How to Handle Sales Stress-The STOP Method for Salespeople

How to manage stress in sales?

Let’s try the STOP method:
→    S  –  Stop
→    T  –  Take a breath
→    O  –  Observe
→    P  –  Proceed
It’s gonna help you manage those stressful moments.

1.    S  –  Stop
Imagine you’re at work.
You’re behind on your sales target.
And there’s only a week left in the month.
Your boss has just reminded you of this.
Instead of diving straight into panic mode, just stop for a moment.
Yep, you got it right!
Whatever you’re doing, pause for a moment.
This brief break can help you interrupt the stress.
Especially before it spirals out of control.

2.    T  –  Take a breath
After your boss’s reminder, you might feel your heart racing.
And your mind might start to spiral into worst-case scenarios.

So, what can you do?
→    Just take a breath

Breathe in slowly through your nose.
Hold it for a second.
Then exhale gently through your mouth.
Repeat this a few times.
Feel your body relax a little with each exhale.
This will help you clear your mind and regain your composure.
Breathing helps calm your nerves.
And it brings your focus back to the present moment.

3.    O  –  Observe
Now, observe what’s going on.
Notice your thoughts, feelings, and any physical sensations.

Ask yourself:
→    What am I feeling right now?
→    Why am I feeling this way?
→    What’s the reality of the situation?
For example, you might observe that you’re feeling a bit anxious.
Or maybe a bit frustrated.
Your thoughts might be racing with worries about missing your target.
Or about letting your team down.
Sometimes, we can also notice tension in our shoulders.
Or a knot in our stomach.
We just need to acknowledge these feelings.
They’re natural reactions to stress.

4.    P  –  Proceed
Alright!
You’ve paused.
You’ve breathed.
And you’ve observed.
Now you’re in a better position to decide what to do next, right?
Great!
Here, you just need to proceed with a mindful action.
So, choose a response that is thoughtful and aligns with your goals.
We don’t wanna react out of stress or fear.
We don’t wanna jump into frantic action.
We don’t wanna beat ourselves up.

Instead:
→    We wanna ask for advice from a colleague.
→    We wanna make a quick plan to prioritize our leads.
→    We wanna reach out to a few key clients (by bringing them value!)
Are you with me?