Time to Take Control! 4 Effective Ways to Quit Smoking
As anyone who has taken that momentous step can tell you, there are many ways to quit smoking but none of them are easy. It takes a tremendous amount of conviction and willpower, but if you’re reading this article, congratulations. You’ve almost taken the first step, which is to make the decision to stop.
Once you’re ready, there are several paths that you can take. Remember that these aren’t exclusive, so you can choose one or more, or even do them all. What’s important is that you find the way that works for you, so you can move on and leave cigarettes in your past.
Avoid temptation
Avoiding temptation is easier when you aren’t around it in the first place.
When you’re around people who are smoking or in an area that people smoke in, it’s natural to feel the urge to light one up. This can be very hard to resist, so it would be much easier for you to just avoid the temptation altogether.
Giving in and having “just one” is a slippery slope, because chances are you’ll end up smoking another, and then another. When you’re away from that situation entirely, staying in control of yourself is much easier.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that you won’t feel the urge to smoke. But it gets better with time, especially after you’ve been resisting it for a while. Just don’t give in, and remind yourself of why you wanted to quit in the first place.
Distract yourself
Pleasant distractions can help keep the cigarette desire at bay.
Taking your mind off your desire to have a cigarette can be difficult. To do that, you may want to find a suitable distraction to occupy your thoughts. This can take many forms, so you will have to experiment to find the one that works best for you.
Music is an option that works for a lot of people. Listening to your favourite songs can go a long way in helping you shift your mind to something else. In fact, you could even make a Quitting Playlist, and fill it with the tunes that remind you of strength, fortitude or willpower.
If you’re the sort who like to train his brain, meditation might be your thing. In particular, mindfulness meditation can help you grow your willpower and shift your focus to other matters, making quitting a little easier with each session. You can do this wherever you are, even at your desk at work during lunchbreak after you eat your tapau.
Take up a sport
Sports can help you quit in more ways than one.
Trying a new sport or picking up an old one can be quite useful to get you to quit smoking. Exercise releases endorphins that improve your mood, which in turn can strengthen your willpower. It also provides another good distraction (and you’re less likely to be tempted to have a cigarette after a few laps of running or a quick game of badminton or football).
You’ll also get healthier into the bargain, which can provide additional encouragement for you to stay the course. Staying away from smoking means that you’ll eventually be able to run longer and jump more, and so your performance will improve.
If you get into a sport, don’t forget that it can take a while for you to get good at it. Don’t allow yourself to feel frustrated, and instead focus on having fun. Before you know it, it’ll be a shiok experience you’ll be excited to have.
Find an alternative
A suitable alternative might be the thing that helps you quit smoking for good.
Quitting cold turkey has worked for many people, and it may work for you. But if you’re worried that it could be too big a step, you can consider an alternative to cigarettes.
Nicotine gum and patches allow you to soothe your craving without having to light up. They’re available at the pharmacist, but you should speak to your doctor about them before buying.
You can also consider switching to vape, which can be a suitable replacement for smoking without the burned smell or the messy ash and butts. If you choose this, make sure you go with a trusted brand that offers quality products, like any of the RELX Infinity and Essential lines.
Such models are made to be easy for even a new vape-switcher to use, and they’re designed to last a long time. Choosing one of these means you’ll end up with a Super Smooth experience that you can count on.
No matter which ways to quit smoking you choose, you’re making a good decision. Congratulations and we have faith that you can pull through!
