The evening drinking hour
Ideas for the bit of the day when pouring a drink feels automatic.
READ THE ARTICLE →A whole month?
Start with today.
An alcohol-free January. A little less forever.
You don’t need a new personality, a perfect morning routine or a lifetime promise. If you’re ready for alcohol to take up less space, let’s make room for something else.
If you’re looking at January and already feeling overwhelmed, I get it. I felt that way on my first Dry Jan, and the thought of “never drinking again” made starting feel even harder. That’s why Today Will Do starts smaller. Explore the articles, sign up for your free tracker and Notes from Emma, and follow us on socials. There’s an app coming too, but you’re welcome here right now.
Need a distraction when you fancy a drink? Visit the Craving Corner for puzzles, breathing exercises, music and gentle movement.
START BEFORE THE CALENDAR DOESMake a plan.
Make a plan.
Leave room for real life.
01 / THE EVENING
Know your tricky hour.
Think about when you usually pour a drink. Choose something else to do at that time, rather than leaving the decision to your tired evening self.
02 / THE WEEKEND
Put something in the diary.
A film, a DIY project, breakfast out or a visit somewhere new. There’s more to an alcohol-free weekend than a different drink.
03 / YOUR PEOPLE
Ask for the support you need.
Tell one person your plan. If you need professional advice before changing your drinking, make that your first step.
04 / YOUR SMALL WINS
Take it one tick at a time.
Sign up to Notes from Emma and we’ll send you a free, editable January Challenge Tracker. Keep your reason close, plan your tricky hour and mark each alcohol-free day. Fill it in on screen or print it.
GET MY FREE TRACKER →
A NOTE FROM EMMAHi, I’m Emma.
Hi, I’m Emma.
I started with today, too.
I’m two years alcohol-free now, but I remember when an evening without drinking felt like a very big ask. Never mind a whole January.
Alcohol took up far more than my evenings. There was the thinking about it, the bargaining, and the mornings spent wishing I’d done things differently.
I created Today Will Do because I wanted to make something that would have helped me then: honest encouragement, practical ideas and a place to start without having to work out forever.
If January is your starting point, I’m glad you’re here.
A little reading for the moments
that feel big.
Wondering what you’ll do at your usual drinking hour? How you’ll handle a night out? Whether January has to mean forever? Start wherever feels familiar.
Socialising without alcohol
What to order, what to say and how to enjoy being there.
READ THE ARTICLE →
Does quitting drinking mean forever?
A little reassurance when a month starts feeling like a lifetime commitment.
READ THE ARTICLE →A few things you might be wondering.
What emails am I signing up for?
Sign up here to receive your free editable January Challenge Tracker, plus Notes from Emma: honest stories, practical ideas for drinking less and app launch news. Confirm your email to download the tracker. This is not a daily January coaching programme. Unsubscribe whenever you like.
Do I have to carry on into February?
You don’t have to make a promise about February before you’ve even started January. If the thought of forever makes you want to shut the whole idea down, you’re allowed to take a smaller step.
Give yourself some space to notice what an alcohol-free January feels like for you: the evenings, the mornings, the things you miss and the things you’re glad to have back. It doesn’t have to be a perfect month or a dramatic transformation to tell you something useful.
As February gets closer, you can reflect on what you’ve learned and what support would help you next. You might want to keep going. You might feel unsure. You don’t need to have the answer today, and you don’t have to work it out alone.
Taking it one day at a time isn’t a promise that returning to drinking will be safe for you. If your GP or alcohol service has advised you not to drink, keep that advice at the centre of your plan.
January can be your starting point. Today is the bit in front of you.
Is this the official Dry January® challenge?
No. Today Will Do is independent and is not affiliated with Alcohol Change UK. For the official Dry January® challenge and its resources, visit Alcohol Change UK.
Looking for Dry January or “Dry Jan”? The official Dry January® challenge is run by Alcohol Change UK. Today Will Do is independent: here you’ll find lived-experience encouragement and a preparation guide for your own alcohol-free January.