Finding the right balance in life is hard regardless of your situation or circumstances. It’s much harder when you are struggling with an addiction and trying to figure out your plan for sobriety.

You see, traditional treatment programs oftentimes fail to recognize that a balance is essential to staying sober. When you give 200% to something because society tells you that it is the only way to achieve that goal, burnout is going to happen. It may not happen right away but it is bound to happen sooner or later.

Think of recovery as a spectrum. Some people need to immerse themselves all day, every day, to only recovery related activities in order to keep their mind off of using. And, that’s okay. But really, this method isn’t for everybody. Some people work full time, have families, go to school, go to church, etc. The key to staying sober is finding the right balance that works for you.

My challenge for you is this. Write down all the areas in your life where your presence is needed. Do you have pets, children, parents, siblings, friends? Do you need to take care of your home or maybe your career needs to stay a priority. Then try to figure out how you can find a balance. Instead of using drugs or alcohol, of course, replace that time with recovery related activities. But, what about everything else? You don’t have to stop being who you are in order to stay sober.