Prepare Properly

It needs to be stressed that this is a task that can be achieved only if you are well and truly prepared. So let us hit the different buttons that form the preparation process. It is not enough that you know you are trying to quit smoking. All those around  you must be let into the secret. This includes your family, your friends, your colleagues and - brace yourself for this - your boss as well! Now, that might sound a bit strange. After all, what the hell has your boss got to do with your attempt to stop smoking?

The answer is simple: if you tell your boss that you are trying to quit smoking, it gives you one more reason to go for it with a resolute mind. Nobody would want to stand sheepishly in front of his boss and say, "Well, I sort of gave up, I suppose".

Do NOT Take It Lightly!

Smoking is not a joke, and quitting is an even more serious affair; so it is best that you approach the problem with all the seriousness that the case deserves. You need to prepare yourself for the change mentally, emotionally and physically. And it doesn't stop with that - you should also prepare your surroundings. Get rid of anything and everything that reminds you of smoking. This obviously includes things like ash trays and packets of cigarettes.

It would also be a good idea to put up signs and reminders that smoking is bad for your health, and that you are trying to stop smoking - so that the message really sinks in. Try to come up with original ideas if you can. If you can make them funny, so much the better - but these signs should also be morale boosters: they should make you feel good about what you are trying to do, and make you feel that it is worth the effort.

You could try messages like:

• "Only the BRAVE HEARTS can quit smoking!"
• "I said YES to life when I said NO to Nicotine"
• "SMOKE has 5 letters...so does DEATH"

Now we have another important task to do, and that is to prepare ourselves emotionally for the change that lies ahead.

The main thing is to get your mind off smoking, and for that you have to find a substitute. There are many other things that you could practise when you get the urge to smoke. Some of them are listed in the next section.