Education & Career Trends: February 14, 2023
Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
- Excerpts are taken from an article published on psychcentral .com.
There are several well-documented advantages of mindfulness. The STOP approach is one of the various methods for practicing mindfulness. The STOP mindfulness method may aid in speedy de-cluttering if you’re experiencing stress, overload, or anxiety. In moments of tension and overwhelm, you may utilise it to help you feel grounded.
Focusing consciousness on the present moment while accepting your thoughts and feelings is the goal of mindfulness. As a result, it could assist you in managing your emotions and urges as well as calming ruminative thoughts (persistent, repetitive, negative thoughts).
Anyone who wishes to practice mindfulness, whether they are experienced meditators or beginners, can use this straightforward approach.
The STOP mindfulness method is a reasonably easy approach to centre and relax during stressful situations. Additionally, you may employ it to enhance your everyday attention and relaxation.
A four-step mental checklist method might assist you in establishing your presence at the moment. The abbreviation means:
- Stop
- Take a breath
- Observe
- Proceed
In the most recent iterations of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses, STOP is a mindfulness practice that is frequently taught. These courses impart mindfulness techniques that might improve your mental and physical health.
The STOP approach may be used at any time, but it might be especially useful if you’re feeling anxious, agitated, or upset.
1. Stop what you are doing
- Put a stop to your thought patterns as a first step.
- Try to pause for a moment if you can, whether you’re in the middle of a challenging test question or having troubling, racing thoughts.
- Instead of trying to “clean your mind” or battle your thoughts, convince yourself in your head that you’re about to focus on something else.
2. Take a breath
- This phase involves focusing on your breathing.
- A simple method to ground oneself in the present is to breathe deliberately.
- You can breathe in and out slowly while paying attention to how it feels.
3. Observe
A crucial aspect of mindfulness is observation, which involves being conscious of both your internal and exterior surroundings.
You may check on your:
- What bodily aches and pains are you experiencing? Are there any uncomfortable or stiff spots on your body? What are the things you can actually see, hear, taste, smell, and feel?
- What feelings are you experiencing right now?
- What are you thinking right now? What presumptions or conclusions do you draw about yourself?
- You have the chance to check in with yourself and consider how a circumstance is impacting you when you perform the “observe” stage of the STOP technique.
4. Proceed
- Whether you’re attempting to concentrate on work or are in the middle of a challenging conversation, you may resume your current activity once you’re ready.
- Try to use what you’ve learned; for instance, if you discovered that the test question you’re working on is making you anxious, you might want to move on to the next one for the time being.
- Another scenario: Suppose you’re having a crucial discussion with your colleague when you suddenly become annoyed. You both decide to suspend the talk until you feel refreshed and in control after using the STOP method to recognise that you are too exhausted to think rationally.
- You may think about doing something to make yourself feel better in the meanwhile, whether it’s repeating a happy statement or drinking water slowly.
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Have you checked out yesterday’s blog yet?
6 Ways To Effectively Manage Performance Anxiety
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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