I had many attempts at sobriety before it really stuck. I would have a bunch of drinks and then go 5-9 days or so clean before my AV started kicking in saying why not have a few. Eventually I wanted to quit more than I wanted to drink because I hated the misery which would follow an awful binge.
It is true, you will now have free time where you used to either be drunk/drinking/hungover. I look back and don't know how I got anything done before.