Top 20 Tips to Prevent Yourself from Smoking | Self-Protected Tips from Smoking
The Best Steps that you follow to stop yourself from smoking. All the steps are very important and valuable so make it your own to stay away from smoking. Here are the top 20 Tips to Prevent Yourself from Smoking.
Set goals | Replace smoking with a new activity | Identify when you crave cigarettes | Change your mindset | Change your drink | Eliminate triggers | Consider your diet | Ask for help | Get some stop smoking support | Make goals manageable | Think positive | Never give up! | Make a plan to quit smoking | Get support from friends and family | Get moving | Don’t let yourself slip up once in a while | Make non-smoking friends | Stay on track even if you don’t feel like it | Make a list of reasons to quit | Keep your hands and mouth busy
INTRODUCTION
Top 20 Tips to Prevent Yourself from Smoking Welcom to CURE KEEPING Health blog. The long-term effects of smoking can be terrifying, which makes it all the more important to know how to prevent yourself from smoking in the first place.
Here are Top 20 Tips to Prevent Yourself from Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products.
1) Set goals
Set goals that you want to achieve by stopping smoking. Write them down, and refer back to them as necessary.
For example, I’ll lose 20 pounds in six months; I’ll earn an extra $300 a month; I’ll run three times a week for two hours per day; etc. Sometimes it helps to break these into smaller weekly or daily goals (e.g.,
if your main goal is monthly), so set some of those up as well. You can use tools like Trello, Evernote, or any number of other online task managers to organize all your goals and tasks within each goal—and you can even create recurring to-do lists that fit within these larger ones (i.e., place a recurring task at the top of your weekly list every Friday for one hour to work on my business plan).
Remember that it takes time for new habits to develop, so don’t be discouraged if you fall off track at first; just get right back on it!
2) Replace smoking with a new activity
Just as smoking is a way for you to deal with stress, try finding new and healthy ways of dealing with stress. Exercising or playing sports are great substitutes for cigarettes. It might be hard in the beginning, but you’ll feel better in general when you’re exercising or doing other things that make you feel good.
Plus, instead of starting something new, try adding it into your routine—like going on a run every morning before work or walking home instead of driving.
When looking for an activity that works for you, make sure it’s fun so that it won’t feel like a chore! Keeping yourself happy will help prevent you from wanting to smoke again—or allow you to move on completely once you do quit.
3) Identify when you crave cigarettes
Identifying when you crave cigarettes is a good first step in preventing yourself from smoking. For example, do you find yourself with cravings at night after work?
Then plan ahead and set out some healthy snacks and turn on your favourite Netflix show when you know you’re going to be craving a cigarette.
This way, if one of those cravings hits, you’ll have a better chance of finding something that will help satisfy your need without lighting up.
4) Change your mindset
It’s one thing to stop smoking, it’s another thing to stay stopped. If you’re trying to kick cigarettes for good, changing your mindset and thinking about what you are doing is crucial. For example, think of cigarettes as an anti-smoking pill.
The harder it is for you to get a cigarette when you feel like having one, the easier it will be for you to focus on stopping once and for all. If you make quitting smoking inconvenient then smoke breaks won’t even cross your mind anymore.
5) Change your drink
Sometimes, smokers find it difficult to stop smoking because they’re addicted to nicotine and all of their friends are smokers.
If you want to quit smoking and don’t want your social life limited, try replacing your cigarette with a sugar-free mint or candy instead.
Sugar-free mints won’t damage your teeth or ruin your breath like cigarettes can, and they’ll help keep you on track as you kick your nicotine habit. Simply sucking on one mint after each cigarette can also curb cravings for cigarettes throughout the day.
To prevent yourself from smoking in a social setting, avoid lighting up when everyone else does; instead, offer a treat like gum or candy.
6) Eliminate triggers
Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can try to eliminate them or find ways to cope with them more healthily. For example, if stress is a big factor for you, working on your stress management skills will help keep you away from cigarettes.
If boredom is another one of your triggers, try reaching out for some social support—even reaching out for professional help if necessary—to learn different ways of coping with it.
Other common triggers include feelings of sadness or anger as well as being around other smokers. Understanding what causes your cravings will go a long way toward preventing future slips.
7) Consider your diet
Here are some tips on eating clean and healthy—one way of preventing yourself from smoking. Eating healthy food not only makes you look good, but it also prevents you from smoking as much, since your cravings will be reduced.
When you eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, your body is healthier overall. The healthier your body is, in turn, means that it’s easier for you to stop smoking if you want to quit.
8) Ask for help
There are times when we just need someone else’s input. For example, if you’ve tried smoking cessation aids but haven’t found success with them, it may be time to call in some help.
Seek out a doctor who specializes in nicotine addiction and ask what they recommend you try next. Some people benefit greatly from prescription medications like Chantix; others find that acupuncture is more effective than anything else.
If you don’t want to try medication or supplements, many experts say hypnosis can also be quite successful—and unlike prescription drugs and other interventions, it’s safe for long-term use.
There are plenty of other ways for you to prevent yourself from smoking besides these methods; if one doesn’t work for you, maybe another will.
9) Get some stop smoking support
Because quitting smoking is such a big deal, you’ll probably want some support during your first couple of weeks without nicotine.
It might also be helpful to have a friend who’s also trying to quit smoking so you can hold each other accountable for your decisions.
Getting support will help keep cravings at bay and prevent you from slipping back into old habits.
10) Make goals manageable
One reason people find it difficult to quit smoking is that they think about quitting all at once. We’re telling you not only for your health but also for your success in giving up cigarettes, those small goals are better than large ones.
You’ll be more likely to succeed if you break it down into smaller steps. Make a list of 20 things you can do each day to prevent yourself from smoking.
The items on your list should be easy enough so they don’t stress you out too much and hard enough so they challenge you enough that they keep you occupied and distracted with other thoughts besides cigarettes.
11) Think positive
Write down three positive things about yourself. (This may be something like, I’m a good cook, or I’m organized.) Read these aloud twice a day—once in front of your mirror and once in front of your bathroom sink—and whenever you feel like having a cigarette.
Feeling better about yourself will help prevent you from smoking when you feel stressed or scared and need comfort.
12) Never give up!
One of the most important points in any self-help guide is that quitting is hard, but not impossible. While you’re focused on kicking nicotine, don’t let yourself be distracted by some other unhealthy pastime like drinking or eating junk food.
The best way to prevent yourself from smoking is to keep your hands and mouth busy with healthier alternatives. Practice counting to 10 instead of having a cigarette, or try chewing gum when you feel an urge coming on.
Since many people turn to cigarettes when they’re feeling stressed or depressed, make sure you have a positive outlet for your emotions before you start putting one in your mouth.
13) Make a plan to quit smoking
Creating a plan with your doctor is an important first step. Make an appointment and come prepared with a list of any questions you may have, and be sure to write down how long you’ve been smoking and how many cigarettes you smoke per day.
Make a pact with yourself that you will follow through on your action plan—and if possible, agree to keep in touch with your doctor throughout your quit-smoking journey. The next step is setting up a date when you’ll quit for good.
14) Get support from friends and family
The social network that surrounds you is an invaluable resource when it comes to keeping yourself away from cigarettes.
Tell your friends and family what you’re trying to do so they can help keep you on track. If people in your life are already smokers, try not to surround yourself with them as much, especially if you’re having a hard time keeping focused on your goal.
Also, stay away from tobacco products in general because exposure could lead you back into temptation. In addition, organize activities for yourself and meet new people; being around others who have similar interests can really help distract your attention from smoking.
15) Get moving
You can learn to prevent yourself from smoking in several ways. Some smokers find it helpful to seek out an exercise regimen, which can help keep their minds occupied and off cigarettes. A new hobby or a creative outlet is another good way to prevent yourself from smoking.
If you’re unsure how best to go about preventing yourself from smoking, consider enrolling in a stop-smoking program at your local hospital or community centre.
16) Don’t let yourself slip up once in a while
This is good advice if you’re trying to prevent yourself from smoking. It can be easy, even after having quit for a while, for smokers to slip up once in a while. When you do slip up, don’t worry about it too much.
Setbacks like these are perfectly normal and your body will naturally heal itself of any damage caused by smoking relatively quickly—in just 24 hours or so, most times.
This is when you need support and encouragement most, so reach out and get it! Don’t let yourself give up; keep going strong with these ten tips!
17) Make non-smoking friends
Having a group of non-smoking friends is one of the best ways to prevent yourself from smoking.
If you feel like you’re going through withdrawal symptoms, you can hang out with your friends who aren’t smokers and it will help take your mind off of cigarettes.
Non-smokers have a greater appreciation for not smoking, which will help remind you why you quit in the first place. And, even if they are trying to quit too, their willpower hasn’t been worn down by years of addiction—making them much more likely to stick with it and avoid a relapse.
Try finding places like non-smoking bars or support groups where people go specifically not to smoke (instead of just regular bars).
18) Stay on track even if you don’t feel like it
It’s easier said than done, but at times you may feel like you don’t even want to take that first step towards quitting. Don’t let your feelings get in your way. If you know ahead of time when those times are likely to occur, do your best to avoid them.
For example, if you usually have a cigarette after dinner every night and that triggers cravings, go for a walk instead or tell yourself it will be OK not to smoke one cigarette at dinner today. Or set up automatic reminders in your phone or write out weekly goals of what days and hours you want to stay away from cigarettes so if one slips by, it doesn’t throw off your whole week.
19) Make a list of reasons to quit
Now it’s time to take those motivations and turn them into tips that will help you fight your cravings and prevent yourself from picking up a cigarette. It’s not just about telling yourself you don’t want to smoke, but taking actionable steps.
Perhaps write down three self-help tips that you can employ whenever cravings hit. Maybe set an alarm every hour on your phone or in Outlook, or use a calendar as a reminder.
20) Keep your hands and mouth busy
If you’re trying to quit smoking and need a way to occupy your hands and mouth when you feel like lighting up, try chewing sugar-free gum. In the same way that nicotine tricks your brain into thinking it needs cigarettes, sugar substitutes also trick your brain into thinking you are consuming sugar and therefore making you crave things with sugar.
Also, using social media sites will help prevent boredom that can lead one towards smoking cigarettes. Social media has its benefits other than just hanging out with friends online; we recommend replacing nicotine with social networks whenever possible.
Before long, your self-help tips will start working and addiction may be overcome!