way to rebuild trust. It also presents an opportunity for  important people in your life to join you, like if you plan to go to the gym or take a walk  in the park.Split the group in half. Assign one half of the room a role from the examples of people  you just boarded. Tell them to take a minute and think of two things that are important to  them or that they will want to ask about or see as they meet with the individual who just  came out of rehab.

   While that half is thinking, line up the other half of the room across from the first half.  Tell them that they are trying to actively build trust with the individual across from them by talking about their routines related to recovery goals.

   Tell the group that they’ll have 3 minutes with each partner, then you’ll ask them to  switch partners. The individual who has a role always needs to introduce themselves first  so that the one just out of treatment knows who they’re talking to.

   After three rounds, have groups switch. In their last pairs, have the individual with a role  give it to their partner. Again, give everyone a minute to prepare for their new roles, then  do 3 more rounds of the activity.

   Some factors could include the how much time to allocate to an activity (exercising for  20 minutes vs. an hour), opportunity cost (making one’s bed and journaling each morning  vs. an extra 30 minutes of sleep), contingency plans (concentrated breathing to classical  music if rain interrupts gardening or a walk), and the feasibility that the routine can be  completed daily or weekly (cooking a delicious, healthy meal may be a better routine for  a non-work day for many participants).

6. Group Discussion (10 minutes) Bring everyone back together as a group. When  individuals were in the role of the person listening to the other’s routines, what are some  things they thought about? What did they think worked or didn’t work? Did they have  any doubts about a person’s ability to commit or be consistent? Did they have any  advice? (An open group discussion or a ball throw would work well here)
7. Home Practice – Participants complete their routine tracking sheet and come ready to  discuss it at the next session. Distribute the Healthy Habits document for reference as the  group exits.