There are a whole host of reasons why smoking and management don’t and shouldn’t go hand in hand. You know about the risks to your health, of course, but have you ever considered what your smoking means to your workplace in general?
Perhaps most notably from a management perspective, your predilection for cigarettes could put your workers at risk. What’s more, regular cigarette breaks can be disastrous for your productivity.
Not only will these frequent trips out of the office compromise on your open door communications policy, but they’ll also ensure you’re never quite able to get as stuck into tasks as you might like. Soon as you get started, the cigarettes will come calling!
In other words, smoking your way through business ownership is a terrible idea on all counts. The trouble is that, with countless individuals in your position claiming that quitting puts a real strain on their ability to focus, you may be reluctant to take the plunge and give up.
The good news is that the lasting benefits of quitting still significantly outweigh any immediate productivity dips. What’s more, there are plenty of ways that you can perfect the quitting process so that you’re able to focus on your business at last. And, we’re going to consider them here.
Stock your quit-kit
Quitting smoking can lead to all manner of unpleasant side effects, including headaches, obsessive cravings, and more. Each of these could see your work efforts suffering, but you can avoid the worst of them by stocking a reliable quit-kit.
What goes into this will come down to your unique habit, but some things well worth considering include boiled sweets, finger fidgets, and even motivational quotes. Most importantly, you’ll want to provide some nicotine replacement here to get you through those first days/weeks. Products like vape pens, tobacco free Snus, and even nicotine gum have all proven to increase smoking cessation rates by as much as 200%. Even better, they’ll provide you with just the boost you need to fight cravings, headaches, and anything else that could take you away from your work.
Change your work routines
Even with the best quit kit in the world, you’ll surely find some times of day to be a struggle if you would usually furnish them with cigarettes. Commutes are often a critical time for this, as are breaks or even certain times of the day when you’d usually spark up. As such, our next piece of advice is to change those work routines.
If you usually drive to work with a fag in hand, for instance, why not try walking or even running to compliment your new, healthier lifestyle? If you usually spend breaks in the work smoking area, make an effort to instead go out for lunch, or even chat with colleagues in the office break room.
These efforts and more can go a long way towards freeing you from smoker’s mentality and should, ultimately, help you focus on your business rather than your cravings at last.
