Get ready to quit
Ready to start planning your quit? Here are some ways you can get ready to say good-bye to cigarettes.
- Make a personal commitment to yourself
- Are you worried about your health? Or do you want to quit for your kids or family? Think about what will make you want to give up smoking. Write those reasons down.
- Start building a support network to help you quit smoking
- Tell your friends and family that you need their support. Talk about your reasons for quitting with them, too.
- Make an appointment with your doctor
- Talk to your doctor about wanting to quit. Ask about treatment options and support. Then decide on a quit date.
- Set a quit date
- Pick a date within the next 2 weeks. That's enough time to get ready, but not so long that you'll lose your will to quit. Mark your calendar. You may be more likely to go through with your quit if you see your quit day in writing.
- Enroll in a support program to help you quit smoking
- Look for a program that helps with your urge to smoke and helps you break your smoking routine.
- Clean up your living spaces
- Get rid of anything that reminds you of smoking. Don't forget to throw out lighters, ashtrays, and cigarettes the night before.
- Anticipate withdrawal symptoms
- Withdrawal symptoms are part of quitting smoking. Start to plan what you will do when you feel a symptom. It's an important part of the quitting process.
- Know your smoking triggers
- Be aware of your triggers so you can understand why you get the urge to smoke.
Know your no-smoking zones
Before you quit, create personal no-smoking "zones" both at home and when you're in public. For example, tell people you don't allow smoking in the TV room or in the kitchen. That way, when you're ready to quit, you've already stopped thinking of those areas as places where it's O.K. to smoke.
My "Getting Ready" list
This list can help you prepare to quit smoking. Print out a copy and keep it handy as a daily reminder. When you've completed a task, check it off. Then congratulate yourself for taking the next step on your way to quitting.
Print a copy of my "Getting Ready" list (PDF)