Everybody who smokes connects the act of smoking with some activity in their life, these are called triggers as they are the activities that trigger a person to smoke. A lot of people that I see tell me that one of the triggers for them to smoke is to have time out. Taking the time to smoke gives them a break from the activity that they are currently doing. The movement of bringing a cigarette to the mouth also gives a calming effect.
Deep breathing can give the same effect. Instead of taking time out to smoke a cigarette, take the time to do some deep breathing. Not shallow fast breaths but slow deep breaths. The act of breathing deliberately and deeply is very powerful and can help to bring on a state of calmness and peace.
The next time that you feel that you need to smoke a cigarette to get time out try deep breathing, its healthier and also costs less than a cigarette.