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25 Things to do With Your Alcohol-Free Time!
When we stop drinking, we often find ourselves with a lot of time we didn’t know we had. This sounds great in theory but very quickly it can start to feel like a void that needs to be filled.
Conversely when trying not to drink, many find the question of what they will do with themselves, to be bewildering at the very least, and at the worst, a source of fear and anxiety.
In search of something more to write about today, I have spent the last hour coming up with my 25 top picks for your booze-free time. Some may seem difficult due to COVID, but most require only minor adjustment to make them achievable. And don’t forget… anything you want to learn to do, someone on YouTube has made a video of it!
25 Things to do With Your Alcohol-Free Time!
1. Choose a culture, spend time learning to cook it’s most famous dishes, then host an AF dinner party with whoever COVID let’s you have. Remember to dress up and make an effort with the table, even if it’s just for you and the cat!
2. Buy a big arse Lego set… and build it yourself. No sharing with the children… this one is just for you so make it the one you dreamed of (or would have) as a child!
3. Think about the crafting ability of your ancestors. Was Grandma an amazing knitter or sewer? Was Great Grandpa nifty with a crochet hook? Choose a craft and teach yourself to do it.
4. Free your digital photos from their prison and start creating photo albums. You could simply place photos in conventional albums, go for broke and teach yourself scrapbooking, or order photo books.
5. Choose a small piece of old furniture from a secondhand store and resolve to restore it to its former glory… or a shabby chic new glory.
6. Teach yourself some basic car maintenance tasks. We aren’t talking here about having the engine of the Corolla in pieces on the driveway. Learn to change the air filter and replace the wiper blades for a start!
7. Think of something you know how to do, that you enjoy, and start your own online business. Whether you set out to earn an extra $20 a week or build an empire, is irrelevant. It’s the joy of planning for success.
8. Learn to sketch, or paint, or draw. You may consider yourself to not have a creative bone in your body but it’s about challenging yourself and trying something new.
9. Make deals with your closest friends to hold regular phone or Zoom calls to catch up… and not just a loosey goosey hey-let’s-catch-up deal. I mean a set-in-stone-every-Tuesday-at-7pm deal!
10. Start a journal. Whether you write in it every day or once a week doesn’t matter. It could be written with a pen in a book, or using a journaling App on your phone. ( or you do an interactive journal with us in BOOM )
11. Learn to bake the perfect scone. The joy of eating a freshly baked, delicious scone, while it is still warm, cannot be underestimated.
12. Think of a favourite TV series you watched back in the day. Find out where to access it and rewatch from the first to the last episode.
13. Create a photo wall somewhere in your home, choosing photos of people and places that bring you joy.
14. Choose a topic that interests you and learn about it. Whether it is Buddhism or bees, woodworking or weightlifting, learn all there is to know!
15. Start an exercise regime. Whether it’s joining a gym and busting your buns five days or week, or simply resolving to walk around the block every night after dinner.
16. Clutter-clear your home. It can seem daunting, but the mental health benefits of a tidy home cannot be underestimated.
17. Learn to cook a delicious vegetarian meal. You don’t have to be vegetarian to enjoy a meal without meat!
18. Research your family tree. With online search engines like Ancestry this has never been easier!
19. Learn to play a card game. Whether it’s Gin Rummy or Poker, Uno or Go-Fish. Whether you play at home, or on Zoom, or against the computer.
20. Start a course. Whether its a PhD in Anthropology or a 3-day course in creative writing, choose something and complete it.
21. Hold your own Novel in November. No matter what month it is, you too could write a novel in a month!
22. Find a list of top 100 Books to Read Before You Die like this one from GoodReads and start working your way down the list. Remember you can always borrow from a local library, buy second hand, or take out a audio or digital book subscription.
23. Find somewhere you can watch all the seasons of Star Trek (or Dr Who if that’s your pleasure) and be transported… either By Scotty or the Tardis. Your choice!
24. Start a veggie or herb garden. Whether you have 100 sprawling acres or a 1 metre square balcony, everyone can grow something they can eat!
25. Get out your camera and start putting it to good use. From joining Find a Grave to Unsplash, taking photos to benefit others can be fulfilling and fun.
Enjoy!
Be the change you want in your life.
More by this author :
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[…] Find the trigger, HALT, and find a solution that fits the real craving. Are you craving food, release, interaction, or rest? Here are some ideas from our community on how to answer those cravings – Filling the Empty Space in Early Sobriety and 25 Things to do With Your Alcohol-Free Time! […]
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