How to Stop Drinking Coffee
Choose a good time., Tell your family that you’re quitting., Let everyone at work know., Keep pain relievers handy., Eat a high protein diet., Avoid triggers., Nap when you need to.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a good time.
You probably don’t want to quit right before finals or when you’ve got a big deadline coming up.
Find a time when you can have a full week without extra responsibilities.
Mark your calendar so that you stay accountable to yourself.
If you are always busy and can’t find a low-stress week, you may need to wean yourself off, instead of quitting cold turkey.
Vacation can be a great time to quit coffee.
You’ll be away from your routines and have time to rest. -
Step 2: Tell your family that you’re quitting.
Let them know you may be a bit sluggish for a few days.
Some people become a little absent-minded or grouchy when they first quit drinking coffee.
If they know you’re in the process of detoxing, they won’t take it personally.If other people in your household drink coffee, ask if they can avoid making or drinking it around you.
Your family can help you stay on track.
Ask for their support.
Tell them that if your resolve weakens, they should encourage you to stay away from coffee. , You don’t want your coworkers to think you’ve suddenly lost your work ethic, but you may be moving slowly for a few days.
Tell your coworkers (and even your boss) that you’re in the process of quitting coffee.
They’ll likely understand and be sympathetic.If your workplace offers free coffee throughout the day (for example, if you work in a restaurant or a busy office) let your coworkers know that you’ll be avoiding it.
Bring something with you to replace coffee you would otherwise be drinking.
Seltzer water or lemon water is great to sip on throughout the day and keeps you hydrated. , Caffeine withdrawal often causes headaches for anywhere from one to three days.
Take pain relievers as needed to get through the headaches.
Make sure to drink plenty of water with them as well.Always check the labels of pain relievers.
Some contain caffeine, which won’t help you in your plan to quit coffee! , Protein provides a gentle energy boost throughout the day.
Meals high in carbohydrates can make you sleepy.
When carbs lower your energy level, you’ll be tempted to reach for the coffee as a pick-me-up.
Avoid the temptation by avoiding meals high in carbohydrates.Meats, dairy and legumes are excellent sources of protein.
Carbohydrate-heavy foods include processed grains like white flour and white rice.
Sugary foods will cause the same energy crash. , You likely have specific times you are used to having coffee.
It may be with breakfast or as a ritual before getting some late-night work done.
You may associate certain situations with coffee.
Perhaps you always have coffee when you spend time with a certain friend, or when you attend a morning meeting.It may not be possible to avoid all triggers.
If you know you’ll encounter a trigger, plan ahead.
Bring some tea or lemon water to your morning meeting.
Take your friend to a cafe where you can get something other than coffee. , Of course, it’s not always possible to nap in the middle of the day.
However, you may feel the urge to nap in the first few days of quitting.
If you can squeeze in a 20 minute nap, go for it!Try quitting right before the weekend.
That way, you’ll have two days that you can nap before you have to return to a full workday. -
Step 3: Let everyone at work know.
-
Step 4: Keep pain relievers handy.
-
Step 5: Eat a high protein diet.
-
Step 6: Avoid triggers.
-
Step 7: Nap when you need to.
Detailed Guide
You probably don’t want to quit right before finals or when you’ve got a big deadline coming up.
Find a time when you can have a full week without extra responsibilities.
Mark your calendar so that you stay accountable to yourself.
If you are always busy and can’t find a low-stress week, you may need to wean yourself off, instead of quitting cold turkey.
Vacation can be a great time to quit coffee.
You’ll be away from your routines and have time to rest.
Let them know you may be a bit sluggish for a few days.
Some people become a little absent-minded or grouchy when they first quit drinking coffee.
If they know you’re in the process of detoxing, they won’t take it personally.If other people in your household drink coffee, ask if they can avoid making or drinking it around you.
Your family can help you stay on track.
Ask for their support.
Tell them that if your resolve weakens, they should encourage you to stay away from coffee. , You don’t want your coworkers to think you’ve suddenly lost your work ethic, but you may be moving slowly for a few days.
Tell your coworkers (and even your boss) that you’re in the process of quitting coffee.
They’ll likely understand and be sympathetic.If your workplace offers free coffee throughout the day (for example, if you work in a restaurant or a busy office) let your coworkers know that you’ll be avoiding it.
Bring something with you to replace coffee you would otherwise be drinking.
Seltzer water or lemon water is great to sip on throughout the day and keeps you hydrated. , Caffeine withdrawal often causes headaches for anywhere from one to three days.
Take pain relievers as needed to get through the headaches.
Make sure to drink plenty of water with them as well.Always check the labels of pain relievers.
Some contain caffeine, which won’t help you in your plan to quit coffee! , Protein provides a gentle energy boost throughout the day.
Meals high in carbohydrates can make you sleepy.
When carbs lower your energy level, you’ll be tempted to reach for the coffee as a pick-me-up.
Avoid the temptation by avoiding meals high in carbohydrates.Meats, dairy and legumes are excellent sources of protein.
Carbohydrate-heavy foods include processed grains like white flour and white rice.
Sugary foods will cause the same energy crash. , You likely have specific times you are used to having coffee.
It may be with breakfast or as a ritual before getting some late-night work done.
You may associate certain situations with coffee.
Perhaps you always have coffee when you spend time with a certain friend, or when you attend a morning meeting.It may not be possible to avoid all triggers.
If you know you’ll encounter a trigger, plan ahead.
Bring some tea or lemon water to your morning meeting.
Take your friend to a cafe where you can get something other than coffee. , Of course, it’s not always possible to nap in the middle of the day.
However, you may feel the urge to nap in the first few days of quitting.
If you can squeeze in a 20 minute nap, go for it!Try quitting right before the weekend.
That way, you’ll have two days that you can nap before you have to return to a full workday.
About the Author
Frances Anderson
Brings years of experience writing about practical skills and related subjects.
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