Prepare one action you can realistically try, a backup for when it is unavailable, and a person or service to contact. A written plan supports your wider quit plan; it is not treatment for nicotine dependence.
Give the card one clear purpose
Smokefree.gov explains that cravings can relate to familiar situations or nicotine withdrawal. Its suggestions include reaching out for support and changing what you are doing. Choose appropriate options with your quit-support professional if you are unsure what fits your circumstances.
Your card has a narrower job than a full quit plan: make the next step easy to find. It does not have to measure the craving, explain its cause or promise that a particular action will stop it. Keep the wording short enough to read when your attention is elsewhere.
Build a three-part action card
| Part | Write this down | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First response | One available action and location | Use my break in the smoke-free courtyard |
| Backup | An option when the first is unavailable | Stay in the indoor break room if it rains |
| Support | Someone who agreed to be contacted | Message Sam: Could you check in with me? |
The place names and person above are invented. Check that your chosen location is actually smoke-free and available. If you are at work, your plan also needs to fit break rules and safety requirements. A card that depends on leaving a staffed desk without cover is not ready to use.
Write the backup before you need it. “Try harder” is not an alternative location or an available contact. A useful backup answers the practical problem that stopped the first option.
Rehearse finding it, not achieving a perfect outcome
Save the card somewhere you already know how to reach: a pinned note, a paper card in your bag, or a journal entry you can locate easily. Try opening it once during a normal break. If finding it requires several searches, simplify the route.
For example, an evening plan might be saved as “After dinner” instead of buried inside a long diary. Add a brief personal reason if you want one: “I want my evenings to stop revolving around cigarettes.” This is your wording, not a slogan you need to believe on demand.
Read or update the card only when it is safe. Do not use your phone while driving or operating equipment.
Record what was usable afterward
Once you have a moment, write whether the first option was available, whether you used the backup, and what you would change. You are evaluating the plan’s practical fit, not grading yourself. “The courtyard was closed” is a useful observation even if you did not collect a craving score.
If you want more context, use the smoking-trigger journal template. QuitBit’s journal can keep a short note beside your progress record. A counter does not need to increase by a dramatic amount for a practical improvement in your plan to be worth recording.
Know when the card is not enough
For cravings that are difficult to manage, ask a healthcare professional or quit-smoking service about cessation support and treatment options. Do not start, stop or change medication based on a timer, a journal score or this worksheet.
If you smoke, use the record-and-restart guide to keep the current streak honest and retain useful notes. You can revise an impractical card without deleting your earlier effort. QuitBit can organize that history; it is not an emergency service or a replacement for professional care.
Common questions
Will a craving always end after a fixed number of minutes?
This guide does not set a countdown or guarantee a duration. The card is a practical next-step reminder, not a prediction about symptoms.
Should I track every craving in QuitBit?
Only if that record is useful and manageable for you. A brief note about one difficult situation may be enough to discuss with someone supporting you.
References and further reading
Published by Moocsoft, the independent studio behind QuitBit. Examples and worksheets are illustrative. App features can vary by platform and version; see the store listing for current availability and in-app purchases.