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.

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

2. 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
@meredi
2

3. My Stress Credentials
Introductions
My stress claim to fame:
I got a duodenal ulcer at age 13.
@meredi
3

4. 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
@meredi
4

5. My Stress Credentials
Introductions
I started exploring the mind-body
connection and the effects thoughts
and emotions can have on our bodies.
@meredi
5

6. 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
@meredi
6

7. What is stress?
• Fear system constantly scanning
the environment
• Activates hormone craziness!
Background
@meredi
7

8. 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
@meredi
8

9. What is stress?
• Another response to stress:
tend and befriend
• Unclear whether this is just a female
reaction or male too
Background
@meredi
9

10. 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
@meredi
10

11. 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
@meredi
11

12. 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
@meredi
12

13. How Stressed Are We?
This week, are you:
• Not at all stressed
• Somewhat stressed
• Moderately stressed
• Very stressed
• Extremely stressed
Exercise
@meredi
13

14. 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
@meredi
14

15. Stressor 1
• How can we better cope?
Exercise
@meredi
15

16. Stressor 2
• How can we better cope?
Exercise
@meredi
16

17. Stressor 3
• How can we better cope?
Exercise
@meredi
17

18. Ways to Combat Stress
1. Prevent stressful situations from occurring
Coping
@meredi
18

19. Ways to Combat Stress
2. Change the way you think
during stressful situations
Coping
@meredi
19

20. Ways to Combat Stress
3. Practice self-compassion
Coping
@meredi
20

21. Ways to Combat Stress
4. Use a relaxation technique
to return to ‘rest and digest’
– 3 deep breaths, 9 times
– Exercise
– Open Focus
Coping
@meredi
21

22. 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
@meredi
22

23. Resources
The Open Focus Brain
Les Fehmi and Jim Robbins
@meredi
23
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers
Robert M. Sapolsky

24. Resources
What is The Single Most
Important Thing You Can Do
To Manage Stress?
Dr. Mike Evans
bit.ly/stressanimation
@meredi
24
Mind Body Toolbox
Audio Course
Abigail Steidley
anamsong.com

25. Resources
Self-Compassion
Kristin Neff
@meredi
25

26. 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 :)
@meredi
26

27. Thank you :)
Meredith Noble
@meredi
CATALYSTGROUP