People have likely been counting down the days to January this year for plenty of reasons. But it also means the annual Dry January Challenge is with us again! If you want to give this challenge a go then we have some tips to help you ensure your success.
Now if you have never tried Dry January before I’ll give you a quick lowdown. It’s a public health campaign in which people challenge themselves to go alcohol-free for the whole month. Dry January is practised in the UK, France, Switzerland, and many other countries.
The aim of Dry January is to help bring awareness to the benefits of not drinking alcohol. It doesn’t aim to help people stay alcohol-free forever, but it does want to help people practice more healthy behaviour and develop a better attitude towards drinking.
Now while the situation with COVID-19 means access to drinking in pubs, bars, and clubs is simply not an option for many people alcohol is still readily available in shops and supermarkets. So, let’s take a look at some tips to help you stay dry this January.
Tell Friends/Family
Dry January was often advertised as a group activity, friends would take the challenge together and support each other. Now again COVID-19 has meant getting together with friends simply isn’t an option for many people. However, that doesn’t mean you can't still support each other.
Talk over the phone or online and let each other know how your Dry January challenge is going. You should also tell anyone you live with that you are taking on the challenge. This can help you stay on task and avoid slipups. Friends and family can still support each other this year they just need to do it remotely.
Save Your Money
One of the big benefits of Dry January is that you can see exactly how much you save if you don’t buy alcohol. One great tip to follow is every time you go shopping take the money you would spend on alcohol and put it in a jar or tin.
Then when Dry January is over you can actually see and count up all the money you have saved by not purchasing alcohol. This will help you better see the savings and you can even use the money to treat yourself to a nice gift as a reward at the end of the month!
Write A Journal
Yes, this might seem like strange advice but trust us simply writing a few lines each day can make a big difference. It will also give you a way to see how your journey through Dry January has improved your health and attitude. You don’t have to write pages (although you certainly can if you enjoy it) just stick to the basics and try to remember to write a little something each day.
Have Fun With The Extra-Time
One great tip to make Dry January more successful is to use the time you would spend drinking to do something else. A hobby you’ve always wanted to try for example. Now once again due to COVID-19 things might be a little more difficult but it also means you can think outside of the box a little.
For example, instead of drinking you could do a home workout, do some online learning, or simply watch a movie or play a video game. Use the extra time to have some fun or try something new. This will help ensure you don’t slip back into your old drinking habits.
Use The App
There is a great Dry January App available for both Apple and Android devices. The app can you help track your savings, write a journal, keep track of your days, do health quizzes, and much more. Now since pubs and other similar establishments are closed for most people you might not get the full use out of the app, but I still think it would be a great tool to use.
Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself
Now while Dry January can help bring about some great behavioural and attitude changes it also isn’t something that should be viewed as a life-altering challenge either. Now, of course, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it seriously, but it also means you shouldn’t put any undue pressure on yourself.
Dry January can be tough, and this is January is likely going to be even tougher for many of us. If you have a small slip up don’t worry. Just do your best to ensure you don’t have another one. And remember all the tips we’ve compiled in the list will help ensure you don’t and that your Dry January is a success.