Getting Ready to Quit
Create your own action plan
Having a specific action plan can improve your chances of
quitting smoking for good. Here are some specific suggestions on how to develop your plan.
To prepare for your quit day:
- Use your Tracking Card to analyse your triggers and smoking routines.
- Make a list of all the things you normally do when you smoke.
- Try to change just one or two of these routines.
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1. Take note of who else will benefit from your decision to stop smoking. Try to imagine how
you’ll look once you quit. How will you feel about yourself? How will others feel about
what you've accomplished? Your reasons to quit may include concerns about your health, setting
a good example for your children, and improving your relationship with family and friends.
You may also wish to keep more of your hard-earned money!
2. Next to each concern, write down one or more things you’ll do to overcome the challenge.
For example, you may be concerned about failing. Many people try more than once to quit smoking.
Each time you try is a success because you'll learn skills that you can apply to your next
attempt.
3. Take a moment to write down one or two ways of dealing with each withdrawal symptom, in
case it happens to you. Being able to recognize withdrawal symptoms will also help you to
remember that the effect is only temporary.
4. Think about the times you’ve gone without smoking in the past. What did you do to
keep yourself from smoking? What seemed to be the most helpful? What have you recently accomplished?
For example, have you become more physically active, changed your diet, started wearing your
seat belt, or stopped putting things off? How did you do it? Could this success help you to
change your smoking behaviour?
5. Most people underestimate the support they’ll get from family and friends. List the
people you can count on to help you. Who can you call for encouragement? Who will help distract
you when you have a craving? Who can help you to avoid tempting situations?
6. Before you quit, use your Tracking Card [[link to Tracking_e.pdf]] to record how much you
smoked, where you were when you smoked, who you were with, as well as what you were thinking,
feeling and doing immediately before, during and after you smoked. Look over your notes after
one week to see if you can find any patterns to your smoking. For example, did the amount
you smoked change according to who you were with, where you were, what you were doing, or
how you were feeling?
7. If you crave cigarettes when you drink coffee, switch to tea or to juice. If you tend to
smoke in a certain chair, sit in another chair or go outside. Remove all ashtrays from sight.
8. The final step of creating your quit plan is to set a date to begin your life without cigarettes.
Try to pick a specific date within the next three weeks.
9. I have committed to stop smoking on_________________ (date). On that day, and on each day
afterwards, I will not smoke. I will do whatever it takes to keep this promise so that I can
have a new and better life without cigarettes.
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