Make a Plan
A solid plan eases your journey to success.
When you quit, you’ll be amazed how good you’ll feel. There’s no time like the present to put yourself first!
Pick Your Quit Day
Here’s how you can pick the best day to stop smoking:
Pick a day in the next 2 weeks.
Sooner is better. You need time to prepare, but not so much time that you change your mind. Write the date down in a place where you’ll see it every day. Promise yourself that you’re going to stop smoking on that day.
Pick a day that doesn’t have a lot of triggers.
Pick a day when you’ll be in control of what happens as much as possible. Don’t pick a day when you know you’ll be under stress or when there is a special celebration. You may be tempted to smoke on these days.
Pick a day when you can distract yourself.
Quitting on a day when you are off work or school could be best. That way, you can plan plenty of distractions to take your mind off smoking.
Know Your Reasons
Everyone has their own good reasons for wanting to quit. These are just 3 possible reasons:
• You want to be healthier.
• You want to save money.
• You want a smoke-free home for you and your family.
What are your reasons?
Write down why you want to quit. Put this list in a place where you’ll see it. Review your reasons a lot, particularly when you feel the urge to smoke. This will help to keep you motivated. It also makes it easy to update your list when new reasons come up. For more reasons to quit, see Get motivated.
Prepare for Smoking Triggers
Smoking is closely tied to many of your daily routines and emotions. When you do certain things, or feel a certain way, you might want to smoke. This is called a smoking “trigger”.
For example, just waking up in the morning can be a trigger because smoking has become part of your morning routine. Or completing a task may be a trigger because you often reward yourself with a cigarette. These are some other common triggers:
• being bored
• changing tasks, you may like to take a smoke break between tasks
• drinking coffee
• driving
• taking a break, smoking can be an excuse to take a break from work or study
“I smoke when I drink coffee”
Instead:
- I will drink orange juice when I wake up in the morning.
- I will drink coffee only in non-smoking public places.
“I smoke when I am out with my friend Mike”
Instead:
- I will ask Mike not to smoke around me for a while.
- I will not go out with Mike for the first month and I will tell him why.
“ I smoke when I am stressed”
Instead:
- I will go for a walk when I feel stressed.
- I will call my friend when I feel stressed.
Keep your plan on how to deal with triggers in a special place. Look at it when you face a smoking trigger. Add to the list or change it as you go along. And don’t forget to pat yourself on the back when you make positive changes.
Our counsellors are here to get you through these triggers. Call our 811 or use the secure chat.
Our counsellors have the skills and experience to help you quit using tobacco no matter what kind of product you use. They can also help you to quit vaping.
Remove or hide anything that reminds you of smoking.
Before your quit day, remove the things around you that make you think of smoking. This will help you stay focused. Here are some ideas:
- Throw out or give away cigarettes, matches, lighters, and ashtrays.
- Don’t save one pack of cigarettes just in case you want to have one.
- Clean your house, car, and office. The smell of tobacco can cause a craving.
- Wash your clothes, carpets, curtains, and other fabrics that hold the smell of smoke. Get ready to make a fresh start.
Curb cravings
Nicotine is the addictive chemical in cigarettes that makes it so hard to quit. When you quit, your body will go through nicotine withdrawal.
Going through withdrawal can be unpleasant. There are products you can use that reduce nicotine cravings. They let you focus on quitting.
Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs)
The best way to succeed is to use these 2 things together:
• quit-smoking aids like the nicotine patch
• counselling or support
It is harder to quit when you use one or the other alone.
If you plan to use NRTs or medications, get them before your quit date. You may need to start your medications up to 10 days before you quit.
For information on how to get NRTs and other medications to help you quit, see Manage Cravings.
Reach Out
Quitting is easier when you have support from the important people in your life. This could be your partner, children, parents, friends, or co-workers. This is what you should tell these people:
- That you want to quit
- Your quit day
- How they can help
The people who care for you will want to help. Let them know how. For example, ask them not to smoke or vape around you. Ask them not to ask you to join in.
Once you have your support people in place, make sure you can contact them when you need them.
Prepare for your quit day
If you think you want to use NRTs or medications to help you quit, call your healthcare provider. Try to get an appointment a couple of weeks before your quit date. This way you will have what you need when you need it.
Plan your rewards
Before your quit day, set goals that you want to reach. These are some common goals:
• not smoking first thing in the morning
• getting through one hour without smoking
• getting through one day without smoking
• getting through one week without smoking
Beside each goal, write down how you will reward yourself. Track your progress with daily, weekly, and monthly celebrations.
Quitting smoking is hard. Be proud of your wins!
Countdown to quit smoking
Good planning is the key to success to be mentally and physically ready for your quit day. Use this guide to plan the days leading up to your quit day.
3 weeks before quitting
- Make an appointment with your healthcare provider to talk about medical quit aids. Get a prescription for the quit aid you choose.
7 to 10 days before quitting
- Begin taking your medical quit aid. Follow the instructions given to you by your healthcare provider, pharmacist, or those on the package insert.
5 days before quitting
- Make a list of the reasons you’re quitting. You can use our My reasons to quit PDF, or make your own.
- Tell your friends and family that you are planning to quit. Ask for their support.
- Set a date to stop buying tobacco products.
- Connect with a counsellor through our 811 Quit Line or Secure Chat to get support for your journey.
- Sign up for motivational text messages
- Keep 811 in your speed dial. Our 811 Quit Line counsellors are here to help you through cravings and to coach you along the way.
- Our counsellors have the skills and experience to help you quit using tobacco no matter what kind of product you use. They can also help you to quit vaping.
4 days before
- Pay attention to when and why you smoke.
- Think about your routines. How will you change these? Make a note of changes you will make or use our My smoking triggers PDF.
- Think about keeping your hands busy. What can you hold in your hand other than a cigarette or vaping product?
3 days before
- Think about what you will do with the money you’ll save when you quit. Write it down.
- Who will you call when you need support? Tell them how they can help.
2 days before
- Think again about your routines. Plan fun, smoke-free activities. Learn how to manage your cravings.
The day before Quit day
- Get rid of lighters and ashtrays.
- Wash your clothes and anything else that smells of smoke.
- Throw away your remaining tobacco, matches, or vaping products. You won’t need them anymore. Do NOT keep an emergency pack, or even one cigarette.
Surviving quit day
It’s your quit day. Here’s how to get through it.
Use all your resources
- Don’t smoke, not even once.
- Use NRTs or other medications.
- Get support from your friends and family.
- Contact Tobacco Free Nova Scotia:
- Call our 811 Quit Line
- Contact us through Secure Chat
- Sign up for Weekly Motivational Text Messages
- Stay busy. Make lots of dates with your non-smoking friends.
- Break out of your old routines. Do something different. Create a new routine.
