I just read a post by Impurrfect with a tip which seems to me to fit in well with AVRT, so I am re-posting the relevant part here.
Originally Posted by
Impurrfect 
When the using thoughts would come, I'd tell myself "not an option..next" with "next" being a cue to distract myself...
I told myself "not an option..next" so many times that in time, it was automatic. I was at "next" before I realized I'd even thought about it.