Daily Practices Goal Tracking

The slowness of my computer tonight is frustrating. In the past I would have been drinking a glass of wine and would have complete patience. But tonight I am sober and using some of the tools that I've learned in recovery to keep from going to the store for wine while I wait for it to upload photos from my iPhone.

Breathe mindfully.. Go make a cup of chamomile tea.. Eat dinner while I wait.. Success!

A few weeks ago I read a blog post titled 10 Daily Practices for Successful Addiction Recovery. It brought back memories of some of the things I learned while in treatment. Item #6 in the blog is making lists and creating a daily schedule each night.

I decided to try using an app for goal setting/tracking. For the past few weeks I've been using an app called Strides. The free version allows me to track up to ten items. For each item, I set the reminder option for a specific time each day. For example, the app sends me a notification/reminder to "Make Bed" at 7 a.m. and "Gratitude List" at 9 p.m. The app also shows current streak, best streak and percent of time the goal was completed.

There are many benefits out of the simple habit of making my bed each morning. Within minutes of getting out of bed, I have completed something on my To Do list! Once it's made, I'm not tempted to climb back in. I am happier when I'm in tidy environments.

The app just reminded me that it's time to complete my gratitude list for today. Which means that it is time to end this blog post. Take care!