The first major benefit of implementing the No Contact rule when determining how to win your ex boyfriend back is that you've empowered yourself by making a decision. This is the first step towards moving out of that no-man's land of passive misery that we all inhabit immediately after a break-up that we did not initiate.

That aching void won't go away immediately. If you're in the process of getting your ex boyfriend back, thoughts of him are bound to fill it often. You need something productive to do that will take your mind to a better place - a place which will be more attractive to your ex boyfriend so that not only will surviving the no contact period be easier, the duration of it will be shorter too.

Your whole life probably feels a mess right now, but is this realistic? How are your finances? Your health? Your general appearance?

Dreadful? Good - you've got something to work with now! If you've got debts, they're probably not as bad as you think they are. Get the paperwork together, figure out what you can pay and spend some time ringing those you owe to come to some sensible arrangement to pay. 'No contact' does not mean talking to no-one, so let your phone line buzz with activity - if your ex boyfriend is trying to speak to you, your unavailability will only make you more appealing.

Speaking of which, now that your finances are less of a worry, it's time to go through your wardrobe. If you were rudely jolted from a 'comfort zone' by the break-up with your ex boyfriend, your closet is likely to contain several shapeless tee shirts and at least one pair of baggy sweats that make you look like a sack of potatoes. Cut these up into cleaning rags, right now, and throw out anything else that's unflattering or past it's prime.

It's time now for a healthy meal. Promote the double choc chip ice cream from comfort food to something you're going to share with your ex boyfriend soon, and put it in the back of the freezer. Opt for a salad with a little protein and some carbs to give you energy. You'll need it in a moment.

Grab those cleaning cloths you made earlier and start to clean up your home, organizing and throwing out junk as you go. Be careful when dusting that phone - no contact, remember? If you need music or background noise while you work, put the TV on. Every other track on the radio can be made to become 'our song' after a break up, and there's no point in making yourself miserable.

Major life changes won't happen overnight, but you can turn things around surprisingly quickly with a little effort. When you do get back with your ex boyfriend, no contact is over and he finally calls, he'll be knocked off his feet by the new you.