When I left rehab almost 6.5 years ago, I thought the hard part was over. I had done my time. I had cried in group therapy, confessed things I swore I’d never say out loud, and detoxed in a room that smelled faintly of antiseptic and instant coffee.
Surely, life on the outside would be smoother.
Spoiler: it wasn’t.
Right away, I realised that getting sober is one thing. Building a life that can hold sobriety without constantly cracking is an entirely different thing. That’s where routine comes in.
Now, if you’d told me back then that routine was the key, I probably would’ve rolled my eyes so hard they’d still be stuck. I didn’t want “boring.” I wanted freedom, passion, adventure.
But what I’ve learned is that a healthy routine is about creating the kind of rhythm that makes room for freedom. It’s scaffolding for a new life: one that doesn’t collapse the second things get messy.
Here are the practical tips that worked for me—and still do.
Start with mornings (Especially if you’re not a morning person)
In early recovery, mornings felt like the hardest part. No numbing, no escape hatch—just me, my restless thoughts, and a coffee cup. But I discovered something: how I started my day often decided how the rest of it went.
For me, that meant a few small things:
- Making my bed (yes, really—it’s a cliché for a reason).
- Sitting down with coffee and a notebook.
- A short prayer or meditation, even if I felt ridiculous.
- Stepping outside for a minute of fresh air before the day really begins
It didn’t have to be perfect, but it did have to be consistent. When I plan my mornings with intention, the whole day feels less likely to spiral.
If mornings aren’t your thing, don’t pressure yourself into a 5 a.m. yoga session. Just pick one grounding ritual like tea, stretching, journaling, or something else. Then, make it yours.
Move your body (But find what you actually like)
In rehab, they had us walk laps. We also did daily yoga. At first, I hated all of it. But eventually I noticed: after moving, my brain quieted down, and that was different. I could get used to that!
These days, I run, I take fitness classes, and I chase my dog around the yard. But it doesn’t have to be running. Maybe you hate running (in that case, find something else you like). Maybe it’s dancing in your living room, swimming, or walking with a podcast. The point, and the only point here, is movement.
Today, I see it as a sanity preserver. My legs move, my heart pounds, and my mind gets a break from itself. That’s a routine worth keeping.
Keep meals simple but steady
When I got home, I went through a phase where I lived off cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and coffee. Spoiler: not sustainable. My moods were a mess, and my sleep was worse. I was always craving more and more sugar.
What worked was creating a loose meal rhythm that I followed most of the time. Just balanced, consistent food: protein, vegetables, carbs, repeat. Think sandwiches with real ingredients, a crockpot meal that makes leftovers, or eggs in all their versatile glory. Then, when you want a treat, by all means, eat one, and don’t stress over it.
You don’t have to overhaul your entire diet at once. In fact, don’t even try to do that. Start by not skipping meals. Then, add one healthy food to your routine each day. Start there. Sobriety runs smoother on a fed brain.
Anchor your day with small rituals
In rehab, we had bells. Wake-up bell, meal bell, group bell. Annoying, yes. But also oddly comforting. Out in the “real world,” I had to make my own bells.
I started with rituals. Lighting a candle when I journal. Taking a walk after dinner. Listening to the same playlist while cleaning up the kitchen. Calling my sponsor on the way home from work.
Rituals sound fancy, but they’re just cues. They remind your brain, “This is what we do now.” They build rhythm without you having to white-knuckle it.
Sleep is sacred (Protect it fiercely)
In early sobriety, my sleep was chaotic. I’d stay up scrolling or lie awake replaying every mistake I’d ever made. The next day, I was wrecked, and the cravings hit harder.
Building a sleep routine saved me. Simple things:
- Going to bed (and waking up) around the same time.
- Keeping my phone away from me.
- Reading a book instead of doom-scrolling.
- Doing some light stretching before bed.
Sleep is survival. Guard it.
Accountability isn’t optional
Here’s a secret: left to my own devices, I will talk myself out of almost anything good for me. Exercise? Tomorrow. Meetings? I’ll “catch one next week.” Journaling? Who cares.
That’s why accountability matters. For me, it’s a mix of things: my sponsor, my friends, my spouse, who knows when I’m slipping into “I’m fine” mode. Accountability is about being seen.
Find your people, and let them in. Whether it’s a recovery group, a therapist, or a running buddy, accountability keeps routines from crumbling when motivation disappears, and trust me when I say, motivation will disappear. It will come back, but some days it will be nowhere.
Build fun into the schedule
Work, eat, sleep, repeat? Not even close. Joy and fun are part of a healthy routine, too.
I schedule fun the way I do everything else. Coffee with a friend. A new book. Watching a show guilt-free. Learning how to make a half-decent curry.
Recovery is serious business, yes. But it can’t be all “work.” If your routine doesn’t leave room for laughter, you’ll burn out fast. Ask yourself: what brings me joy? What really brings me joy? Start there.
Track Progress (But With Kindness)
I really struggled with a perfectionistic mindset when I first got sober, and it backfired again and again. If I skipped one workout or missed a meditation, I’d spiral into, “Well, I’ve ruined it, might as well give up.”
Now, I see tracking as awareness, not judgment. I jot down what I did each day, even the small wins: “Walked the dog. Cooked dinner. Called a friend.” On the rough days, I look back and remember that progress is happening, even when it doesn’t feel like it in real time.
Embrace boring (It’s not a bad word)
Here’s the plot twist: what once felt boring is now what saves me. A Tuesday night where I cook dinner, go for a walk, and read in bed? That’s the dream. That “boring” is actually a state of peace. Peace at last!
Recovery taught me that stability is a true gift. Chaos used to run my life. Now, I’d rather be “boring” and free than thrilling and chained to addiction.
Adjust, don’t abandon
A healthy routine is a framework, and yes, life will test it—new jobs, kids, stress, grief. The key is to adjust, not abandon. When I fractured my foot and couldn’t run, I swapped in walking and stretching. When my kids’ schedules exploded, I shifted my journaling from mornings to nights.
Sometimes the tiniest tweak keeps things steady. If you can’t manage an hour workout, do ten minutes. If nightly meditation feels impossible, try once or twice a week. Think of routines like a bridge: you can patch a board or change the route, but you don’t have to burn the whole thing down.
Why routines work in recovery
Addiction thrives on chaos. Sobriety thrives on rhythm. Routines take decisions you’d normally battle over—eat or don’t eat, go to a meeting or don’t—and make them automatic. They free up mental space for the bigger stuff: rebuilding relationships, finding purpose, actually living.
Routine is like the drumbeat underneath a song: you don’t always notice it, but without it, everything falls apart. It gives you something steady to lean on when emotions are all over the place. It keeps the basics handled so you can focus on the harder, deeper work of recovery.
A final word
If you’re leaving rehab, here’s the thing: you don’t have to build the “perfect” routine right away. Start with one small anchor. One morning ritual, one walk after dinner, one consistent bedtime. Layer it slowly.
I’ve been sober for almost 6.5 years now, and a huge part of why is that I learned to lean on routines that hold me when I can’t hold myself. They make life possible—and, most days, pretty beautiful.
So yes, routine can feel boring, but it’s the kind of boring that sets you free. And freedom, at least in my book, is anything but dull.
Ready to build your own foundation?
At Camino Recovery, we know that leaving treatment is just the beginning. Our team helps people build routines that last and create lives that feel good to wake up to.
If you or someone you love is preparing for life after rehab, reach out today. A steadier rhythm is possible, and it might hold more joy than you expect.
