How to Get Through a Craving in 3 Minutes or Less


When a craving hits, it can feel like the only way out is to smoke.
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Your heart speeds up, your thoughts lock onto one idea, “Just one won’t hurt” and suddenly it feels less like a choice and more like an emergency.
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The good news?
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Most cravings are short-lived.
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If you can get through just a few minutes, the urge usually drops to a level you can handle.
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This guide gives you a simple, 3-minute structure for riding out cravings without lighting up and shows you how to put support in your pocket so you’re not doing it alone.

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Step 1: Name What’s Really Happening (30 seconds)
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The first thing a craving does is try to make you panic.
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Before you react, pause for a moment and quietly ask yourself:
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  • What just triggered this?

  • Where am I?

  • What am I feeling? (stressed, bored, lonely, angry, tired?)


You might realise:
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  • You always crave after a certain task at work

  • You’re scrolling social media and feeling low

  • You’ve just had an argument

  • You’re bored and looking for something to do


Putting a name to the trigger does two important things:
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  1. It reminds you this isn’t random, it’s a pattern.

  2. It gives you a tiny bit of space between “I feel a craving” and “I need a cigarette.”


You’re not failing. You’re just being hit by a learned response.
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Step 2: Change Your Body Position (30–60 seconds)
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Cravings feel stronger when your body is still and your mind is spinning.
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Do something small and physical:
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  • Stand up if you’re sitting

  • Walk to another room

  • Step outside for air (without smoking)

  • Stretch your shoulders, neck, or hands


You’re sending your brain a new signal: “We’re doing something different now.”
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It doesn’t have to be a workout. Even 30 seconds of movement can interrupt the automatic chain of:
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feeling → craving → cigarette
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Step 3: Breathe on Purpose (60 seconds)
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Most people unconsciously hold their breath or breathe shallowly when they crave. That makes the feeling worse.
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Try this simple pattern for about a minute:
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  1. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4

  2. Hold for a count of 2

  3. Breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of 6


Repeat 5–6 times.
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Why it helps:
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  • It signals to your nervous system that you’re safe

  • It takes your focus away from the cigarette and onto counting

  • It gives the craving time to peak and begin falling


You’re not trying to “crush” the craving. You’re just trying to stay still long enough for it to pass.
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Step 4: Talk Back to the “Just One” Voice (30–60 seconds)
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Cravings often come with convincing thoughts:
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  • “Just one won’t hurt.”

  • “I can quit again later.”

  • “I’ve had a rough day—I deserve this.”


Instead of arguing endlessly, keep one simple reply ready, such as:
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  • “I know this is a craving talking. It will pass.”

  • “I’ve been here before. I don’t want to start from zero again.”

  • “This feeling will go away faster than the guilt would.”


You’re not trying to win a debate. You’re reminding yourself of the bigger picture in a sentence or two.

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Step 5: Do a 2-Minute “Instead” Activity (2 minutes)
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Cravings hate competition.
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Give your brain something else to do for two minutes:
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  • Go refill your water or make tea

  • Send a quick message to a friend or quit community

  • Read a short article, or a section inside your quit app

  • Do a quick household task (put away dishes, wipe a counter)

  • Play a 2-minute song and focus on listening


The goal isn’t productivity, it’s distraction with purpose while the craving wave comes down.
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By the time you’ve done all five steps, you’re usually past the most intense point of the urge.
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What If You Still Feel Like Smoking?
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Sometimes, even after 3 minutes, the craving feels strong.
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That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means:
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  • The trigger was powerful

  • Your brain is used to nicotine as the “solution”

  • You might need more support in that moment
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You can repeat the cycle:
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  • Move again

  • Breathe again

  • Choose another 2-minute “instead” activity


Or you can decide:
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“I’m going to delay this cigarette by 10 minutes.”
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Many people find that by the end of those 10 minutes, the urge has dropped enough that they can say no.

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Planning Ahead for Your Worst Triggers
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The 3-minute method works best when you plan for it before you need it.

Ask yourself:
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  • What time of day do I usually crave the most?

  • Where am I when the urges are strongest?

  • Who am I usually with?

  • What emotion hits me hardest, stress, boredom, anger, loneliness?


Write down your top 3 “danger moments,” for example:
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  1. First thing in the morning

  2. After meals

  3. On breaks at work, especially around other smokers


Then decide in advance:
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  • What movement you’ll do

  • Which breathing pattern you’ll use

  • What 2-minute “instead” activity you’ll turn to


When the craving hits, you don’t have to invent a plan, you just follow the one you already made.

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How Unpuff Fits Into Your Craving Plan
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You don’t have to remember all of this in your head.
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Unpuff is designed to help you in the exact moments cravings hit, so you’re never left thinking, “Now what?”

With Unpuff, you can:
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  • Open the app the second a craving starts
     Get immediate, guided tools rather than fighting the urge on your own.

  • Use built-in breathing and calming exercises
     Follow simple on-screen prompts that walk you through what to do, step by step.

  • Log your triggers and notice patterns
     Over time, you’ll see when and why cravings hit hardest, so you can plan ahead.

  • Track your streaks and wins
     When you see how many cravings you’ve faced without smoking and how many cigarettes you’ve avoided it becomes easier to keep going.


Quitting isn’t about never feeling a craving again. It’s about having a plan for what to do when cravings show up.

The next time one hits, you don’t have to panic.
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You can think: “Okay. Three minutes. I know what to do now.”
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 And if you want that plan in your pocket, Unpuff is there to walk you through it.