Well, I quit smoking... now what?

[Ground Pounder]

Quit smoking a week ago. First couple days sucked, but now I'm fine.

Only thing is, I suddenly have all kinds of free time. For some reason, I'm getting all my **** done so early in the day that I can't seem to stay busy enough.

So now what?

[Jim Nazium]

Exercise. Learn another instrument. Learn to speak Japanese. Call some old friends. Garden. Volunteer at your local animal shelter. Shop for the cool new bass gear you can buy with the money you're not spending on cigs.

Congratulations, BTW.

[Mark Latimour]

Start drinking.

[IconBasser]

play World of Warcraft.

[jfenderp]

I quit 6 weeks ago.

To keep myself busy and as a reward I bought a new Toyota 4Runner

Hopefully your experience goes better than mine. After the first week I felt pretty good for a week or so and then the next 2 weeks were hell, I'm sure my wife would agree. But at the 4 week mark I physically feel a lot better and realize that I should have done it a long time ago.

Good luck and stay strong.

[mike_v_s]

I quit smoking about 3 years ago. As Latimour has suggested, a healthy appreciation for decent beer has replaced the cigarettes.

Mike

[ehque]

Originally Posted by Ground Pounder

Quit smoking a week ago. First couple days sucked, but now I'm fine.

Only thing is, I suddenly have all kinds of free time. For some reason, I'm getting all my **** done so early in the day that I can't seem to stay busy enough.

So now what?

Wow. How much did you smoke, such that giving up smoking has given you so much free time?

A pack-a-day habit costs about $3k a year here. I would probably be using that time to spend that money. Practice more on that new bass you just bought yourself, or something along those lines.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by ehque

Wow. How much did you smoke, such that giving up smoking has given you so much free time?

It doesn't take that much. Figure 5-7 minutes per cigarette. Usually two on a break from work. Plus the time to round up everyone and make your way to the street. A smoke break is easily 15-20 minutes and done at least 3 times during the work day. I didn't smoke in my house, so there's another 5-7 minutes outside per.

Conservatively, 5 minutes each x 20 (1 pack) = 1 hour and 40 minutes of time each day. Sure, some were done while driving (multi-tasking), but most were dedicated to my habit and that alone.

Mike

[Spraeg]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

play World of Warcraft.

Nooooooo.... Speaking as a 4-year Warcrack Addict, thats about the worst idea possible.... I even stooped so low as to stop playing my bass when I was at my worst .

[machine gewehr]

Originally Posted by mike_v_s

I quit smoking about 3 years ago. As Latimour has suggested, a healthy appreciation for decent beer has replaced the cigarettes.

Mike

The first thing I do after taking the tap off of the beer is to light a cigarette.

Man I need to quit too,2-3 floors of stairs and I need a break,I'm out of breath...and I'm only 26.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by machine gewehr

The first thing I do after taking the tap off of the beer is to light a cigarette.

Man I need to quit too,2-3 floors of stairs and I need a break,I'm out of breath...and I'm only 26.

You get over it. I enjoy a beverage or two nightly and very rarely think about smoking.

Mike

[DreadRaver]

Walk/Bike/etc.

Definitely exercise - When I quit about 5 years ago I started a daily noon-time stairclimb (there's a big hill at a park near my workplace.) It worked wonders at stretching my lungs/heart. Started slow, ended up being very good at going all the way to the top non-stop.

[MatticusMania]

Now go outside and play!

[MonetBass]

Do what I do: Take occasional 'non-smoking' breaks and do something healthy. (I've never smoked, but I figure if the smokers get regular breaks, then I should too.)

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by MonetBass

Do what I do: Take occasional 'non-smoking' breaks and do something healthy. (I've never smoked, but I figure if the smokers get regular breaks, then I should too.)

I call that 'wandering time'. The smokers here have to wait until our scheduled breaks to get their smoke on. Sometimes I just get up and start wandering, occasionally with a piece of paper in my hand. I'll do this for 20 minutes, making people think I have an objective, when really Im just killing time.

[EricF]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

I call that 'wandering time'. The smokers here have to wait until our scheduled breaks to get their smoke on. Sometimes I just get up and start wandering, occasionally with a piece of paper in my hand. I'll do this for 20 minutes, making people think I have an objective, when really Im just killing time.

There goes Matticus, taking his paper for a walk.



One of my wife's co-workers does the same thing with his coffee cup.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by EricF

There goes Matticus, taking his paper for a walk.



One of my wife's co-workers does the same thing with his coffee cup.

Sometimes the paper is red, sometimes its yellow-ish, but mostly its just a plain ole piece of white paper with a bunch of numbers printed on it. I love my piece of paper. BRB, its feeding time.

[jwbassman]

Originally Posted by Ground Pounder

Quit smoking a week ago. First couple days sucked, but now I'm fine.

Only thing is, I suddenly have all kinds of free time. For some reason, I'm getting all my **** done so early in the day that I can't seem to stay busy enough.

So now what?

Cool. I quite smoking just over a month ago. Take all the extra money you save and by a sweet bass! I noticed the difference in my bank account almost immediately. Both the wife and I quit and we smoked about a pack a day each. We calculated that out to about $70 to $80 a week in savings between the two of us.

[guitfiddle0409]

Open up a good beer and read The what beer are you drinking (and or rating) thread.

The what beer are you drinking (and or rating) thread.

Also don't over eat as compensation.

[IvanMike]

Congrats. Stick with it. now i must quit. stupid terrible habit. good job. you are my hero.