Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies and their employees are finding new ways to stay on track without being able to work in the office.
Fortunately, many businesses and their employees have adapted to working remotely, allowing people to keep their jobs during a difficult time. While working from home has its perks, some people may struggle with being at home most of the day. Specifically, individuals in addiction recovery may struggle with managing addiction recovery while working from home. Going to the office and interacting with others in a controlled environment may have been beneficial to their sobriety. If you’re in addiction recovery and have had to work from home, our center for drug and alcohol treatment in Gilman is sharing some tips that can help you stay on track.
Reasons Why Staying Sober While Working Remotely Can Be Difficult
Staying sober while working from home can be difficult. Despite the work you have to do, there are various reasons why working from home can make staying sober difficult. If you live alone or live with others who also work, then you may struggle with being alone most of the day. Sometimes employees struggle to communicate with each other when they aren’t all present at the office, which can be stressful. You may also feel overwhelmed by the inability to separate work and home. For a person in recovery, a structured environment can help sustain sobriety. People in recovery often rely on going to work as a way to combat negative thinking in addiction recovery. Working from home due to coronavirus can make it a challenge to stay on track.
At Banyan Treatment Centers Heartland, we offer a variety of addiction treatment programs that can help you or someone you know to get started on their recovery journey. The substance abuse programs at our drug rehab center Gilman can help a person who is struggling with addiction get the help they need.
How To Manage Addiction Recovery While Working From Home
Being a remote employee can be tough if you’re in addiction recovery. Stress, fatigue, and just feeling mentally burnt out can all be triggers of addiction. Fortunately, our rehab team is sharing some of the best tips for managing addiction while working remotely.
- Go outside: Even if you’re racking up a long list of to-dos, it’s important to get outside at least twice a day while working from home. Artificial lighting can be strenuous and tiring, but going outside and standing in the sun for a bit or taking in the fresh air can do wonders for your mental health.
- Drink plenty of water: If you’re sitting at a desk for the majority of the day, it’s likely you'll forget to drink water. Dehydration is not only uncomfortable, but it can make it difficult for you to concentrate on your work. Ending the day with open items can be stressful and triggering. Drinking water can keep you energized and feeling alert enough to finish everything you need to do.
- Remember to eat: “Hangry” refers to anger related to hunger. Being extremely hungry can make you cranky and leave you fatigued, which can put you in a bad mood. Managing addiction recovery while working from home involves taking care of your body by eating good things that’ll keep you energized and happy.
- Take a break: It’s easy to get so distracted by work that you forget to take a break. But no matter how busy you are, you should take at least two breaks during the day. Whether you go outside or take a walk around your home, it’s important to rest your eyes and mind for a bit. Sometimes taking breaks can help your brain reset and you may see things from a fresher perspective.
- Stay in contact with others: Working from home can be lonely if you’re used to working with others. Loneliness is a main contributing factor to addiction, so it’s important to stay in contact with other employees or with loved ones throughout the day to keep yourself accountable.
- Organize yourself: Adapting to remote working can be stressful on its own. In order to avoid any further stress, be sure to organize yourself as best as possible. Have a designated workspace and use calendars or planners to organize your assignments.
Relapse is a normal, yet discouraging aspect of addiction recovery. At Banyan Heartland, we offer a relapse prevention program that helps solidify addiction treatment and teach patients how to apply the relapse prevention tools they learned during their programs at home.
If you or someone you care about is battling drug or alcohol addiction, we can help. Call us now at 888-280-4763 to learn more about our levels of care and additional treatment options.
