If you need to smoke, try delaying it. Make yourself do some other activity first, even just taking a walk around the house or drinking a cup of tea. Sometimes a simple distraction is all it takes to help you weather a strong craving. If you still decide to smoke that cigarette, the delay time might just mean that you smoke one less that day.

Cut back before you quit. This is the first step in your journey on the way to quitting, and even cutting back a little can give you a boost of confidence and motivation. It is wise to hold off for at least 60 minutes prior to having the initial cigarette of each day. Another method to use is to smoke only half of your cigarette to help you cut back gradually.

If you need some extra motivation to quit smoking, keep your family and anyone else that would be affected if you were to get sick because this habit in your mind. There are statistics which state that as many as one in five American deaths are related to smoking. Don’t let yourself be one of the ones who dies from smoking. Quit today for better health.

As soon as you decide to quit smoking, join a support group. Talking to your peers will help you to find new techniques for fighting cravings, have emotional support and find new non-smoking friends. This support group can give you the benefit of their experience, what works well to make quitting easier. Support groups can often be found at your local church, recreational center, or community college.

When you decide that it’s time to quit, write a list of factors that motivate you to want to stop smoking. When you are struggling and seeking a reason to stop smoking, take out this list and read it to motivate yourself.

Carry suckers or lollipops with you. Whenever you crave a smoke, suck on a lollipop instead. The stick on the lollipop will keep the hand you typically use for smoking occupied. In addition, putting the sucker in your mouth helps you feel like you have a cigarette in your mouth so that you don’t crave one. Keeping your hands and your both busy will eliminate the cravings much faster.

If smoking at home, make sure to thoroughly clean the house, when quitting. Clean your house and wash your furniture, so it doesn’t smell like smoke. Doing so helps your home to stop smelling like cigarettes and stop it from being a constant reminder of the cigarettes you enjoyed.

Don’t do this all by yourself. Do not alienate friends and family, as you can use these people for support. An outside support group of former smokers can also help. Talking with other people who understand will let you work through it.

The first step toward quitting smoking is the ability to commit yourself to the cause. Many fail at quitting because they have the wrong mindset. Keep your motivation for quitting in mind at all times.

The first week after you quit smoking will certainly be the worst stage. In fact, the first two days–approximately 48 hours–are the worst part of quitting, because you’re detoxifying from nicotine. From that point on, you will mostly suffer from psychological cravings. Psychological cravings can be difficult to resist, but you won’t be suffering from physical withdrawal.

If you simply smoke to satisfy an oral fixation, then find something else you can do to make your mouth busy. Some good tricks to stimulate your mouth in other ways would be to chew gum or suck on hard candy whenever you find yourself craving a cigarette. For other people, electronic cigarettes fit the bill.

Come up with a list that states your main reasons for quitting. Each time you think you might cave, repeat over and over all the reasons why you want to quit. This can help you focus on your motivation to quit when cravings are strong.

For the rest of your entire life you should be feeling a bit optimistic, this is because you now know you don’t have to smoke and you can go about living a healthier lifestyle for the years ahead. Feel no regret as you put into practice what you have learned here and now.