Designers we need to talk about stress

Designers,
We need to talk about stress.
UX Bristol 2017
www.slideshare.net/bensimmonds
@bensimmonds

“I don’t really get stressed.
And anyway, stress can be good -
it keeps things exciting and
pushes you to your best”
Someone irritatingly balanced / in
denial / not in employment
You and stress?
“Oh crap oh crap oh crap oh
crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh
crap oh crap oh crap…”
Everyone else? Just me?
www.slideshare.net/bensimmonds @bensimmonds

Me and work stress
Advertising,
London
Digital & UX,
London
Digital & UX,
Sydney
UX, Bristol Stress and performance
certification
Prep UXBristol
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 yrs
Oh crap
oh crap
Doing
OK

Stress makes us crap at UX1
It inhibits our ‘design mind’ capabilities..
Creativity Concentration Problem solving
Cooperation Empathy Patience
Memory access Pattern spotting Capacity to learn

Irritable Resentful Anxious
Tense Fatigued Headaches
Ulcers, colds Depressed Low self esteem
Stress makes us feel crap2

It’s an epidemic3
40% of UK workers
feel unwell from stress
at work
(HSE 2016)
1 in 6 UK workers will
suffer depression,
anxiety, chronic stress
(HSE 2016)
The World Health
Organisation describes
stress as “..The health
epidemic of the 21st
century”

56% feel that telling a boss about their stress would inhibit their
career prospects
(YouGov/SimplyHealth, 2016)
It’s taboo4

Only 18% of companies offer workplace support for stress (mostly
large corporates)
HSE, 2016)
It’s your problem5

Goals
Find techniques to
nurture our
‘design mind’
Find safe ways
to discuss it on
our projects
Share experiences
and tips for
common UX
stressors

Some is good
Amount of pressure
Productivity
‘Under-load’
Bored
‘Eustress’
Focused / Flow
‘Acute stress’
Panicked
‘Chronic stress’
Burn out
Today’s focus

• As a group/table..
• 5 minutes discussing most common stressors at work
• Certain activities?
• Certain situations?
• Certain project types?
• Write ‘em down
• Any tips, techniques, resources, checklists that help?
• Each team share 2 with the rest of the room
Work stress-spots
Activity 1

What are the common stressors in UX design?
Here lies stress!
What are the situations, activities, or projects that frequently cause you stress at work?
..and this helps
What techniques, perspectives, activities help you?
5 mins
Write large so others can see!
Activity 1

A model for stress
Pressure Stress=
Pressure Stress=++ Thoughts Behaviours

Self belief
Confidence, imposter thoughts
Catastrophising
Imagining dreadful
consequences
Other unhelpful thoughts
Blaming, all-or-nothing, focus
on the negative
Tension
Poised, shallow breathing
Over-reaching
Committing to too much,
pushing yourself too much
Health
Not resting, poor diet, low
exercise
Procrastinating
Indulging distractions, not
confronting
Pressure ++ Thoughts Behaviours
Demands
Too much work, too little time,
too complex, unclear goals
Roles
Unclear roles, undesirable
roles, not using PM
Support
Guidance, software,
environment, helping hands
Relationships
Clashing, assertiveness,
recognition, competition
A model for stress

Help a colleague
• A colleague is having a tough time, and is telling you about it
• Read their situation (big purple quote)
• Write on the worksheet to unpack the causes of their stress
• Each group looks at just one category (pressures, thoughts,
behaviours)
• Read the ‘techniques’ cards. Pick those that will help them
• Add other tips that you have
• Highlight the 2 techniques which may help the most
• Then share with the room, including describing the techniques (3 min
per group)
Activity 2

Activity 2
This new project is really stressing me out. We have a decent set of requirements, but its a
monster. I’m overwhelmed at how much there is to do, and I’m not sure where to start
really.
We have a big team and I’m not entirely sure who’s doing what. I hope they’re not expecting
me to lead this?
Also, I feel a bit like the weak link in the team. I’m worried that they’ll think I’m rubbish, and
not a ‘proper’ UXer. This could be disastrous for my career; there’s no way I’ll get promoted
if I don’t nail it.
I’m really panicky at work these days, and I just can’t think straight when I’m like that. I find
it really distracting in the office too - all these emails, office chat, banter on slack. I seem to
spend more time doing that, or tidying my desk, than actually tackling the work.
And then there is this pitch-work and the blog article that I’ve agreed to take on. I can’t go
back to my boss now I’ve said I’d do it, but it’s eating into my evenings and weekends.
I’m really tired these days, and feel out-of-shape. I know I should sort that out too.

Pressures
Demands
complexity, unclear goals
Roles
Unclear roles, undesirable roles,
not using PM
Support
Guidance, software,
Relationships
1) Unpack it:  
What factors are contributing to the situation?
2) Address it:  
What actions and perspectives might help?
Refer to ‘technique sheets’ and your own experiences
Activity 2

Thoughts
Self belief
Catastrophising
Imagining dreadful
consequences
on the negative
1) Unpack it:  
2) Address it:  
Activity 2

Behaviours
Tension
Over-reaching
Health
exercise
Procrastinating
confronting
1) Unpack it:  
2) Address it:  
Activity 2

Minimum Viable Deliverable
When: We’re overwhelmed with complexity, amount, time
How: Focus on delivering value, not effort
Steps
1. Imagine our deadline is in 1 hour
2. What is the quickest but most valuable thing we could do? (a sketch, just one
section, competitor showcase, a phone-video report, reuse existing work)
3. Do this
4. Relax knowing we have a fall-back
5. Plan what more is needed (liaise with stakeholder who may be happy with our MVD)
Activity 2

Getting Things Done (GTD)
When: We’re overwhelmed with the number of things we have to do
How: Create a clear, prioritised, scheduled list
Steps
1. List all tasks
2. Re-write for specificity (verb + noun)
3. Prioritise (as we see fit)
4. Group those which we can do now (3 minute rule)
5. Group those which we can delegate
6. Everything else, schedule
Activity 2

Roles matrix (RACI)
When: We need clarity over who does what on a project
How: Create a matrix of tasks and roles, then define levels of involvement
Responsible Accountable Collaborator Informed
Director UX Designer Dev PM
Approach and budget A / R C C C C
Resource, risk, scope,
team comms
I C C C A / R
Research A / C R C C I
Brand A / C C R C I
Journeys A / C R C C I
UI concepts A / C R R C I
… … … … … …
Activity 2

Assertiveness
When: You need courage to express your needs, or your limits
How: Create a ‘reasoned case’ first.
Steps
1. Create a ‘reasoned case’, using a format like this:
“I can do [the sign-up journey designs]
by [the end of this week]
at the standard of [client-ready],
and then I can [update the style guide]
[next week].
Are you happy with that, or should we look at priority, or fidelity, or
getting support?”
Activity 2

Self belief
When: You doubt your ability to cope / deliver
How: Visualise yourself coping, and work back
Steps
1. Recall a stressful situation
2. Imagine the most stressful part. Get into that moment
3. Now, imagine that you’re actually coping really well
4. What are you doing that proves you’re coping so well? Your delivery? The work and
artefacts? Your thoughts and mood? The reactions of others?
5. Write these down
6. For each, what would it take to achieve that? Make that plan
7. So, if you do those things, do you believe you can do it well?
8. Try saying that aloud to embed it
Activity 2

Catastrophising
When: You need to pull back from the sense THAT IT’S A TOTAL NIGHTMARE!
How: Change your perspective
Steps
1. Write down (or speak) what the stressful situation is
2. Consider the below, then re-write to be more balanced, realistic, kinder
Experiment.
It’s OK if it’s not right; learning and
iterating is the main goal.
What’s the worst case?
And would you be able to find a way
through that?
“It’s OK, because___________”
Switch your reasonable brain on.
How will it be in 3, 6, 12 months?
Reminder that it is (probably)
temporary.
Activity 2

Helpful thoughts
When: Unhelpful thinking patterns are getting in the way
How: Scan your thoughts, replace unhelpful ones with kinder ones
Steps
1. Scan this list of classic
‘thinking errors’
2. Write down (expose them!)
those that apply
3. Now write kinder, helpful,
fairer versions
4. Maybe even say the helpful
version aloud, to help embed
it
Type Language or thought
Self doubt “I never / I can't / I’m not…”
All or nothing “Must / Never / Has to / Can not…”
Labelling “Useless / Failed / Rubbish …”
Negative focus “Complete failure / Waste of time…”
Catastophising “Awful / Disaster / Worst ever …”
Generalisations “Always / Never / They’re all …”
Phoneyism “I’m not qualified / I’m not a proper… “
I cant stand it “I can’t bear it / Can’t stand it…”
Blame “It’s because they…”
Activity 2

Turn anxiety to excitement
When: You need a quick hack to be able to ‘turn towards’ the anxiety
How: Pretend that the anxiety is in fact excitement
Background
• The physiological response to anxiety, anger, excitement is very similar.
• However the emotions are very different. This quick fix can help us perform when
anxiety kicks in.
Steps
1. If you’re anxious, tell yourself that you are excited.
2. Back it up with an upright posture.
3. You’ll find that you’re more able to ‘turn towards’ the situation.
Activity 2

Procrastinate or confront?
When: You find you put things off
How: Spot your avoidance tactics, then find ways to focus
Do you…. Do these…
Over-tidy Turn off distractions..
Spend a lot of time on social media .. but schedule breaks
Reply to emails as they come in THEN >> Rely on your list for your priority tasks
Complain a lot Find your motivation
Snack a lot Just do the first step.. put pen to paper
Re-do your lists unnecessarily Know that delaying compounds stress
Plan, and re-plan
Activity 2

Relaxation
When: You’re tense
How: Breathing, visualisation, sensory focus, release muscle tension
Steps
1. Sit comfortably, close your eyes if you like
2. Breathe deeply from the belly
3. Jostle about a bit to relax tension; including face and shoulders
4. Focus on the sensation of breathing. Count every out-breath up to 10. Repeat.
5. As thoughts arise, observe them, then turn focus back to the breath.
6. Repeat for as long as you can spare.
Activity 2

Over-committing
When: We’re in ‘hero mode’ and taking on too much
How: Various
Consider these:
1. Deliver existing tasks before taking on new ones
2. Only commit 70% of your time. Things often take longer, and fires need fighting
3. List your priorities, and plan tasks accordingly (eg: 1. Health 2. Immediate project 3.
Nurture team 4. New business 5…)
4. Where can you delegate or get support?
5. Can your PM help?
Activity 2

Taking breaks
When: You’re cramming, and becoming ineffective
How: Various
Consider:
1. Scheduling breaks. (Pomodoro technique: 5 minute break every 25 minutes)
2. Breaking tasks down into small (20 minute) chunks. Break after each
3. Establish a team rhythm - and remind each other to down-tools
A good break involves:
• A different space
• A different focus
• Movement / oxygenating
• Socialising
• Using the senses
Activity 2

Pressures
Demands
Too much work, too little time, complex, unclear goals
Roles
Unclear roles, undesirable roles, not using PM
Support
Guidance, software, environment, helping hands
Relationships
Clashing, assertiveness, recognition, competition
Self stress diagnostic
1. Describe it: in your natural conversational language, to help expose any unhelpful thoughts
2. Unpack it: Write down any factors which are contributing to your situation
3. Address it: What actions and perspectives will help? And which will have the biggest impact?
Thoughts
Self belief
Catastrophising
Imagining dreadful consequences
Blaming, all-or-nothing, focus on the negative
Behaviours
Tension
Over-reaching
Committing to too much, pushing yourself too much
Health
Not resting, poor diet, low exercise
Procrastinating
Indulging distractions, not confronting

Self belief
Catastrophising
Imagining dreadful
consequences
on the negative
Tension
Over-reaching
Health
exercise
Procrastinating
confronting
Pressure ++ Thoughts Behaviours
Demands
too complex, unclear goals
Roles
Unclear roles, undesirable
roles, not using PM
Support
Guidance, software,
Relationships
A model for stress
NSFW

A safe-for-work vocabulary
(fight the taboo)
“Are we comfortable with our tasks and roles?”
“Do we feel we’re in the right mind-set for this yet?”
“Are we happy with our approach / priorities / method?”
“Is anything distracting us?”
“Are we clear what we’re doing, and why?”
“Where do we need support?”
“Can we lean on PM/scrum-master more?”

A safe-for-work vocabulary
(fight the taboo)
• You can do better
• 2 minutes: what phrases / approaches feel right for you?
• Remember, the goal is to be able to include this stuff when
discussing the health of our projects.
• Share 2 phrases with the room
Activity 3

What vocabulary & approaches work for you?
What phrases, words, or approaches feel right for you?
We want to be able to talk about stress, pressures, mind-state in our project teams to perform well, and tackle the taboo around stress.
2 mins
Activity 3

4 things to take away
We’ve shared
common UX
stress-spots
Stress
management is a
core UX skill
We have the
vocabulary to
discuss it
We have a tool-
set to navigate
stress

Books
Resources
Health and Safety Executive
http://www.hse.gov.uk/
stress/furtheradvice/
whatisstress.htm
How to deal with
stress
Palmer and Cooper
The stress report
Do Lectures
Courses
Stress and Performance at
London Centre for
Coaching
https://
www.centreforcoaching.co
m/stress-management--
performance-coaching
Web
Chartered Institute for
Personnel and Development
https://www.cipd.co.uk/
knowledge/fundamentals/
emp-law/health-safety/
work-related-stress
Udemy - Stress
Management
https://www.udemy.com/
courses/personal-
development/stress-
management

Thank you :-)
www.slideshare.net/bensimmonds
@bensimmonds
ben@bensimmonds.co

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