STOP Technique
A mindful pause practice: Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed.
Also known as: STOP practice, Mindful pause
Category: Techniques
Tags: mindfulness, emotional-regulation, stress-management, techniques, self-awareness
Explanation
STOP is a simple mindfulness technique for creating a pause in automatic reactions, useful in moments of stress, before important decisions, or as a regular check-in throughout the day. S - Stop: Pause whatever you're doing. T - Take a breath: Take one or more conscious breaths, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system and creates space. O - Observe: Notice what's happening - in your body, emotions, thoughts, and environment. What's the situation? What do you need? P - Proceed: Continue with greater awareness and intentionality. The power of STOP is its simplicity and speed - it can be done in seconds and anywhere. Regular practice builds the habit of pausing before reacting, which is the foundation of emotional intelligence. For knowledge workers, STOP is valuable: before sending a heated email, when feeling overwhelmed, during transitions between tasks, and when noticing stress building.
Related Concepts
← Back to all concepts