How To Build a Quit Plan Congratulations! Deciding to quit tobacco is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your health. Preparation is key to quitting successfully, and making a plan to quit is the first step. Consider your motivation to quit, talk to your health care provider and prepare for possible triggers and obstacles to help improve your chances at success. Step 1: Find Your Why Deciding to quit is the first step, but diving deeper into your motivation for quitting is another. Take time to identify your reason or your ‘why’. It may be helpful to write down at least one reason each day and display it in a visible location to keep you engaged in your decision to quit. Some questions to consider when determining your why include: What are the health risks for continuing to use tobacco products? What are the benefits to continuing use? What are the consequences? How much money can I save by quitting? Check out The Cost of Cigarette Use. Are there people in my life I want to quit for? Who are they and why do I want to quit for them? On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being very confident, how confident am I in my decision to quit? What makes me feel this level of confidence? Step 2: Pick a Quit Date and Identify Your Support System Give yourself a deadline for your planning period. The time between deciding to quit and your actual quit day is important for ensuring your success. Give yourself enough time to reflect and plan, but not too much time that you delay or go back on your decision to quit. If you plan to work with a health care provider or use a quit helpline, ensure there is enough time to meet with them before your quit date. Identify a network of people for support. Make sure to share your quit date with your support system and ask for help as you create, then later enact, your quit plan (e.g., check-ins, tobacco-free environments, positive words). Share your reasons for quitting. If you know someone who wants to quit, ask to be accountability buddies. Step 3: Track Your Current Habits and Identify Triggers Take time to track your current tobacco use. Notice times of day and how much tobacco you use. Regardless of whether you choose to quit using help from a health care professional, quit program or on your own, knowing your ‘starting point’ is important in the planning period. It is advised you discuss with your health care provider about your intention to quit, especially if you wish to receive medication or counseling as part of your plan. It may be helpful to use a tracking system, whether written or digital, to best display your current use and triggers. Step 4: Write A Step-By-Step Process for Quitting When preparing to quit tobacco products, it is important to be as specific as possible. Use the information from Step 3 to help you with Step 4. Identify triggers for your tobacco use. List out alternative ways to cope without tobacco products (e.g., chewing gum). Remove tobacco-related items from your environment (e.g., lighters, ash trays, dip cans, e-cigarettes, pouches). Create a plan to manage cravings. Write out “When I have a craving, I will ___,” statements. When you feel the urge to use tobacco products, try the 4 D’s method: Delay for 10 minutes. Repeat if needed. Deep breathing. Close your eyes, then slowly breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Drink water and recognize how the cold water feels. Do something else by distracting yourself from the triggering thing or activity. Create a healthy reward system for days, weeks and months that you stay quit. Make a plan for how you will address possible difficulties and slip ups. Step 5: Start! Your quit day is here! Make sure to review your ‘why’, communicate with your support system and refer to the quit plan you built. You may notice in the first few days or weeks that your plan needs to be adjusted. Communicate any changes with your health care provider and support system in order to increase your chances of success. Your quit day is an important date, so celebrate your decision and follow-through with loved ones. Slips and Relapse If you slip up, give yourself grace. It happens! Identify why and how you slipped up, then adjust your quit plan as needed. Think of your quit plan as a living document that you can edit and improve as you move forward. Review your reasons for quitting and your commitment. Lean on your support system to help you get back on track. You got this! For more information, check out the Slips Versus Relapse webpage. Additional ResourcesYou Can Quit 2 - “Making a Quit Plan”Warfighter Wellness - “Tobacco-Free Challenge”ReferencesSmokeFree.gov - “Quitting Starts Now. Make Your Quit Plan”Truth Initiative. - “10 Steps to Successfully Make a Plan to Quit Smoking”American Cancer Society - “Making a Plan to Quit and Planning Your Quit Day”