Make a list of reasons to give up smoking -- try a pros and cons list, too. Review either list several times a day, if possible. Focus on the positive aspects to giving up smoking -- it can help you fight through the hard-felt cravings that often drive people backward from their goal.
Wrap the pack of cigarettes with a blank sheet of paper and rubber band. Write down some thoughts each time you decide to smoke -- grade how important the cigarette is to you at that particular moment. According the American Heart Association (AHA), you should use a scale from one to five. Give up smoking by bringing personal thoughts to the forefront -- delineating why you smoke may help you quit.
Give up smoking for small periods of time. Set dates you want to quit and then start up again. Try to expand each period incrementally. Start with 48 hours and then move on from there. Repeat the process until you reach one week, then, set a date to give up smoking entirely. You'll find that cravings for cigarettes will diminish the longer you can go without smoking.
Search for healthy substitutes. Find alternate ways to spend time. Start working out, chew gum or even hold a toothpick in your mouth, if necessary. Reach for an apple every time you crave a cigarette, for example. Call a friend on the phone and talk before deciding to smoke, too. Divert your attention away from the need to smoke.
Keep proactive rather than reactive. Anticipate instances of emotional difficulty associated with cravings before they arise. Start a daily regime or make a schedule and keep to it -- reach for a piece of paper and pen before you decide to grab that morning cigarette, for example. Vigilance is key element to giving up smoking for good.