Trigger Mapping Worksheet: Design Your Personal Quit Playbook

Cravings are often tied to routines, places, emotions, and people. Use this worksheet to spot patterns and assign specific counters.

Step 1: List Top Triggers

• Morning routine (coffee, commute)
• After meals
• Work breaks / screens
• Stress / boredom
• Social events / alcohol
• Gaming / late nights

Step 2: Define the Cue → Routine → Reward

• Cue: What sets it off? (time, place, feeling)
• Routine: What you do (reach for vape, pouch, cigarette)
• Reward: What you get (focus, relief, break)

Step 3: Pick Replacements That Deliver the Reward

• Focus: 2‑minute stretch, cold water, quick checklist
• Relief: box breathing 4‑4‑4‑4, short walk, music
• Break: text a friend, make tea, step outside
• Oral habit: sugar‑free mints, toothpicks, crunchy veggies

Step 4: Write Your Playbook

• Morning coffee → switch mug/spot; 10 deep breaths before sipping.
• After lunch → brush teeth, 5‑minute walk.
• Work break → stand, shoulder rolls, refill water.
• Stress spike → 3 minutes of breathing + change room.
• Social drinks → alcohol‑free option first; buddy system.

Step 5: Track and Tweak

• Log which swaps work; keep 2–3 favorites per trigger.
• If a plan fails, replace it — not yourself. Iterate.

Sources

• Smokefree.gov (NCI). Build your quit plan; identify triggers.
• CDC. Coping with triggers and stress when quitting.
• Habit research popularized by Duhigg C. (Cue‑Routine‑Reward model).

Print this, fill it out, and keep a photo on your phone for quick use.