Do I Need to Set a Quit Date?
While not an essential part of your quit plan, setting a quit date can be a great way of getting serious about your quit attempt.
At the same time, plenty of smokers make the decision to quit spontaneously, while others have a clear quit plan without a set quit date – as long as it works for the smoker in question, they’re all excellent strategies!
For some smokers though, setting a quit date is really helpful, as it gives them a definite point in time to begin their quit smoking journey.
A quit date might also reduce the chance of putting off your ‘zero smokes’ day, especially if you’re using a cut down to quit method (you can read more about that here).
It’s good to keep all this in mind when you’re developing your quit smoking plan.
When a quit smoking date is recommended
In certain circumstances, setting a quit smoking date is recommended. These are listed below – you can click on each one for more information:
Can I bring my quit date forward if I feel ready?
Absolutely! If you’re feeling ready and motivated to quit, there is no time like the present – so you should get started whenever you feel up to it.
What if I’m not able to start on my set quit date?
Don’t worry – you can always set a new quit date that you feel comfortable with. Or, you might want to try quitting without a specific quit date.
It might help to check out our section on having doubts about quitting smoking – or you can talk to a NSW Quitline Advisor about how you’re feeling.