If you’re like most smokers trying to quit, one of the biggest challenges you must be facing right now is overcoming the boredom and resisting the urge to light up. Smoking gives people a sense of pleasure which unfortunately doesn’t last long. To keep it going, you need to keep lighting up, which of course doesn’t help in your hope to quit smoking.
Below are the steps to overcome boredom and avoid lighting up:
1. Determine the main reason why you’re bored.
Understanding why you’re bored is the first step towards overcoming it. Sure, you aren’t bored because you’re not smoking. Boredom is only an excuse to smoking. There is a much deeper reason for not feeling good. Probably, you’ve been doing something over again for a long time. Maybe you’ve gotten used to your work, personal life, and things around you. Take time contemplating on things that give your life a sense of tediousness.
2. Do something different.
Have you ever solved the Rubic’s cube? Maybe this is the perfect time to do it. When was the last time you had lunch alone with your wife? Maybe you can cook something special today and bring back the old, sweet days.
3. Understand that craving is just a state of mind.
It’s natural to long for something that you’ve been used to especially if it gives you some sense of ‘joy’. Additionally, nicotine found in tobacco is highly addictive so feeling as if something’s missing in your life is normal. But remember, craving is just state of mind. Therefore, you can control your mind. You can divert your attention to something that is more useful, something that won’t kill you.
4. Change your thoughts.
Since boredom is a state of mind, you need to come up with a strategy that will give you a heavier reason to quit smoking now. Our thoughts affect our emotions and actions. By changing how you think, you also change how you feel. Change for the better!
5. Do something funny.
Doing silly things somehow add spice and laughter into our lives. Quitting smoking today can be easy if you will do something different and really enjoyable every time you feel like lighting up. Why not turn on the radio and create your own dance steps. Or, apply huge amount of makeup on your face and make your face look like a clown then take some photos of yourself. Don’t forget to post them on Facebook! They’re awkward silly things but sometimes, stuff like these really helps ease the boredom and forget about smoking.
6. Learn something new.
This is also the perfect time to learn something different. Quitting smoking today gives you more opportunities to enjoy life at its best. Instead of lighting up, why not attend a fitness club. Exercising has been found to help people quit. It is also addictive because like nicotine, it also stimulates the ‘feel good’ chemicals in your brain. But exercising doesn’t do you harm so it’s okay to get hooked! Other than this, you can also join a cooking lesson, or learn how to play piano, master a sport, and do other things you’ve wanted to do the past few years.
