First thing first — you should definitely quit smoking. You know it’s the right thing to do, and you know all the facts about what damage smoking can do to your health. We’re not here to preach, though. If you’re hoping to cut down on smoking before entirely quitting, that’s an important step. It’s also a challenging step, as you well know. Luckily we’ve got some helpful tips for cutting down on smoking that you can try out.
Quitting isn’t a Simple Thing
You already know the common arguments — everyone in the world will tell you to quit smoking. However, you also know the problem; if you try to quit without a program’s help, you only have about a 5 percent chance of actually stopping. That’s right, what you’ve intuitively known about the outcome of your attempts actually has facts to back it up. People who try to quit smoking the first time without any help often fail.
So what can you do if you want to take this change seriously? Your chances go up if you enroll in a program or use approved smoking cessation therapies. The good news is that if you try to cut down on your smoking, you probably have a better chance of quitting altogether in the future. There isn’t a lot of official guidance on how your health will improve by cutting down on smoking. That’s because cutting back on smoking is an approved method in several European countries, but in America, the advice is to stop completely.
How to Cut Down on Smoking
Ready to make the change? Here are some simple ways to cut back on your smoking.
Stop smoking in particular areas. This can lead to a reduction in smoking. Many people smoke in their car after work, or just after dinner in a specific place. Take one or two of those places off the menu and make them non-smoking spots.
Don’t smoke first thing after waking up. Many smokers immediately smoke when they roll out of bed. That’s because the nicotine in their system went down overnight. Try to fight the urge as if you’re a weight lifter pushing your endurance.
A lot of cutting back is tied to changing habits. If you’re a smoker, you understand this obstacle well. For smokers, that cup of coffee isn’t just a coffee cup but a complement to smoking. To counteract this conditioning, try to change your habits. Try giving up coffee for a while if you associate it closely with smoking or introduce a new habit at the same time, like reading or sketching.
Think about the money you’ll save if you quit. Here’s an easy way to get motivated — use the money you save to buy something you want like those cute but definitely overpriced stilettos.
Meditation and relaxation therapies can help you control your urges and addictions.
Extend the time between smoking, and you will cut down drastically over time. When you feel like you need to smoke, wait just a while longer, and try to let the need pass. Plus, a little more mindfulness is never a bad thing.
