Build your Action Plan

1. Activity and Emotion.

The matrix these chart form can be helpful in preparing your action plan.

1. Record the activity associated with each smoke.
2. Explore how you were feeling with each cigarette.
3. Record any connection between smoking and being hungry.
4. Any feelings recorded are helpful; from anger, to depression.
5. This will build a profile of your feelings and your smoking to learn from.

2. Danger Zone Identification 

Danger zones are combinations of trouble spots that occur during our day to day life. We are not conscious of them most of the time. This exercise is designed to make you aware of the areas in your life which represent a true threat to your recovery. Once armed with this insight you can take an action step to counteract the danger and remain tobacco free for another day.  Remember it’s always just one day at a time. Avoid the triggers that are built into every danger zone. Don’t answer the phone if you are angry. Call someone you trust.

You will begin to understand the nature of the addiction, how it is woven into your day, into your coping structure.
The final entry is the action plan designed to respond to each danger zone.

3. Action Plan

Now it’s time to put it all together and outline in some detail an action for each danger zone identified. These can be simple things. Elaborate strategies are not necessary in most cases.

Examples: Danger Zone 1 Identified:
At work you do fine, smoking one every two hours, by reminding yourself you can have 3 cigarettes in the car on the way home.
Action:
You prepare each drive home with your inhaler, lozenges, plastic straws cut to the same length as your old smokes, quiet music, water bottle, as you look forward to a long walk once you get home. Be Aware.

Danger Zone 2 Identified:
You smoke one after every evening meal with your smoking partner out in the garage. This is an important time of day for the relationship.
Action:
Talk with each other and agree in advance how the first 30 days will go. You go for a quick walk while he smokes and when you return you both walk for a nice time together.

Use the 3 sections above (Activity/Emotion/Danger zone identification) to help build your chart. The matrix will be helpful in preparing your new daily plan.

• Record the activity associated with each smoke.
• Explore how you were feeling with each cigarette.
• Record any connection between smoking and being hungry.
• Any feelings recorded are helpful; from anger, to depression.
• Build a profile of your feelings and your smoking to identify danger zones and action plans to combat relapse.

YOUR ACTION PLAN CHARTING