How to Handle the Stress of UX Work Better

Meredith Noble (@meredi)

Director of Interaction Design

CATALYSTGROUP April 28, 2014

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

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

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