Upset that you can't kick your smoking habit yet? Six months since you pledged to quit smoking on New Year's Day, your plans to quit the cancer stick hasn't borne any fruits. If nothing has been working for you, it's time to change your game plan! There are plenty of smoking cessation services you could invest your time and money in. But they can't always guarantee you results. Instead you can go DIY and tailor-make a smoking cessation plan for yourself. After all, no one knows you better than you do, right?

There are a lot of solutions that you can incorporate into your daily life to get over this habits. What you need first and foremost is Will Power! If you are determined to get over the habit, no power in the world can stop you. If Shahrukh Khan could, so can you! Here’s a step-by-step method to quit smoking once and for all.

Set a Quit Date

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Setting a quitting date is essential. It could be a special day like someone’s (or your) birthday, anniversary, etc. Why do this? This helps you remember that special day when you kicked the bad habit and will also bring some seriousness to your resolution.

Strike Off Each Day

Use a big paper calendar and hang it on a wall in your room. Strike off each day that you have not smoked. This helps in positive reinforcement. Each cross will make you feel proud of your achievement and motivate you to stay on track.

Take Care of Your Teeth

A great way to kick start your ‘quit smoking’ mission is to seek a dentist appointment and get those teeth cleaned. We are super careful with new mobiles, cars and watches. Routinely visiting the dentist will help you keep your teeth clean. It will ensure that you take care of your pearlies by not abusing it with more smoking.

Exercise

Physical activities are a must. The sooner you start, the better. Doesn’t matter what kind, pick an exercise and make it a part of your routine. Exercise helps in two ways: one, it will help you realise how smoking has affected your stamina for so long and second, it will help cleanse your lungs and body.

Desi Techniques

Ever popped an elaichi or a clove to mask the smell of smoke on your breath? You’ll be stunned to know that these spices also help in fighting cravings. Whenever you feel an urge to pick up the cigarette again, chew on a piece of cardamom, clove or ginger to suppress the craving. Chewing on them releases juices into your mouth slowly and helps you get over the transient cravings.

Buddy System

Kyunki har ek friend zaroori hota hain. Make sure that you bring your friend on-board too. If you and your friend smoke together, take a pledge to quit together. This trick helps because many people relapse due to peer pressure. So why not use the same set of friends to keep each other motivated?

Apps

There are a whole lot of apps out there to help you keep track of your smoking habit. It helps you keep a check on the money spent and keep you motivated to quit. It’s cheap and easy. Livestrong MyQuit Coach, Quit Smoking Cessation Nation, Smoke Free, etc. are some of the best apps you can download to help you quit.

Money Jar

Keep a jar labelled as ‘Savings’. Each time you feel the urge to smoke, instead of going out and spending your hard-earned cash on the cancer stick, dish it in the jar instead. At the end of a few months, you will have saved enough for a small trip or an outing. This exercise will help you understand the value of money and give you a perspective on how much you spend on this harmful habit.

Tackle the Underlying Cause

If you are constantly failing, then find out what the triggers are. Are you smoking when you are stressed or depressed? Or do you smoke when you drink? Try to understand and tackle the underlying cause that is associated with smoking. Once you uproot the main cause, your smoking habit will go away with it.

Doctors and Therapists

If everything else fails, seek professional help. You may feel that medicines and therapy are for the weak. But the truth is that smart people who are committed to the cause of quitting the habit will explore all options available. Don’t be afraid to take professional help if all the other methods fail.

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Expecting instant results will be foolish since your smoking habit has gradually developed over the years. You can’t get demotivated if your initial attempts fail. Remember that consistency is key and keep trying till you get it right!

(This article has been contributed by Dr. Era Dutta, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist and Therapist at Mind Wellness & Fortis Healthcare for World Tobacco Day 2018)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 29, 2018 06:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).