How to Handle the Stress of UX Work Better

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How to Handle the Stress of UX Work Better Meredith Noble (@meredi) Director of Interaction Design CATALYSTGROUP April 28, 2014

description

Working as a UX designer can be incredibly stressful. Our work is constantly subject to intense scrutiny and debate from clients and colleagues. If we’re consultants, we have the added pressure of constantly proving our worth to clients. Even the fast pace and ill-defined nature of the field itself can lead to stress: we can suffer from impostor syndrome and general insecurity about where we fit in our own profession. This presentation describes the human stress response, describes why stress is bad for UXers in particular, and provides coping strategies for those dealing with chronic stress.

Transcript of How to Handle the Stress of UX Work Better

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How to Handle the Stress of UX Work Better

Meredith Noble (@meredi)

Director of Interaction Design

CATALYSTGROUP April 28, 2014

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Hello.

I’m Meredith.

I work at CATALYSTGROUP, a UX research & design firm in NYC.

I’ve been a UX consultant for 9 years.

My work sometimes stresses me out.

(Okay, often stresses me out.)

Introductions

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My Stress Credentials

Introductions

My stress claim to fame:

I got a duodenal ulcer at age 13.

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My Stress Credentials

I’m a sensitive, conscientious, people-pleasing, perfectionistic emotion-squelcher… …who chose a role with intense deadlines and external judgment! I hit a breaking point. Something needed to change.

Introductions

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My Stress Credentials

Introductions

I started exploring the mind-body connection and the effects thoughts and emotions can have on our bodies.

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Talk Outline

Introductions

•  What is stress? Why is it a problem?

•  Why is stress a problem for UXers?

•  Exercise: How stressed out are we?

•  Exercise: What stresses us?

•  Discussion: What are our top 3 stressors and how can we cope?

•  Other ways to combat stress

•  Resources & next steps

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What is stress?

•  Fear system constantly scanning the environment

•  Activates hormone craziness!

Background

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What is stress?

•  Move from ‘rest and digest’ into ‘fight, flight, or freeze’

– Energy mobilized to send to muscles

– Heart rate and blood pressure increase

– Non-essential activities stop or slow:

– Digestion

– Immunity

– Growth & tissue repair

– Etc.

Background

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What is stress?

•  Another response to stress: tend and befriend

•  Unclear whether this is just a female reaction or male too

Background

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Why is stress a problem?

•  Lions aren’t a big problem in 2014

•  Most of our stress is: •  Psychological

•  Ongoing

•  Anticipatory

•  Our bodies are sustaining long-term damage!

Implications

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Why is stress a problem?

•  Chronic stress can lead to:

– Heart disease

– Depression and anxiety

–  Increased illness

– Ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome

– Diabetes, metabolic syndrome

– Pain disorders

Implications

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Why Stress is Bad for UXers

•  Hinders creativity

•  Creates tunnel vision

•  Reduces empathy in men

•  Hinders memory

•  Reduces our ability to learn and store memories

Implications

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How Stressed Are We?

This week, are you:

•  Not at all stressed

•  Somewhat stressed

•  Moderately stressed

•  Very stressed

•  Extremely stressed

Exercise

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What Stresses Us?

•  Theme ideas: –  Impressing Others

–  Interpersonal Challenges

– Technology

– Keeping Up With the UX Joneses

– 21st Century Work Life

– Too Little Time

– The Design Process

– The Research Process

Exercise

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Stressor 1

•  How can we better cope?

Exercise

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Stressor 2

•  How can we better cope?

Exercise

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Stressor 3

•  How can we better cope?

Exercise

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Ways to Combat Stress

1. Prevent stressful situations from occurring

Coping

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Ways to Combat Stress

2. Change the way you think during stressful situations

Coping

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Ways to Combat Stress

3.  Practice self-compassion

Coping

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Ways to Combat Stress

4.  Use a relaxation technique to return to ‘rest and digest’

– 3 deep breaths, 9 times

– Exercise

– Open Focus

Coping

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Ways to Combat Stress

•  Tune into your emotions – How am I feeling right now?

– Where am I feeling tension right now?

– Let yourself feel it

Coping With Stress

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Resources

The Open Focus Brain Les Fehmi and Jim Robbins

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Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers Robert M. Sapolsky

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Resources

What is The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do To Manage Stress? Dr. Mike Evans

bit.ly/stressanimation

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Mind Body Toolbox Audio Course Abigail Steidley

anamsong.com

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Resources

Self-Compassion Kristin Neff

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Next Steps

1.  Consider running a stress workshop at work –  With colleagues, list your stressors

–  Identify stressors that you have control over

–  Brainstorm ways to address them

2.  Read the resources to learn more

3.  Talk about it with others –  Tend and befriend :)

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Thank you :)

Meredith Noble

@meredi

CATALYSTGROUP