Top 10 Tips on How To Quit Smoking
Aug 10th, 2008 by Wendy Jones
With so many tips and suggestions on how to stop smoking it is really easy to see why so many people really do not quit. The vast majority of people are completely confused by the entire process! What of the conflicting messages passed around?
The fact is that with so much information passed around that is confusing to people it is often much easier to just continue smoking and hoping for a simple solution. Actually taking the necessary steps to really quit smoking is not easy. It means coming to terms with the fact that stopping smoking really is best for you, as well as your health.
Most people are readily aware that stopping smoking can improve their health, but learning how to really conquer the urges to smoke is not easy. With so many temptations circulating around, as well as the stresses of daily life it is easy to see why jumping into a pack of cigarettes seems like a good idea.
Tip #1 You must have a very good reason to quit smoking. The health benefits of quitting smoking are obvious, but you need your own personal desire for giving up, otherwise you’ll be relying on will power alone.
Tip #2 As you make progress, give yourself small rewards for your achievements. Quitting cold turkey is hard, so these rewards will help spur you on, and are great ways to boost your motivation.
Tip #3 Don’t plan to fail by failing to plan. Draw up a plan of action of how you will stop smoking. Are you going to use nicotine replacement therapy (like nicotine patches or gum), or prescription drugs, or stop smoking hypnosis? Whatever it is, write it down, make your plan and stick to it for at least six weeks. If it doesn’t work for you, have another plan ready to replace it.
Tip #4 Work to overcome your struggles. If you are smoking due to stressful things in your life, you need to deal with the stress before you can successfully quit. Regardless of the reason why you are smoking, it needs to be dealt with in able to quit for good.
Tip #5 Set up a punishment for yourself. For example, if you generally stop at Starbucks each day for a coffee you might consider skipping that on days when you have fallen short of your goals for smoking. Whatever punishment you select, make sure it is something that you care about.
Tip #6 Don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family to help you. Most people need some extra support when they are giving up smoking. Asking for help or support is not a bad thing.
Tip #7 Consider looking for a “quit buddy”. If you have a friend or partner who is giving up smoking with you, it can make the journey a lot easier, as you will both be accountable to each other.
Tip #8 Ensure you are getting plenty of sleep. The job of quitting smoking is quite difficult. If you are not getting the rest you need, you are much more likely to be cranky, upset and angry with the world. This is very counterproductive to your goal of quitting smoking for good.
Tip #9 Aim to quit for good. This might seem a bit strange, but if you are just planning to quit for a weekend you are not going to put much effort into the process. If you are planning to quit for good, a lot more time and effort is going to go into the process as well as your plan to quit.
Tip #10 You will undoubtedly have cravings and urges, so make a list of things you can do to take you mind of smoking when these situations arise. Forewarned is forearmed.
