Attempting to have a dry January has become a regular New Year’s tradition for many people in Ireland. We’re here to help you get through it.
Quitting the booze in January of each year has become a global trend, and it’s a New Year’s resolution that has become popular due to the many health benefits and other positives it can bring.
After the weeks of partying and often drinking to success towards the end of the previous year, it can come as a welcome reprieve to stop drinking, and as such, dry January can be a welcome challenge. However, it is indeed a challenge and one that many people find themselves failing to complete despite their initial best intentions.
In this article, will we list 10 things that you can do that will help you through dry January and make it a success!
10. Make goals – something to aim for
Making goals and writing them down as a physical reminder can help you keep on the right track for dry January and to keep the focus on what you aim to achieve.
9. Hide your booze – concealing temptation
As the old saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind,” and this mantra can be applied to alcohol during dry January too. It’s a good idea to hide any alcohol you may have in your house so you won’t be tempted, such as seeing a wine rack every time you enter the kitchen.
8. Think about the money you’re saving – more cash to spend
If you are ever lacking in motivation to stay on course during dry January then you should remind yourself of how much money you are saving by passing on a few nights out. That’s more money in your pocket!
7. Get a hobby to focus on – positive pursuits
Another good way to stay away from the drink is to find yourself another hobby to focus your time on. This will keep you happy and more importantly distracted. Hobbies one can take up could be joining a book club, gym, or sports club or learning a new skill.
6. Don’t let a slip-up defeat you – pick yourself back up
Don’t let a slip-up ruin your dry January. If you do end up slipping up one night and taking a drink or two, then don’t beat yourself up about it. One mistake doesn’t have to end your dry January, so pick yourself back up and continue on.
5. Think about how much better you feel – focus on the health benefits
Not only is dry January good for your liver, but abstaining from alcohol has a whole host of benefits for your body and wellbeing. You will not only feel healthier, but you will also find yourself having a lot more energy.
4. Keep yourself accountable – staying disciplined
Doing dry January requires discipline, and a big part of being disciplined is to hold yourself accountable. If possible, try and find yourself an accountability partner who is also doing dry January, and you will both be able to motivate and keep each other accountable to get through the dry January challenge.
3. Treat yourself to a reward – a prize for your efforts
Dry January isn’t an easy challenge, so when you are doing well, it’s important to reward yourself; you will have saved a lot of money by visiting the pub less and not buying alcohol, so why not use some of this extra cash to treat yourself to a little something?
2. Download a helpful app – for motivation and guidance
There are some great free apps out there that can help you get through dry January successfully, such as the Alcohol Concern free app called ‘Dry January & Beyond’. This app is designed to help you keep track of whether or not you had a drink on any specific day, and it will also provide you with some motivating facts such as how many days you’ve gone, and how much money you have saved.
There is also a premium version of the app, which will send you motivational messages and tips to help keep you successful.
1. Drink non-alcoholic drinks – alcohol zero
Just because you’re doing dry January it doesn’t mean you have to avoid the pub. Non-alcoholic beer has become an extremely popular option in recent years and as such most pubs now stock alcohol-free beer. There are now alcohol-free versions of the vast majority of the most popular brands of beers.
If you have managed to have a successful dry January so far then by following these tips you will be sure to see the rest of January through and perhaps beyond. Similarly, if you have slipped up this month in your attempt at dry January then these tips may make the difference and be exactly what you need to succeed.
