Sometimes, you might feel like you’re rushing constantly from one task to another. Everyone expects your full attention – whether performing at work, managing family life, or keeping promises you may have made too easily. It can be very stressful with so many demands. But what if there was a simple way to pause, clear your mind, and put you in a better mental state?
Stop, Breathe, Be
The Stop, Breathe, Be technique helps pause stressful feelings and brings your mind back to the present. It combines simple breathing with a physical sensation to ground you. Although your challenges have not changed, your mental state has.
Benefits
1. Immediate stress release
Much stress comes from our minds dwelling on everything we need to do or the challenges ahead of us. It immediately helps to break this harmful cycle and stops building up more stress by ourselves.
2. More mental power for the task ahead
Returning your attention to the here and now, those other thoughts no longer drain your mental energy. Your mind becomes clearer, allowing you to focus better on the next task.
How to use Stop, Breathe, Be
The technique is very simple. It involves three quick steps:
- Say “Stop.” You can say it aloud or just in your head without disturbing those around you.
- Take a deep breath. Inhale deeply once, then exhale as calmly as possible. Just a single deep breath is already fine.
- Focus on a physical sensation. It could be the feel of your fingertips touching the table, the smooth surface of your favorite ballpen, the texture of your jeans, or watching a tree sway in the wind outside the window. Simply notice something real and physical in your immediate surroundings.
That’s it.
Here’s how it works: The first step stops your racing thoughts. The second step brings your mind back to the present by disconnecting from stressful worries. The third step helps you realize that your situation is likely simpler and easier to handle than your racing thoughts suggested. Then, take whatever action is needed. Just do it. No rocket science involved (unless you work at NASA).
Examples
1. Too much to do
One day, I had many small tasks to complete. I needed to call a difficult customer, email a product’s technical specification to another customer, prepare for a video call with my team scheduled in about an hour, check customer payments in the bank account, and handle probably a hundred other things. Naturally, I was worried about finishing everything on time and possibly missing something.
My stress level was through the roof.
That’s when I used the Stop-Breathe-Be technique. I said stop, took a deep breath, and touched the smooth surface of my favorite pencil. Okay, I’m at my desk, no one’s shouting at me (yet), and there’s still time to make progress.
Next, I prepared a quick list of things running through my mind. Might I have missed something? Absolutely, but I decided to address that later. Wondering endlessly wouldn’t help me now. I realized I should focus on one task at a time to be effective and efficient, and none of the tasks on my list was really difficult.
And then I began with the most urgent task.
2. I don’t wanna do that
The factory just informed me that the expected shipment date of the product has been delayed by about three weeks. Unfortunately, my customer needed these parts to build a product promised to his own client, who was neither friendly nor tolerant of delays. Stress and claims for financial damages were expected.
However, I had to inform my customer anyway. Ignoring the issue might feel easier today, but it would cause problems later. So, I used the Stop-Breathe-Be technique.
Things still weren’t better afterward, but I could think more clearly. I called the customer, and together we found a way to make things work with minimal issues. Having a clear mind made all the difference.
My point of view
The Stop-Breathe-Be technique is definitely one of my favorite tools. Whenever I feel stressed or uncomfortable, it usually improves my state within seconds. My mind clears, my thinking sharpens, my pulse slows, and I can better handle the situation. In my opinion, this is a great tool to address stress quickly and regain the ability to handle challenges.
Conclusion
The Stop-Breathe-Be technique is simple, quick, and effective in the moment. It’s not a long-term solution, but it helps you pause, consider a temporary fix, and create space to work toward a lasting one. Not bad for just a few seconds of effort, right?