31 Things to Do Instead of Drinking Alcohol

We would save ourselves a lot of trouble and hassle if we could find ways to manage stress and busy days in ways other than drinking alcohol. Our natural reaction to bad news, busy weeks, or hard days is often to have a drink. We seem to think that alcohol soothes the mind, or medicates our nerves, or maybe that it is our reward after enduring something negative. But we forget about how alcohol makes us feel the morning after, and how much time and money we actually waste on this substance that usually causes more harm than good. So maybe the next time we experience hardship, we shouldn’t reach for the alcohol. Maybe we shouldn’t make so many jokes about how a mom is really going to need a drink after that long day with the kids. Maybe we shouldn’t encourage co-workers to come out to the bar to drink their stresses from the day away.

There are many more effective things to do to relieve stress or to make ourselves really feel better. Sometimes just starting one of these activities will be enough to take our mind off of drinking. There really is so much more to life, and rewarding ourselves too quickly with alcohol takes away from these other experiences we could be having. The next time you feel pressured or entitled to drink your troubles away, try one of these activities first:

1. Go for a long walk
2. Visit a museum or the zoo
3. Go for a swim
4. See a movie
5. Take a class on languages or art
6. Get some coffee at your favorite coffee shop
7. Learn to play an instrument
8. Attend a play at a local high school
9. Take in a recital
10. Walk around the mall
11. Read a book
12. Play a game
13. Plant a flower or tree
14. Volunteer at a local food bank or shelter
15. Write a letter to a far away relative
16. Organize your photos
17. Call an old friend
18. Make a meal from scratch
19. Organize a baseball or volleyball game with friends or co-workers
20. Clean out a closet at home
21. Take a bath
22. Repaint a room in your home
23. Look through old yearbooks
24. Start a new hobby
25. Study the history of your town
26. Visit the Humane Society
27. Paint a picture
28. Go to the library
29. Ride a bike
30. Have a picnic
31. Plan your dream vacation