Use the 12 Steps to Be Productive in Life

The 12-step program has helped countless people around the world overcome addictions and boldly take meaningful steps towards sobriety. However, the steps those people in recovery learn aren’t just useful for moving past substance abuse.

As you’ll soon see, the steps can help anyone go through a personality transformation and become more productive in several areas of life.

Admit You May Need a Helping Hand

The first step for people working through all 12 stages involves admitting powerlessness and recognizing that substance abuse has caused life to become unmanageable. Maybe you aren’t trying to stop drinking alcohol or using drugs, but it can still be very therapeutic to take a few steps back, survey your life and come to the honest conclusion there are at least a few parts of it you can’t manage by yourself.

People enrolled in a 12-step program are also usually encouraged to get a sponsor. In the case of becoming more productive, you may just need to get help with certain areas of your life, allowing you to stay more focused on other responsibilities. For example, that may mean getting a babysitter two days a week so you can take those hours to run errands, or you may find it worthwhile to hire a professional cleaner so you can get on top of household chores in a more effective way.

Recognize Wrongdoings

Another step relates to admission of doing something wrong. You’re probably very aware when you have done wrong. However, it’s an entirely different thing to admit that to yourself and to another person.

Maybe you feel burdened by a past relationship that turned sour because of something you did. That situation is common and can make it difficult to move forward. Do you feel stuck in a relationship rut? Interacting with others is a very important part of being productive. You could make progress by bravely letting someone know you’re aware of what you did in the past, but will work hard so it doesn’t happen again.

Reflect and Improve

Near the end of the 12 steps, people must willingly spend time in reflection of the day. You don’t necessarily have to be religious or even believe in a higher power to make this strategy work for you.

Simply get into the habit of taking time at the end of every day to think about how things went, learn from any mistakes and become a stronger person. This particular step could be especially beneficial if you get the feeling there are some things in life that are restricting your productivity, but haven’t quite grasped what they are.

Give Back to the Community

The final part of the 12-step program involves getting back to the community in some way, or providing support for others. You may feel your amount of free time is already very limited. Perhaps you can’t imagine fitting something else in. However, spending even one hour a week in a soup kitchen or using one Saturday a month to socialize with animals at your local shelter are just two examples of how you can actively do something that goes beyond mere personal benefits.

Eventually, you may notice productivity isn’t restricted to producing things in your life. It can cause advantageous growth for people in your community, as well.

Be Productive in Life By Practicing the 12-Step Program

Although these are not the only ways to feel inspired by the 12-step program, they’ll certainly help boost your productivity. After you put the steps into practice, you may become a more influential person than you ever thought possible, all while getting more done and breaking down perceived barriers.