⇒⇒⇒⇒⇒Lifestyle Behavior Checklist updated⇐⇐⇐⇐⇐

At Timberline we had the opportunity to take a class called Leisure Education.  The instructor joked at the beginning about people thinking the idea of learning about leisure was a little out there; but as she continued it made sense.  How do we spend our free time?  Is it intentional?  When someone comes to a treatment center like TK, working to manage an addiction, they now find they have time on their hands that they previously spent drinking, eating, taking drugs, exercising – whatever activity they couldn’t stop doing.  Those that came for other reasons, such as anxiety or depression, concentrated on being intentional with their schedule so they didn’t find themselves sitting in a chair doing nothing.  (It’s so easy when you’re depressed to sit and stare out the window for hours at a time; the mind is busy, but the body is forgotten or paralyzed.  Sometimes the mind is disengaged too.)

The instructor had us
fill in a 24 hour clock
with all the activities we
normally did before
coming there. Then we
filled in one that showed
how we wanted to live
with intention. This way
when we slipped in
whatever our struggle
was, we could look at
that schedule and get
back on track.

Here are examples.
The first is an extreme
example of an addict.
When an addict only
cares about their next fix,
according to those that
spoke at TK, they will
spend the day seeking
that and using.  They
may realize in the evening
that they haven’t eaten
yet or maybe not.
Hygiene is not a high
priority and in extreme
cases, employment
is impossible to maintain.

The second example is similar to what we worked on at TK.  We talked about the importance for regular meals, hygiene, exercise, and a sleep schedule that allows one to lead a productive life.
We brainstormed ideas what we could do with free time.  If one is trying to overcome an addiction,
they will need
intentional thought
put into what to do
with their time, or
the cravings will take
over in their anxiety
or boredom.

What would your
schedule look like?