Making a Quit Plan: Prepare to Quit Monday

Making a Quit Plan

This Monday, increase your chances of quitting smoking successfully by drawing up a personalized quit plan to keep you focused and in control. Quitting smoking is a journey that requires commitment and strength, but sometimes it can be difficult to remember why you’re quitting or how to cope when you’re experiencing intense cravings. That’s why you should consider making a quit plan – a bit of preparation can go a long way!

Choose Monday to Quit.

There are 52 Mondays a year, and each new week is a recurring opportunity to start fresh and give the smoke-free life another chance. Should you slip up, you can always start again on a Monday. Quitting is hard, so if you relapse, don’t beat yourself up, try to learn from that slip-up and start again next Monday.

Make a Plan.

Set some time aside, sit down, and create a personalized quit plan. This is just for you. Include your quit date and remind yourself why you want to quit. This can come in handy when you are experiencing those cravings by referring back to your reasons for quitting.

Identify Your Triggers.

Triggers are people, places, or activities which activate your urge to smoke. Be free to explore personal triggers and write them down – these are specific to you. Common triggers are alcohol, coffee, meals, and stress. Once you’ve identified those triggers, plan to spend time in smoke-free environments, like museums, theaters, or concerts. Throwing out smoking paraphernalia, like lighters and ashtrays is also a good way to keep smoking out of sight and out of mind.

Be Prepared to Face Your Cravings.

Making a quit plan will help you to defuse cravings – getting to the other side of one can be challenging. Take heart: cravings usually last only ten minutes. If you can see it through, then you are one step closer to quitting for good. As part of your plan, draw up a list of personalized self-care activities to do while you’re facing cravings. For example, go to the gym and have a steam, find a recipe and cook a nice meal, or spend time with a friend who supports your efforts to quit. Here’s a listing of TED Talks to support your self-care initiative and why it’s so important as you challenge yourself to lead a smoke-free life.

Don’t get too upset if you need a do-over. Quitting smoking can take several tries and it’s different for every person, but the good thing is there’s always a Monday right around the corner to start fresh and try again.