Stop Smoking With Robotic Precision

Have you attempted to quit smoking without cutting back first, only to smoke again a day or even minutes later? Some experts will tell you that cold-turkey is THE way to stop. What do you do if you simply can't quit this way? You have to pick a method to quit smoking that you like and can do successfully.

In all the ways you have attempted to end your smoking habit, did you try cutting back gradually, over a period of days or weeks? Reducing smoking in this way allows you to wean your body of the addictive effects of nicotine. In addition you will take control of your addiction by smoking with specific purpose.

Here's how you can make a gradual quit smoking schedule for yourself:

1. Determine how many cigarettes you typically smoke each day.
2. Determine how fast you will stop. In other words, how many cigarettes will you reduce each day? I suggest the 2 per day. This number will be known as the Daily Reduction Number.
3. Divide your number from step 1 by your Daily Reduction Number from step 2. For example, if you smoke 50 cigarettes daily, divided by 2, you get the number 25. This is the number of days it will take you to reduce your smoking down to zero.
4. Using a piece of paper, on the left-hand side write down the number of days you calculated in step 3 above. For example, if your result was 30, write Day 30. Just below that write Day 29, Day 28, etc. until you reach Day 1.
5. From the bottom of the list (Day 1) write in the Daily Reduction Number from step 2 (in this example, 2). On the line for Day 2, add the Daily Reduction Number to the number on Day 1. In this example, you would write 4 on Day 2. On Day 3 you add the Daily Reduction Number to the result on Day 2. Continue this process until you add up to the top of your list. You are now that number of days away from quitting smoking!

Once you make these calculations you are ready to gradually reduce your cigarette smoking. Carry your "reduction plan" with you wherever you go. You may want to put the plan inside your pack of cigarettes.

Start by using the number of cigarettes on the first date of your plan. Every time you smoke, make a mark next to the day you are currently on. When the number of marks reaches the number of cigarettes specified for that day, you are done smoking until the following day. Take care you don't smoke all your allotment early in the day.

Here is a tip that will greatly improve your chances of success by eliminating cheating. As with most anything worthwhile it takes some effort. Every day, count out the day's allotment of cigarettes and keep them together. By visually keeping track of the number of cigarettes you will be smoking that day, you can better understand how to pace your smoking. One more thing: if you reach the end of the day and have cigarettes left over, don't tack them on to the next day’s allocation of cigarettes. Just pat yourself on the back for smoking less than you planned on.

Use the following formula to compute your personalized quit plan:

(Average Number of Cigarettes Smoked Daily) ____ / ____ (Daily Reduction Number) = ____ days
(for example 40 cigarettes / 2 less cigarettes each day = 20 days)

The plan I have outlined above is just one alternative of the smoking reduction method. If need be, modify the plan to match your own smoking habits, quantity smoked, time needed to stop smoking, etc.

Weaning yourself from cigarettes over several days can be a great way to destroy a smoking addiction. By weaning yourself from the prison that is nicotine, and taking control of your habit, you make stopping much more reachable. Start cutting back today!