Stop, Start, Less, More: A Compass for Better Work
Navigate competing priorities and find clarity together.
In today’s fast-moving work environments, it’s easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of tasks, meetings, and initiatives. Everyone is busy, but are we busy with the right things? That’s the real question.
One of my favorite workshop tools to bring clarity and alignment is the simple yet powerful exercise: “Stop, Start, Less, More.”
This framework creates space for teams (or individuals) to reflect on priorities, surface frustrations, and decide where to put their energy. It’s straightforward, visual, and highly engaging.
How It Works
The exercise is structured around four simple prompts:
Stop – What are we doing that no longer adds value? What is draining our energy without meaningful results?
Start – What are we not doing yet that could create impact, innovation, or improvement?
Less – What do we need to reduce? What activities, habits, or processes need to be dialed down?
More – What’s already working well that we should amplify and double down on?
You can run it with sticky notes on a wall, a Miro/MURAL board, or even on paper in a one-on-one session.
Why It Works
Simple language, big insights
The four categories are intuitive, so participants immediately “get it.” This lowers the barrier for reflection and sparks honest conversations.Focus on value, not just activity
Instead of asking “what should we do?” the exercise asks “what matters most?” It pushes teams to think critically about impact.Balances cutting and growing
Unlike many prioritization tools that only focus on adding new initiatives, this one also highlights what to stop or reduce, which is often where the biggest wins are found.Inclusive and democratic
Everyone can contribute equally. Junior team members might raise issues leaders never noticed, while leaders can set direction by amplifying key themes.
How to Facilitate It
Here’s a step-by-step guide you can use:
Frame the context
Define the focus of the exercise. For example: “How we work together as a team,” or “Our customer experience strategy,” or even “My personal energy management.”Individual reflection (5–10 minutes)
Ask participants to write down ideas for each quadrant. Encourage honesty and openness.Group sharing (15–30 minutes)
Collect contributions under each heading. Cluster similar ideas to identify patterns.Prioritization (15–20 minutes)
Discuss and vote: Which 1–2 actions in each category would make the biggest difference right now?Commitment and follow-up
Turn insights into concrete next steps. Write them down, assign responsibility, and check progress in the next team session.
Real-Life Examples
A leadership team realized they needed to stop micromanaging, start communicating strategic priorities more clearly, do less of long weekly meetings, and do more of short, focused check-ins.
A project team identified they should stop chasing low-value requests, start testing prototypes earlier, do less documentation, and do more direct user conversations.
An individual reflected they should stop saying yes to every request, start scheduling deep work blocks, do less late-night email, and do more exercise during the week.
Why You Should Try It
The “Stop, Start, Less, More” exercise is one of those tools that punches above its weight. It’s fast, easy to run, and creates instant clarity. Whether you’re leading a workshop, coaching a team, or reflecting on your own workload, it helps cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters.
So next time you feel overwhelmed or unsure where to focus, grab a pen and paper (or your team) and ask:
👉 What should we stop, start, do less of, and do more of?
You might be surprised how quickly clarity appears.
I hope this post, made sense and you found it useful.
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