WHAT?
The February challenge >>>
GO BOOZE FREE...
This month we challenge you to give up alcohol (or another food & drink vice).
WHY?
Tell me more...
You know booze can be bad for you, right? We're not going to preach about the the evils of drink, but did you see this: "Britons get drunk more often than everyone else in the world, a global drug survey suggests"?
Regardless of how much you normally drink, there are some really tangible benefits of going sober, even for just 28 days.
The headline effects are, better sleep, improvement in physical health, including weight loss, and you can save money. Plus, how does no hangovers for a month sound?
One of the real wins of giving up alcohol for a month, aside from a huge sense of accomplishment, is the way it can change your relationship with booze in the long term. Recent research from the University of Sussex, lead by Dr Richard de Visser, showed that after a month of no drinking, 82% of people think more deeply about their relationship with alcohol, and as Alcohol Concern’s Dr Piper puts it, “[a month without alcohol] is your bootcamp to learn the skills you need to be able to say no when you don’t fancy a drink, so you can make healthier, happier choices all year round,”.
Here are a couple of videos from others who have taken on the challenge, with their own thoughts on why and how...
HOW?
The basics
There are two types of drinking and a couple of ways to help you resist for each.
Drinking at home
Plenty of us enjoy a glass of wine or a beer after a long day at work. Or maybe we push the boat out and drink a bit more at the weekend. One way to avoid the temptation, is simply to remove it. It might sound extreme, but try taking alcohol in the house and box it up, storing it in a loft or shed. Not having alcohol easily at hand should help you pause if you ever feel the urge to have a drink.
Drinking socially
This is where it can be a bit tougher. So many social occasions revolve around drinking. Friday night work beers, dinner parties, birthdays, nights out... You could just avoid these things, but that would be a bit sad. Instead, you could just order one of the now numerous alcohol free alternatives. Sometimes it's about scratching that itch, so treat yourself to a mocktail or choose the alcohol free beer. Othertimes, you just need to break the habit - order a hot drink or fruit juice. You'll find once you've broken the back and lasted 20 minutes without succumbing, it's much easier to settle in and enjoy the occasion.
Take it a bit further...
This challenge is a little devilish, in that we know many people give up alcohol for January... So, if that's you and you don't like the idea of continuing for another month, or if you are already a non-drinker, how about looking at some of the other things you eat or drink? Maybe you're the sort of person who normally drinks a few cups of coffee or tea - why not take a break from caffiene for the month. Or if you're partial to a sugary drink, give those up and see if you can go for a month just drinking plain water...
You could try cutting out sugar from your diet altogether or see if you can go through the month replacing snacks with healthy options like fruit?
Whatever you decide to do, the important thing is to define the terms and then share your clear goal or rules with your team!