My strategy:
Since there are 5 sense inputs, I personally will not tackle all of them at once. I feel this would end up failing. But instead target the easiest/least tempting ones first. Then eventually go for the hardest/most tempting ones.
Rate the 5 sense input pleasures in two categories:
1) Tempting level from strongest to weakest:
-Ear for pleasing sounds/body for pleasing touches tied
-Eyes for pleasing sights
-Tongue for pleasing tastes
-Nose for pleasing scents
2) From easiest to hardest to relinquish/quit/reduce/abstain from:
-Nose for pleasing scents
-Body for pleasing touches
-Tongue for pleasing tastes
-Eyes for pleasing sights
-Ear for pleasing sounds
Now if one were to ask me just a few years ago about food, I would have said that it would have been one of the very last pleasures I could reduce the craving for. I was the biggest foodie my whole life, my childhood motto was “food is my pleasure.” That inner foodie is still there lurking inside of course. But in these past few months, especially recently, I noticed my cravings for it are not the same as before. Not as potent/strong as before. I feel a strong apparent decrease in my craving for food. I am content with bland food, just for sake of eating/sustenance and staying alive. I went from “live to eat” to “eat to live.” I personally think this is significant for someone who has been a foodie since childhood. I shared this to show that even laypeople, even anariya people who are not yogis, or have jhanic ability can also reduce cravings for something that is very tempting for them.