How to schmooze without booze

How to schmooze without booze

There’s nothing wrong with having a few after-work drinks with your colleagues, but if you feel under office-to-pub peer pressure or don\'t want to miss out on those after-hours networking opportunities then here\'s a handy guide to schmoozing sans-alcohol...

There\'s nothing wrong with a little white lie...

Tell little white lies. “Say you can’t drink at the moment\r\nbecause you’re on antibiotics or have a hangover,” advises\r\nGeorgia Foster, hypnotherapist and author of The Drink Less Mind (£17.99, www.georgiafoster.com). “People accept these excuses.”

Know your limits

Set some standards. “You’re there to do your job. Drinking is a side issue, and if you want to progress you need to set a limit for yourself,” says Georgia. “Know what you can handle and, if it’s only one, then stick to that.”

Relationship on the rocks?

View it as a relationship. “Think of how strongly involved you are with drinking. How hard is it not to have it for one night? Try to go without for a couple of days, then longer, as you would when you’re ending a bad relationship with a boyfriend,” advises Nick Barton, chief executive of charity Action on Addiction ( www.actiononaddiction.org.uk)

Water if your friend

“Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic drink,” says Georgia. “Nobody will notice if you’ve got sparkling water or a G&T in your glass. And make sure you don’t drink on an empty stomach or you’ll get drunk much quicker.”

Beware the round

Don’t get involved in rounds. “This makes us drink more quickly. Buy your own drinks, or get in a round with a friend who drinks at the same speed as you,” says Georgia.

To calculate how many units you’re drinking visit www.nhs/uk/units.