Smoking is addictive and harmful to the body. However, people keep smoking because they find quitting hard. In 2018, it was estimated that about 34 million adults in the country smoked regularly. If you have been finding it difficult to quit this harmful habit, here are some top tips for quitting smoking. These suggestions will help you get rid of the habit entirely, forever.
Make the decision first
Some people keep thinking about quitting smoking but never really implement the plan in real-time. The first tip for quitting smoking is to make the decision with complete consciousness. Decide a date from when you will be quitting and make sure you follow through on it.
Find your purpose
Why are you quitting smoking? You need to be convinced by the purpose, and only then can you follow up on the withdrawal process. Are you worried about your health? Is your partner tired of you smoking? Are you physically sick? Keep telling yourself that things will get better once you quit. You can also take a print out of the reason and stick in on your worktable to remind yourself why you are doing this.
Understand your trigger periods
Some people need to smoke the minute they wake up, while other people cannot do without a cigarette right after lunch. Many others love the experience of walking with friends and peers and talking over a lit cigarette. Find out when during the day you crave for a smoke and start tweaking your day based on that. Take help from friends and family to keep you engaged during your trigger periods.
Tell your close friends about your decision
One of the best tips for quitting smoking is to let everyone who are close to you know about your decision. This helps in two ways. People will consciously try and keep you away from any temptations you may have about smoking. You will also have a sense of ownership of the decision once people know about it.
Stay busy
Plan the first two weeks after quitting carefully. You can immerse yourself with a work project or take up a new hobby at home. Plan on doing things you can focus on will help make the withdrawal symptoms easier.
Celebrate every day’s victory
Another great tip for quitting smoking is to celebrate every day’s victory. Did you go through a whole day without smoking? Feel good and talk about it with people close to you. This will give you the right motivation to keep up the process.
All these tips for quitting smoking will help you give up on this habit for good, and will help make withdrawal symptoms more manageable. You can always consult professionals, who can help you through the process better. Do not think twice about taking help.
