How to Make an Effective Plan to Quit Smoking While Living with a Smoker

So you have decided to quit smoking cigarettes, Congratulations! You have taken the biggest, and most important step! Now the next step is to stop talking about it, and come up with a plan to help our weak minds and bodies fight this powerful addiction. Some people are lucky enough to take the first step, and be able to quit cold turkey. Lets take a moment to commend those people for being stronger than us, and begin our planning to join them in becoming non smokers.

Lets begin working on a plan to quit smoking cigarettes. The plan needs to include your decision to quit, and your goal time line to be completely smoke free. The rest of the plan needs to include ideas to help cope with the physical and psychological desire for cigarettes. First of all making a list of options available to replace smoking cigarettes. This may include but is not limited to joining a gym or club, sporting team, completing different types of puzzles, and playing video and card games. The final preliminary step is to make sure that you are living in a smoke free environment. This includes your home, vehicle, and job.

Creating a smoke free environment is the first true lifestyle change that is made. This is the most important, because if you do not already smoke outdoors this is making smoking an inconvenience. This is especially important if you are living with a smoker that is not quitting with you. There is no way to quit while someone is constantly blowing smoke in your face. This could also start relationship problems because you are trying to complete a goal, and it may seem as if your partner is no supporting you. Another benefit of a smoke free home is the new lack of odor, and cleanliness of the walls not being stained from smoke. This change can be noticed after the first deep cleaning done to the home, or changing residences for a fresh start. Smokers and non smokers alike will notice the difference immediately, and usually compliment people on the substantial change to the home.

Making the vehicle smoke free is important also. This is not meant to punish the smoker, but for them to realize that you are not kidding about quitting, and you are going to make their habit separate from the family's environment. Let the smoker know that if the you or the children are in the vehicle it needs to be smoke free. This still gives them freedom when traveling alone. Also remember that even though you have decided to quit smoking does not give you the right to make them feel guilty about not joining you in this lifestyle change. When they are ready to join you, they will, and they are going to need your support along the way, not criticism. Give the smoker time to smoke before and after a trip, so they don't feel it is time efficient to smoke in the vehicle.
Finally smoking on the job is basically a thing of the past. Non smokers complaining about second hand smoke makes virtually all places of employment a smoke free environment. My husband on the other hand works for a family business so they are allowed to smoke at their place of business. Even in his position I am sure if he really wanted to, he could simply ask that smoking was limited to the outdoor areas. There is never any harm in asking.

After a smoke free environment has been set up there are the main triggers that remind people that it is time to smoke. This is something else that should be clearly thought about in your plan to quit smoking. Each person is different, and has different triggers. After meals, driving, stress, after sex, before bed, to pass time and drinking alcohol seem to be the most popular triggers. Again I stated that there are so many different triggers that make us want to smoke, the plan needs to be set to cope with the desire to want to smoke that cigarette. Good luck coming up with a plan! I am going to give several reasons the triggers get us to smoke, and ways to avoid the triggers completely.