Description
"Look at Drinking Pros and Cons List" is a reflective habit where you regularly review a personalized list of the positive and negative aspects of drinking alcohol. This habit is designed to promote mindfulness around drinking habits by helping you weigh the benefits and drawbacks before making a decision. Reviewing this list regularly can bring more awareness to your choices, make it easier to resist impulses, and strengthen your commitment to healthier lifestyle changes.
Time Commitment
1-2 minutes per review session.
Suggested Frequency
Daily, or whenever you feel an urge to drink.
Time of Day
Daily, or whenever you feel an urge to drink.
How to Do It
- Create Your List: Write down a list of all the pros and cons of drinking specific to you. Include both immediate effects (e.g., relaxation) and long-term impacts (e.g., health risks, financial costs).
- Set a Regular Review Time: Decide when you’ll review the list—such as each morning, before social events, or when a craving arises.
- Read the List Slowly: When reviewing, take time to consider each point. Reflect on why it matters to you and how it affects your goals.
- Reflect on Recent Experiences: Think about any recent times you drank or chose not to, and how those situations relate to your list.
- Revise as Needed: Over time, add or adjust items on your list as you gain new insights about your drinking habits or preferences.
Required Equipment
- Pros and Cons List: Written on paper, in a notes app, or on a sticky note for quick access.
- Reminders (optional): Set reminders on your phone or keep the list somewhere visible to help you remember to review it.
Benefits
- Increased Self-Awareness: Regularly reflecting on the effects of drinking helps you better understand your motivations and tendencies.
- Improved Decision-Making: This habit encourages mindful decision-making by prompting you to consider both the short- and long-term impacts of drinking.
- Reduced Impulsive Drinking: Reviewing the cons can make it easier to resist immediate urges to drink, especially in social settings.
- Enhanced Motivation for Change: Seeing the personal drawbacks of drinking can strengthen your resolve to make healthier choices.
- Better Mental Health: Regular reflection helps reduce cognitive dissonance and guilt associated with drinking, fostering a balanced mindset.
Why it works
Reviewing a pros and cons list creates a mental “pause” before deciding whether or not to drink, allowing you to consider the broader impacts of your choice. This habit works by engaging the brain’s reflective processes, helping you bring personal values into your decisions instead of acting on impulse. By reminding yourself of the potential drawbacks and benefits, you reinforce your commitment to healthier choices and build a more intentional relationship with alcohol.
Possible Side Effects
- Feelings of Guilt or Regret: Reviewing the cons of drinking might bring up guilt over past behaviors. Remember, this is part of the process and can motivate change.
- Temporary Discomfort: Reflecting honestly on the impact of drinking might feel uncomfortable, especially if you’re used to seeing only the positives.
Tips
- Keep the List Accessible: Put it somewhere easy to find, like on your phone, fridge, or bathroom mirror.
- Be Honest and Specific: Include clear, personal reasons why drinking might not align with your goals or values, as well as any benefits that feel relevant.
- Use Reminders: If you tend to forget, set a daily reminder or tie this habit to a specific time, like before a social event.
- Pair with Deep Breathing: Read your list slowly and take a few deep breaths afterward to reinforce mindfulness.
- Update Regularly: Revisit your list each month to add any new insights or experiences that reinforce your motivations.
Supporting Studies and Articles
- The Role of Reflective Decision-Making in Substance Use Witkiewitz, K., & Marlatt, G. A. (2020). "Mindfulness and Reflective Practices in Reducing Alcohol Use." Journal of Substance Use and Recovery, 18(4), 245-257. Link
This study shows that regular reflection on substance use can help reduce impulsive drinking and support long-term change. - Cognitive Reflection in Reducing Impulsive Drinking
Creswell, J. D., et al. (2019). "Cognitive Reflection as a Tool for Alcohol Use Reduction." Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 25(3), 205-213. Link
Research demonstrates how taking time to weigh pros and cons can improve decision-making and reduce impulsive behaviors. - Pros and Cons Lists as Behavior Change Tools
Rogers, R. W., & Prentice-Dunn, S. (2019). "Reflective Decision-Making and Substance Use Behaviors." Health Psychology Review, 13(2), 98-112. Link
The study explains how reviewing pros and cons lists can improve self-awareness and motivation in individuals aiming to change behavior.
