We al know this…smoking is bad for us. You can’t be healthy and smoke. I don’t care how many times a week you go to the gym, it doesn’t matter how much cardio you do, being able to swim like Michael Phelps won’t help you if you smoke. But, even though we know it, there are still millions of people doing it every single day. There are actualy some people who have a 2 to 3 pack a day habit. That is 40 to 60 cigarettes a day!
Let’s break that down. One cigarette takes on average about 8 to 10 minutes to smoke (from lighting it, to smoking it down to the filter). On the low end that is 320 minutes of smoking a day OR 5.3 hours! On the high end you’re looking at 600 minutes of smoking OR 10 full hours dedicating your time to a deadly addiction.
I’m not even mentioning the time it takes to leave your desk, walk outside of your office (smoking at your desk went out of fashion in the late 80’s – about the same time that Miami Vice went off the air (remember Don Johnson’s character, Sonny Crockett was always smoking at his desk) and find a place at least 25 feet away from the building (that is the law here in Washington State) and then light up.
Even on just a common sense level we know that that this is insanity. How can we be productive when we’re having to walk away from our work two or three (or more times) a day to go outside for a cigarette. I’m not even talking about having to be stuck out in miserable weather conditions to “enjoy” something that is wreaking havoc on your body. Think about this…the time that is spent smoking is making you less productive. It’s probably even keeping you from reaching your goals. Let’ say that it’s 4 times a day that you smoke outside of your office. You smoke once before work, twice during work, and once after work…that’s about 1 hour a day that you gave away to cigarettes that you can’t get back.
What if you took that extra hour to spend with your spouse or children? What if you spent that time working towards fulfilling the dream you’ve always had of owning your own business? How much closer would you be towards achieving your goals?
How much better off would you be financially if you stopped smoking? In 2011 the cheapest place you could purchase a pack of cigarettes at was in West Virginia for $4.74 a pack. The most expensive place was New York at $11.90 a pack! That’s for 20 cigarettes that are literally robbing you of your health, time, and now money.
Again, let’s crunch some numbers…starting on the low end…let’s say that you only smoke 1 pack a day and you lived in West Virginia in 2011 (remember, the prices are always going up) you would be paying $142.20 a month just for the privellege of smoking. If you lived in New York City in 2011 and you smoked 3 packs a day (it can be stressful living in the big city) it would cost you $1,071.00 a month for the privellege to smoke! That’s $12,852.00 a year!!!
There is good news though. First, it really isn’t your fault. This “product” has millions upon millions of dollars behind it that goes into advertising that makes you want to smoke, some of the greatest research minds in the world have forumlated the product to make you addicted. To learn more about “It’s Not Your Fault” click here.
The other good news is that there is help. You can use “Guided Meditation” or “Clinical Hypnotherapy“. If you live in Europe “click here” for a great resource.
I know that quitting smoking isn’t easy…but it can be done. Do it for yourself, your family, and your finances. I wish you great success in achieving your goal of being smoke free.
Yours In Health!
G.E. Moon II
Tags: cigarettes, health, healthy, hypnosis, meditation, smoke, smokers, smoking, stop smoking
Hi Gary,
Indeed, if you do smoke, today is always a great day to do stop smoking. Working with a hypnotherapist has one of the highest long term success rates without any of the nasty side effects which so many of the prescriptive drugs can have. Have you read their warning labels?
Sincerely,
April Braswell, CHt, RH
Stop Smoking Hypnosis Long Beach
Gary,
knowing that smoking is bad will never make anyone quit. you are right about using meditation and hypnotherapy. I suggest: 1. If you have a craving, sit for a minute with it. 2. Ask yourself who is having the craving. 3. After 5 min if it is still there, have a cigarette. 4. Make sure that there is always a time gap between the desire to smoke and actually doing it. 5. With time it gets better. I haven’t tried it – I don’t smoke.
Body Language: The Belly Button Rule
Hi Gary!
I do a lot of smoking cessation sessions but I had never counted the minutes a day my clients “loose” smoking! I am going to write down those numbers!
Thanks for the post!
Dejar de fumar con Hipnosis
Unfortunately, almost all smokers (remember Phelps was caught Smoking, with capital “S”) refuse to believe that all of the “bad stuff” will not happen to them. Since, as “the Sales Wizard” I like to play with terms, I believe that a campaign should be “quitting is easy” … all the conventional wisdom is that it is “so hard to quit” which supports that excuse for not stopping.
Actually I’m ok with people smoking – there are many horrible habits that non-smokers have that are just as costly and unheathy – although I would greatly prefer that those who smoke properly dispose of their trash!
I was lucky. The first time I tried to smoke I burned a hole in my blouse and decided it was an expensive habit.
Sonya Lenzo
http://sunnyincostarica.com/activities/
Hi Gary,
What great advice!
Helping and Supporting people to live their best!
Looking forward to tomorrow!
CaregiverStress?
Those are compelling arguments to stop smoking, as well as great resources to help with the process. I’m glad I never took up smoking, because I’ve known people who’ve tried and without those resources they’ve battled.
EcoExpert
Work from a home office? Great tips here
I know a person who smokes, and am not very happy about it. They have been tapering off though, thankfully. Is there any advice that can help in the final stretch?
Mark Hogan
Learn how reading body language can change your life.
Time, Money. Always good examples. Maybe a good story too! I could be wrong on this but I think that the media Barrage about how everything is so hard in life sinks into our psyche from the time we were first exposed… Many times it is through the bars of a crib that babies are watching TV…etc.
With these idea’s bombarding us throughtout each day of our lives it is not only beleivable but also a running program.
It is easy to see why they do this… It is to sell products. After all if loosing wieght and quitting smoking and workling out to get ripped were portrayed as an easy thing to do…. Huge industries and advertising dollars would be lost.
My 2 cents… Maybe I have it all wrong. LOL
But I hate Business Capitolism And Marketing
Smoking is such a terrible habit. My mom finally stopped smoking for good when she almost died of a heart attack due to pneumonia and lack of oxygen because her lungs were so clogged. Hopefully people reading this blog who smoke will choose to stop before their life depends on it.
Sabrina Peterson, NASM CPT, CES
Fat Burning Home Workouts
Bad habit … stop. No “tapering off” … just quit.
I’ve actually had patients beg me to help them stop smoking. When they start, usually young, they have no idea how powerful that addiction is.
Thanks for a great reminder.
Be Well.
Jc
Gary,
Thanks for the link to my site!
Smoking cessation, in my opinion, is health goal #1 for anyone who smokes. Thanks for the detailed article and for reinforcing the dire need for people to stop smoking. I like your practical advice!
One of the things that bothers me most about smoking is that it doesn’t just effect the smoker. It negatively effects everyone who comes into contact with that smoker’s air pollution.
Cherie Miranda
Meditation and the Law of Attraction
I knew I’d never be a smoker after watching what it did to my father, who died at the age of 51. His death can be directly attributed to his 3 packs a day habit.
Michael
Blotto
I never took up smoking, having grown up into a smoking family, I consider that to have been a good decision.
My parents died of lung cancer, and my brother is wondering how long he will live after all the chemo and radio therapy. My sister says she will stop one day. The challenge remains systemic – too many people benefit (financially) including our governments from smoking and drinking alcohol. I did when I was young – I earned money to whitewash the ceiling every 2 years…
For those that decide it is not for them anymore, I think your advice is very healthy.
Keep up the good work!
I would never smoke after seeing my mother do it for 50 years…it was and is disgusting.
Sales Expert
Gary, these are all valid points when it comes to those who smoke. There is so much damage done to the body. Thanks for sharing.
Scott Sylvan Bell
Body language exposed
Now go implement!
There is a rare, hard to find, short DVD by Stephen King on smoking cessation. Succinctly, for a fee a company absolutely guarantees you will stop smoking … they follow you and if you “sneak” a cigarette the first finger they cut off is you “pinkie” … it continues from there. Wish I could find that DVD or Title again.
Lyle, I believe that you are thinking of the 1985 film called, “Cat’s Eye” written for the screen personally by, Mr. Stephen King.
The film has three vignettes in it. The one you are referring to is called, “Quitters, Inc.” and stars James Woods. I hope this helps.
I knew a guy who went to the gym everyday but smoked several packs of cigarettes a day. He passed away early due to a smoking related illness. I never understood how he could exercise so much then inhale so many cigarettes.
Yours In Health!
Dr. Wendy
Discover The Power Of The Russian Kettlebell
According to stats what is the current best method to stop smoking without using any drugs that you can recommend?
Thanks.
Octavio
Tazones Publicitarios Chile
As someone who smoked 40 a day back in the days when it was cool to smoke I know how difficult it is to stop. All the gums, pills, false cigarettes and patches won’t do it for you. I just decided it was not an addiction, but merely a habit. There is only one way to break a habit, just stop doing it. It only takes about 24 hours to get over the craving. The final hurdle can be overcome simply by deciding you are a non-smoker, not an ex-smoker.
Kind regards
Peter Tamosaitis
There are a bunch of Herb style pills on the market to help ppl quit. But for those who don’t like that idea… One thing that stops the cravings and helpsd to completely clear the lungs is if you Take Niacin (cravings) Garlic pills (helps clean and also can get ones that sdon’t make you stink!) And Cayenne Pepper Pills (Helps loosen and clean the lungs)
The Niacin alone will stave off cravings… The rest will help do the cleaning.
Fun Crazy Memorable Insane Ways To Interact With Your Audience
So glad I quit. I have had drug addicts and alcholics tell me they could give up the alcohol and drugs but not the cigaretts. (I’d rather see cigaretts banned than some of the other stuff we ban.)
Thanks for posting this important information that can have such a huge impact on people’s health.
Suzanne
Help With Elderly Parents
Gary,
My brother and my in law smoke. We have tried several ways to convince them. Now we just live with it. OF course they do it far away from children. But still is a waste ot time and money.
Octavio
Cintas Portacredenciales