Why we’re not going dry this January…
Sustainability & Engagement Manager, KOREC Group
This month, millions of Brits will swear off the booze for the first 31 days of the year (an estimated 8.8 million of us did so in January 2023[i]) – but we won’t be joining them.
In usual KOREC fashion, we’re doing things a little differently.
Say goodbye Dry Jan, hello Less Booze, More Moves.
Allow me to explain.
The concept of ‘going dry’ is certainly honourable, and studies show that abstaining for a month can lead to short term decreases in weight, blood pressure, and the risk of diabetes.
But the issue with Dry January is that it tends to attract those who already drink in moderation, or who have a high level of self-awareness when it comes to their drinking habits. For those who drink more often, the idea of going ‘cold turkey’ during one of the toughest, bleakest months of the year, is a challenge too far. And for heavy drinkers, stopping abruptly (especially after the notoriously boozy festive season) can be downright dangerous to their health.
That’s why, at the beginning of the month, a motley crew of 18 of us, from across all areas of the business, in both the UK and Ireland, signed up to our own initiative – Less Booze, More Moves.
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Instead of focussing on being ‘dry’ (nobody ever wants to be described as dry) our focus is to be more mindful of the amount that we’re drinking, to educate ourselves on the effects that drinking can have, to discover and share low or no alcohol alternatives, and to focus on movement (be it walking, running, swimming, gymming – the list is endless).
We believe that taking this stepped approach (quite literally) is not only easier and less draconian, but more sustainable, too – enabling us to make smarter, more informed decisions.
Each week, we monitor and log whether we drank or not, as well as noting our mood, our physical health, and our quality of sleep. It will be fascinating to see what changes we see over the course of the month.
But more importantly, the hope is that we can begin to lay down the foundations for a lasting change in our relationship with booze – change that will last a lot longer than 31 days…
Stay tuned for part 2 of this blog in February, where we’ll share our results and key findings…