Often, thoughts about work don't stop even when you turn off your computer. Your mind continues to revolve around the tasks, deadlines, or conversations of the day, to the point that you don't get to fully enjoy the moments that belong to you: a dinner with friends, a relaxing evening at home, or the vacation you've been waiting for all year.
If you feel like you can't seem to disconnect from work, no matter how hard you try, you're not alone. Many people have a hard time separating their professional and personal lives, and truly "shutting down" their day.
This is where a practical and very simple technique comes into play: the STOP method - a way that promises to help you transition from "work mode" to everyday life mode in less than five minutes.
What is the STOP method?
Recommended by career expert Dan Bruce, this method consists of four easy steps that aim to restore balance between work and personal life. It helps you consciously close the day and give yourself the space you deserve.
Here's what the word STOP represents:
S – Stop & Close (Closing Ritual)
T – Show Victories (Share the day’s successes)
O – Organize Mentally (Unload Your Brain)
P – Focus on the Present (Move to the “now”)
How is this method applied in practice?
S – Close consciously (Stop & Close)
Just as the body needs a bedtime routine, the mind needs a “signal” that work is over. This step may seem symbolic, but it is essential.
Examples of closing rituals:
Close all the tabs on your computer and write down your tasks for tomorrow.
Organize your workspace.
Disable notifications from work apps (Slack, Teams, email).
Say out loud: “Work is done for today.”
This helps the brain understand that the time has come to transition to a calmer state.
T – Show the victories (Share the successes)
Many people end the day focusing on what they didn't do well. This habit lowers self-confidence and increases anxiety. So try to focus on what you did do well:
Write down 2-3 things that went well today.
Recall a positive comment you received.
Keep a list or folder of feedback that motivates you.
Even small victories matter. That way, the day ends with a sense of accomplishment, not guilt or pressure.
O – Organize yourself mentally (Unload your brain)
Just because the computer turned off doesn't mean your mind stopped. Often, you keep thinking about work, which creates invisible fatigue.
The solution? Get those thoughts out of your head:
Write down everything that comes to mind.
Record a voice message to yourself as a "memo for tomorrow."
Create a to-do list so you don't forget.
This action helps to relieve the brain of tension and end the "stream of thoughts."
P – Focus on the present (Move to the 'now')
Mos u fokusoni vetëm tek çfarë lini pas, por edhe tek ku po shkoni. Ky hap ju ndihmon të zhvendoseni në mënyrë të vetëdijshme nga puna tek jeta personale.
Disa mënyra për t’u kthyer në të tashmen:
Bëni një shëtitje pa telefon.
Bëni disa frymëmarrje të thella dhe të vetëdijshme.
Dëgjoni muzikë, lexoni një revistë ose gatuani diçka që ju pëlqen.
Kaloni kohë me të dashurit tuaj, pa shpërqendrim nga puna.
Sa më shumë të përfshiheni në aktivitetet jashtë punës, aq më lehtë do të shkëputeni mendërisht.
Metoda STOP të mëson të vendosësh kufij të shëndetshëm, të krijosh hapësirë për veten dhe të rivendosësh energjinë mendore.
