Frictionless Friday: The S.T.O.P Strategy to Reducing Stress

We all have that something that causes us anxiety -- a keynote speech, that impending project deadline, or that job interview. A basic way to practice mindfulness and reduce some of your stress is the S.T.O.P strategy. Follow the steps below when you start to feel those familiar and unwanted jitters.

S - Stop

Stop and pause.

T - Take

Take a few slow, deep breaths.

O - Observe

What are your mind, body and emotions saying? Is there a tightness in your stomach or chest? What are you feeling at this exact moment? What is your mind telling you about those emotions?

P - Proceed

Proceed with whatever you were doing while making an effort to use what you learned in the previous step.

The next time you feel that anxiety come on, try this simple method. Taking a minute to recenter might be all the help you need to not only feel more relaxed, but to totally kill that presentation/project/interview.