Stress Management-The SOBER Technique
How to handle stress at work?
Ever tried the SOBER technique?
It helps you feel less stressed and overwhelmed.
It stands for:
→ S — Stop
→ O — Observe
→ B — Breathe
→ E — Expand
→ R — Respond
Let’s get started!
1. S — Stop
First things first: take a breather.
Say you’re juggling a big project and feeling the pressure.
Okay, just stop for a moment.
→ Hit the “pause” button on your stress
→ Close your laptop
→ Take a short break to reset
2. O — Observe
Now, check in with yourself.
Notice what’s happening inside you.
Notice:
→ Your feelings
→ Your thoughts
→ Your physical sensations
Ask yourself:
→ Am I tense?
→ What’s on my mind?
→ Do I feel anything specific happening in my body?
For example, you might feel a tight knot in your shoulders.
At the same time, your mind might be racing with worries about deadlines.
3. B — Breathe
Alright! Now, take a few deep breaths.
Just to calm down.
→ Breathe in slowly through your nose
→ Hold it for a second
→ Then breathe out through your mouth
Do this five times.
Just let the air flow in and out.
And focus on calming your mind.
This helps lower your stress level — pretty much immediately.
4. E — Expand
Alright, we feel a bit better now, right?
Look at the situation from a broader perspective now.
Think about other ways to tackle the issue.
Try exploring different options to solve the problem.
Ask yourself:
→ What else can I do?
→ Is there another way to handle this?
For example, you might wanna reach out to a coworker for support.
Or prioritize your tasks differently.
It’s all about seeing the problem from a different perspective.
Perspective matters, right?
5. R — Respond
Now, based on the options you’ve considered, do this:
→ Decide on a thoughtful response
I mean:
→ Instead of reacting out of stress, try to choose your next steps carefully
For example:
→ Try to divide the project into more digestible steps
→ Or talk to your manager about extending the deadline
Just try to be a bit more thoughtful