Boredom

[Phoebewillow]

I’m trying to cut out alcohol for a month - and then maybe forever. I had got to drinking a bottle a night and needed to stop. The thing I am finding the hardest is the boredom. I do lots of exercise, lots of running but the time seems to go on and on in the evening without wine. I am a teacher so on summer holidays - perversely term time might be easier when I have work to do but how do you stop each evening lasting forever without wine! I have 2 dds but 16/17..

I know as a teacher you need time to decompress. Give yourself a couple of weeks then maybe look to occupy yourself with one of the following :

VSO,
Summer schools,
room to read,
group hiking trips?

I made a list of everything I couldn't do when drinking - driving, Reading, attend to a hobby, learn a new language, cook something new, discover new place - then tried to do one of those things. I did find the evenings to drag though, especially at the beginning of going alcohol free. Can you get out to the cinema, or an evening show somewhere?

Same here. The evenings are so boring.

Also a teacher, and have decided that the holidays are the wrong time to cut down for me. I’ve cut alcohol out for months at a time before, but usually across term time.
Do you drink on work nights?

When I changed from drinking every day I had to change what I watched, what I ate, what I listened to etc.. I also really got into skincare and evening self care stuff like face masks, creams, nail polish all sorts and started watching comforting programmes in bed. I tried loads of things. I've been sober now for 4 years and the boredom has completely gone - it was never boredom it was a habit and the difficulty in not having that habit anymore.

Thank you so much for your ideas. It is the sense of the evening dragging. I guess I picked the holidays to start as I am less stressed and more able to not reach for wine
as a ‘reward’ for a stressful day.. today is my day 12 so will try and keep it up..

Day 12 -in the summer hols - that’s actually amazing!! 🤩 well done!

I find if the evening isn't thrilling me it's best if I just go to bed. But I do love my bed....

Amazing work on Day 12 @Phoebewillow

We have a lovely bunch of women at various stages of sobriety here navigating the alcohol free life. Come and join us!

I hear you on the boredom, I took whiled away hours drinking wine in front of the telly of an evening and especially in the first month (but still sometimes now) I just couldn't do it AF. I think it is partly an association and habit but also because the TV I was.watching was actually quite boring. I used the time to focus on other relaxing activities. Shakti, long baths, elaborate skin care regime etc. I did feel some guilt on "absenting myself" from the family by going upstairs soon after dinner but I really needed it.

I also slept A LOT. Going to bed a lot earlier than usual for a fair number of weeks.

Things are better now, I don't come up every night anymore but if what is being watched doesn't interest me or I just don't feel like it. I come upstairs and relax, reading, bathing etc.

Good luck

Thank you all! Going to bed earlier is a good idea! I’m taking my dds to Taylor Swift tonight so at least that will be an easy day to tick off! Thank you for your support