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Share your quitting journey

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke

YoungAtHeart
Member
145 100 17.8K

By Terry Martin, verywell.com


1. Read a book.

2. Wash the car.
3. Wash the dog

4. Go for a walk.

5. Knit a scarf.

6. Do a crossword puzzle.
7. Take a nap.
8. Call a friend.
9. Post a comment on my page.
10. Play with the cat.
11. Turn the bathroom into a spa and do all those beauty treatments.
12. Listen to a relaxation tape or some favorite music.
13. Go to a store and get a free make-up session.
14.Give yourself a manicure and pedicure.
15. Try out a new hair-do
16. CHEW SOME CLOVES!
17. Go to the movies.
18. Hang out at a mall.
19. Do a jigsaw puzzle online at Jigzone.com
20. Breathe deeply!
21. Swig down some ice water.
22. Jump on a treadmill or go to a gym.
23. Give someone you love a huge hug.
24. Plant some flowers.
25. Do some exercise - swimming, aerobics, yoga, etc. Great for releasing endorphins (feel good factor) and relieving stress (physical and mental).
26. Work out how to post a picture in the forum!
27. Take up a new hobby/interest - channel your thoughts into something constructive and interesting.
28. Work in the garden.
29. Retail therapy with the cash you saved from not smoking.
30. Suck on a piece of TART candy (Jolly Rancher is my personal favorite).
31. Slather on a rich, creamy hand lotion and rub, rub, rub! It keeps fingers busy, and reminds you how nice it is not to have tobacco stink on them.
32. Eat a popsicle.
33. Floss and brush your teeth.
34. Make-out with your special someone! Hubby hated kissing me when I smoked, but now he LOVES it. Soooo, when the urge strikes and he's within kissing distance, I plant a big one on him!
35. Chew gum.
36. Chew a toothpick (shiny teeth).
37. Spend time with a kid.
38. Give yourself a treat every day of your quit - no matter how small.
39. Spend an hour filling the paddling pool in the garden on a gorgeous sunny day, only to find that the kids would rather play on the computer.
40. Play several games of Internet Scrabble, and hopefully win one!
41. Walk in an old graveyard with the man you love.
42. Get your jammies on early, and park yourself in front of your computer for the night.
43. Build a REAL closet
44. Hang the sheetrock on said closet.
45. Do the mudding, taping and sanding on that closet.
46. Paint the closet.
47. Add the doors to the closet.
48. And last...when the real closet is finished, create THE CHOCOLATE CLOSET on this site.
49. Hang on dearly to a caramel apple sucker.
50. Sing loudly.
51. Practice smiling in the mirror (releases endorphins)!
52. Make lists of pros and cons of smoking.
53. Find gross smoking disease pictures.
54. Play with Silly Putty.
55. Whistle "Don't Worry - Be Happy."
56. Get a camera, and take some pictures.
57. Write a letter (you know...on paper).
58. Clean OUT the closets.
59. Crank up the radio and sing at the top of your lungs (works great for driving craves).
60. Crank up the radio and dance like no one is watching.

61. Make a puzzle.
62. Organize your boxes of pictures.
63. Alphabetize your CD rack.
64. Come here and read and post.

65. Go to miniclip.com and PLAY GAMES.
66. Do your nails. Hard to smoke with wet nails. I've tried.
67. Take a shower.
68. Take a candle-lit bath.
69. Clean out a messy drawer.
70. Take a day trip.
71. Try making home-made candles or soap.
72. Run in place.
73. Do some jumping jacks.
74. Start a reward fund - put away the amount you spend on smokes every day and use it to treat yourself once in awhile.
75. Write a poem.
76. Go antique shopping.
77. Go plant a flower for every negative thought.
78. Go to church/talk to God.
79. Let your husband cook supper for you.
80. Call your Grandmother!
81. Paint a room.
82. Eat a hot fudge sundae.
83. Go play mini-golf.
84. Clean the basement or garage.
85. Wax the car.
86. Make love with your significant other.
87. Scrub the floor.
88. Treat yourself to a massage.
89. Chop up some veggies for a stir-fry - keep your hands busy!
90. Clean out the litter box.
91. Check your car's tire pressure.
92. Call a radio show and request a song.
93. Go ride a few roller coasters.
94. Take a walk in nature.
95. Watch the sun set.
96. Write a goodbye letter to cigarettes.
97. Donate blood.
98. Color your hair.
99. Make a greeting card.
100. Write a list of things you are grateful for.

101.  Create a list of your own crave busting activities

100 Comments
About the Author
I smoked until a vascular surgeon informed me of the damage I had done to myself by doing so. I quit 11 years ago, and I can swim laps virtually FOREVER now, walk most other days 40 minutes to an hour and a half. What a difference quitting has made in my life! I strive to help others find this wonderful freedom from addiction, too.