You always hear about the importance of staying busy during recovery and finding new healthy hobbies to help keep cravings at bay. But what about quiet time? Taking a few minutes each day to wind down, destress, listen to your inner dialogue and reflect on your recovery is also a crucial part of lasting sobriety.

A little quiet time has a lot of benefits, including:

• Improved mental focus
• Better ability to process and integrate what you’ve learned
• More breathing room to think, relax, brainstorm
• The ability to reflect on how far you’ve come and where you want to go next

Try one if these ideas today to create some stillness in your new sober life and make quiet time count:

• Do a digital detox. Take 20 minutes and shut off all electronics, including your smartphone. This will enable you to listen to your inner thoughts without listening to the dings and rings of email, Facebook or other app social media apps.
• Take a mindful walk. Fall is the perfect season to take an outside stroll and focus on nature. Tap into your senses and take note of the sights, sounds and smells as you move your legs and calm your mind.
•  Start a journal. Freeform writing allows you to let go of your feelings and release any of the mind chatter making noise in your life. The result: a more focused, calmer you.
•  Make meditation a habit. Whether it becomes part of your morning or nighttime routine, meditation is a great way to quiet your mind and create a calmer state-of-mind for reflection.
• Focus on your breathing. Find a comfortable spot, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Pay attention as you inhale and exhale and let go of any nagging thoughts or feelings causing internal chaos. 

How Guardian IOP Can Help You Stay Sober
Breathwork is just one therapy used at our intensive outpatient program. At Guardian IOP, we offer individual and group counseling services, holistic treatments and 12 step immersion. To learn more about our treatment services and programs, call today: 855-517-1871.