Not long ago, I sat with a parent who said, “Carrie, I can’t even hear myself think anymore.” They weren’t exaggerating. Between incessant work pings, parenting pressures, and relentless demands, their mind was permanently hijacked.

This isn’t rare. Globally, attention spans are shrinking, and stress-driven reactivity is soaring. Without mindfulness, we’re running on autopilot — snapping at colleagues, zoning out in meetings, missing precious moments with loved ones. Is this the case in your workplace?

The Storm and the Anchor

I often use metaphor to share my thinking…so lets try this…think of your mind as a boat in stormy seas. Stress, emails, and crises are the waves. Mindfulness doesn’t stop the storm — it drops an anchor, so you’re steady even when the waves crash.

A Coaching Walk Story

Can you recall working with a leader or manager who admitted they often entered meetings already wound up. This STOP method is worth your time as it is simple but effective. A 4 step process you can recall quickly: Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed. By simply pausing before they spoke, they shifted from reactive to intentional. Their team soon noticed: “You feel calmer… and we feel calmer too.” The power of ‘pause’ shouldn’t be underestimated!

Daily Hack: The STOP Reset

Next time your stress spikes:

• Stop what you’re doing.
• Take a slow breath.
• Observe your thoughts and body.
• Proceed with intention.
  
  

It takes less than 30 seconds — but it can change the trajectory of your day. Why not #giveitaredhotshot