10 Ways to Quit Smoking Painlessly
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Though there are many reasons why people take up smoking, when it comes to quitting, there are usually two major deterrents: the nicotine addiction and the ritualistic habit of reaching for a cigarette. To effectively quit smoking and to do it as painlessly as possible one must simultaneously kick both the addiction and the habit. (This is why some people who turn to anti-smoking products, such as the nicotine patch, find themselves unable to quit.)
Here are 10 relatively painless tips to keep in mind to help you live a smoke free life:
1. Take on a positive mindset. Make sure that you are clear about all the benefits you will enjoy once you have quit smoking. For example, calculate how much money you’ll save, or think about how many days, months, and years you may be adding to your life.
2. Take your smoking outside. If you habitually smoke in either your home or your car, gradually bring your smoking outside. Not only will this protect others from second-hand smoke and will keep these areas smelling fresh, but it is a step towards breaking old habits and building your self-control.
3. Try smoking less than a cigarette. The next time you by a pack of cigarettes cut off a quarter of the cigarettes from the bottom so that you will only be smoking three fourths of a cigarette. When your system has adjusted to that cut it down to half and then a quarter.
4. Try increasing the intervals between cigarettes. Start off by waiting to smoke your next cigarette for 5-10 minutes later than you normally would. As you build up your self-control and confidence, slowly extend the break between smokes by small increments of time.
5. Limit smoking before going to bed and after waking. Your sleep time may be the longest you go without a smoke. So take advantage of it. Try to hold off smoking a half hour before going to bed and for a half an hour after your arise.
6. Look for distractions. Whenever you are tempted to smoke, make sure that you can distract yourself with things that you enjoy doing- i.e. listening to music, speaking to a friend, taking a walk.
7. Get your friends involved. Recruit supportive friends and family to help you stay focused on your goal of quitting and distracted from smoking as well as offer encouragement along the way.
8. Buy a brand of cigarettes that you really don’t enjoy. This will act as a natural deterrent.
9. Keep any smoking related objects out of sight. As the saying goes “out of sight out of mind.” It also means that you will have to “dig” to get these items. This means you may be able to buy some time if the urge to smoke comes up when you are trying to hold back.
10. Put the money you are saving to good use. Smoking is an expensive habit. The money you free up by not smoking can be used for other worthwhile things. Where possible treat yourself. You deserve it!
Or every time you finish a cigarette put it out on your face – I found this to be one of the most effective methods!
i will try that tomorrow, wait 30 min after waking up, wen i got my green smoke e-cig i alowed me 3 tobacco cigs in the morning 1 month later i only smoke 1 tobacco cig, i cut out that night time cig
I quit smoking by using the e cigarette. I simply reduced the nicotine dose every once in a while until I reached zero.
Love your articles. Buy a brand of cigarettes that you really don’t enjoy. Haha pretty awesome idea.
Started my own small german blog about e cigarettes to promote it a bit here in germany
Thanks for the article and keep up your fresh blog!
Another method that worked well for me when I first quit was to keep track of the number of cigarettes that I’ve turned down. So, if you used to smoke a pack a day and you don’t smoke for a day that means you turned down 20 cigarettes.
So after a week or so whenever I would be tempted to have a cigarette I would be able to say to myself, “I’ve turned down 280 cigarettes. I can turn down one more.”
anyone heard of ariva? its a tobacco lozenge that has removed most of the cancer causing TSNA’s and keeps the nicotine. they are going for FDA approval in a few weeks
Haven’t heard about it – good luck with the FDA ;(