Time Management (Episode 5 - Archive)Time Management (Episode 5 - Archive)
Relational Recovery
Wes Thompson and Austin Hill talk about practical time management as a key part of recovery, stressing priorities, planning and honest effort. The chat focuses on calendars, notebooks and simple steps that help create a more intentional and responsible life.
7:23•29 Oct 2026
Time Management as a Tool for Real Change in Recovery
Episode Overview
- Write down five things you want to accomplish in a week, circle the most important, and ask someone you trust to review your priorities.
- Use a calendar and notebook to plan your days and weeks so you can be present instead of constantly worrying about what’s next.
- If something is truly important to you, schedule it rather than complaining about never having time for it.
- Accept personal limits and build structure into your life, especially after leaving the Refuge programme where schedule is managed for you.
- Recognise that good outcomes require long-term effort and intentional planning; they don’t appear on their own.
“"Good things don't just poof appear. You got to work for them over a long period of time and things will get better for you."”
What drives someone to seek a life without chaos in their schedule? This instalment of Relational Recovery zooms in on time management as a core part of rebuilding a healthy life, especially for men in addiction recovery. Host Wes Thompson and co-host Austin Hill talk candidly about how organising your time is far more than just keeping a diary. As Austin puts it, "time management is more than just knowing what's on your calendar.
It's prioritising what's important to you in your life." For them, a calendar and a notebook become simple but powerful tools that help shape the kind of life you actually want to live. You'll hear them break time management down into very practical steps.
Austin suggests writing down five things you want to accomplish in a week, circling the one that matters most, and then asking someone you trust, "would you change this priority list for me?" That external feedback is framed as an easy first step anyone can try today.
The conversation keeps a light tone, with Wes joking about practising self-control, yet they stay grounded in everyday reality: busy schedules, family responsibilities, and the risk of drifting back into old habits when structure disappears after leaving the Refuge programme. Wes admits, "without a calendar, without writing stuff down... I wouldn't know what I'm doing tomorrow," highlighting how planning ahead actually makes it easier to be present in the moment.
They also challenge excuses around "never getting to do the things I want to do", pushing listeners to stop complaining and start planning. If something really matters, they say, put it on the calendar and protect that time. The episode closes on a hopeful note: good things don't "just poof appear"; they come from consistent effort and clear intention. If you're trying to rebuild your life, could a simple notebook and calendar be your next step towards real change?
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