Quit Tips:

Quitting smoking is hard, no doubt about it. In fact, it takes the average smoker eight attempts to quit successfully.

Here are some practical tips that have worked for ex-smokers who understand just how hard it is to quit:

• Remember it is natural and normal to feel anxiety anytime you make a significant life change.
• Plan ahead for temptation. It’s inevitable.
• Cut down on alcohol and caffeine consumption.
• Plan non-smoking tactics before you go to events where other people might be smoking.
• Keep healthy substitutes handy to keep your hands and mouth busy, like carrots, raisins, gum, hand candy and lollipops.
• Keep your hands busy. Carry a stress ball or a doodle pad.
• Tell your family and friends you are quitting. Let them support you.
• Drink a lot of water. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go.
• Eat frequent small meals. This will stabilize your blood sugar levels and keep your mouth and hands busy.
• Change your typical daily routine is as many ways as possible. Take a new route to work, drink tea instead of coffee, and have lunch in the conference room rather than at your desk.
• Remove all evidence of smoking from your life. Clean your car interior and launder all of your clothes to remove the smell of tobacco smoke.
• Exercise especially when you are angry, stressed or bored.
• Make an appointment with the dentist to have your teeth cleaned.
• Be proactive about spending time with non-smokers and/or ex-smokers.
• Write down the reasons you are quitting and review them to serve as a reminder why you think quitting is worthwhile.
• Reward yourself. Plan to buy something special with all the money you save.