7 Ways To Minimize Your Urge to Smoke
It is a lengthy process to quit smoking. It can take you everything from a few weeks or months to several years. The exact time it takes you to quit can vary, but no matter what it is important that you have some kind of plan to fight against your urge to smoke.
At some point in your experience trying to quit you will encounter a situation where the urge to smoke is very strong. How you handle this situation will go a long way towards your ultimate success. Being prepared for the urge to smoke will ensure that you have a plan to keep your willpower strong and continue on your path to quit smoking successfully.
Take the time to decide exactly when you typically smoke. For example, after meals, after a jog around the block, or even after your shower each morning. Knowing when you typically smoke will put you in a good position to create a plan to combat the urge.
Come up with a plan to attack the urge. It can be a simple solution like a stress ball to keep your hands busy or a piece of candy for your urge to have something in your mouth. If you enjoy the feeling of a clean mouth you can brush your teeth every time you have the urge to smoke. Or you can take a piece of gum.
Avoid the temptations that lurk. If you go out to eat, make sure you are sitting in the no smoking area. Avoid going into tobacco stores, and also try to limit the amount of time you are around other smokers. If you are continuously around cigarettes, it will be much harder to resist temptation.
All smoking instruments must be removed. This is stuff like matches, lighters and ashtrays. Do also get rid of the smell of cigarettes; either by airing the room or using products like Febreeze. The smell of cigarettes can trigger your urge to smoke.
If you have a place where you typically smoke when you are at home, think about rearranging the area. If you are able to break the routine of the situation, you will be able to resist temptation much better. This works best if you always are in the habit of smoking in the exact same place, such as a living room looking out a window. If you move the chair to a different area of the room, or refocus the center of the room then you can help to avoid the temptation to smoke whenever you are sitting in the chair looking out the window.
Write down your goals to stop smoking. What might seem like a minor detail actually have a huge impact on the success factor. If you just tell yourself that it might be a good idea to quit the cigarettes, it is easier for you to cheat and give up to the urge. With goals on paper, you will be more likely to follow them. The same applies for losing weight, doing more exercise etc. Written goals can increase responsibility significantly.
Do not discount yourself. If you are absolutely certain that you can succeed, you will be much more capable of the success that you need. It is important to believe that you can succeed. This will help you to stay strong anytime a serious urge kicks in. If you decide to slip up consciously, you are going to find it is much harder to gain back any slack that you have cut for yourself. However, if you hold fast to your dedication to quit smoking you will find that each time you have an urge it is easier to handle.
Martin Elmer is writing about quitting your cigarettes and rygeafvaenning. You can also learn how to minimize your nicotine withdrawal symptoms with stop med at ryge products.