giving the right amount of shits (1)
TRANSCRIPT
how burnout happens
#uxburnout
the unburnout
happiness is...
what’s your shitfrustration is shittythe shit funnel don’t lose your shit
give a shit againshit happens
joy checkup
Why?We have a strong desire to belong
Self-esteem acts as a measuring stick for how we think we are fitting in
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Workplace effectivenessWorkplace effectiveness increases our self-esteem by making us feel like we are contributing within this system
burn·outA syndrome of emotional exhaustion and decreased engagement in the workplace
This typically occurs when our needs aren’t being fulfilled in some way
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SUPERNOVA: Losing your shit.APATHY: Arms in the air – you just don’t care. ISOLATION: Disconnecting from peers.DEPRESSION: Sad kitten.
The SHIT this leads to.
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Work to PLAY vs. Play at WORK57% of your waking adult life is spent at work
don’t settle for work suckiness #uxburnout
You (probably) don’t need a new job.Instead, learn to give the right amount of shits.work happiness has some specific triggers...
Workplace Happiness
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Compensation/pay, overall (01)Job security (02)
Opportunities to use your skills/abilities (02)Relationship with immediate supervisor (03)
Benefits, the overall package (04)Organization’s financial stability (04)
The work itself (05)Communication between employees and senior management (06)
Management’s recognition of employee job performance (06)Feeling safe in the work environment (07)
Autonomy and independence (08)Overall corporate culture (09)
Meaningfulness of job (10)Relationships with co-workers (10)
Career advancement opportunities (11)Job specific training (11)
Organization’s commitment to professional development (12)Contribution of work to organization’s business goals (13)
Career development opportunities (14)Variety of work (14)
Organization’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (15)Organization’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce (16)
Paid general training and tuition reimbursement programs (17)Networking (18)
Organization’s commitment to a ‘green’ workplace (19)
60%
59%
59%
54%
53%
53%
51%
50%
50%
49%
47%
45%
41%
41%
40%
40%
36%
35%
33%
33%
31%
28%
27%
26%
22%
pay & benefitsjob security & stabilityfeel safe
Job Joy: the Baseline
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Compensation/pay, overall (01)Job security (02)
Opportunities to use your skills/abilities (02)Relationship with immediate supervisor (03)
Benefits, the overall package (04)Organization’s financial stability (04)
The work itself (05)Communication between employees and senior management (06)
Management’s recognition of employee job performance (06)Feeling safe in the work environment (07)
Autonomy and independence (08)Overall corporate culture (09)
Meaningfulness of job (10)Relationships with co-workers (10)
Career advancement opportunities (11)Job specific training (11)
Organization’s commitment to professional development (12)Contribution of work to organization’s business goals (13)
Career development opportunities (14)Variety of work (14)
Organization’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (15)Organization’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce (16)
Paid general training and tuition reimbursement programs (17)Networking (18)
Organization’s commitment to a ‘green’ workplace (19)
60%
59%
59%
54%
53%
53%
51%
50%
50%
49%
47%
45%
41%
41%
40%
40%
36%
35%
33%
33%
31%
28%
27%
26%
22%
use your abilitiesrelationships at workenjoy what you doautonomy company culturemeaningfulnessskill developmentvariety
Job Joy: the Grind
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Being happy leads to success because your positive brain is better than your neutral brain.● More productive, resilient, creative, intelligent, more
adaptive● Less susceptible to burnout
Happiness Advantage
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Predicting Job Success
25% IQ● knowledge● intellect
75% Gumption ● optimism● social support● see stress as a challenge (not a threat)
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Happiness Is......not what most people think
NOT A RESULT YOU ATTAIN ● promotion ● bigger apartment● more money
result in short-lived bumps that don’t last #uxburnout
Happiness occurs when...Experience exceeds expectation
EXPERIENCE > EXPECTATION =
EXPERIENCE < EXPECTATION =
but there’s a catch... #uxburnout
Happiness is...subject to hedonic adaptation ~your expectations adjust to your circumstances
+ =
status changes eventually become the “norm”which means...
I’m so happy! I’m fine
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Happiness is...aspirational and elusive...which is good because you don’t live in a cave.
This is WAY better than not having shelter. Innovation DONE! Happiness achieved! That’s all I need!
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The desire for happiness...+ hedonic adaptation = drives the pursuit to make life better.
This is WAY better than not having shelter. Innovation DONE! Happiness achieved!
Life in this cave is boring. I’d be SO happy if it was just warm & I could see. And that’s all I need. And a paddle game. And a remote control. Not one other thing. And a chair. That’s all I need. And a dog. And that’s all.
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Happiness Is...…fleeting. So fleet the shit out of life with intentional activity.● episodic● in the moment● requires regular attention
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Another Approach: Reset NeutralAdjust your normal (aka your level between “happy” bumps).
I’m fine I’m good.
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What Gets Focus Naturallyupcoming tasksworries, stresses, complaints
What To Focus On To Be Happy accomplishmentswhat’s going right
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Training Happiness● start your day with (e-)kindness
● 3 weeks of 3 things: every day write down 3 new things you are grateful for
● daily journal about a positive experience
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You are a Giant 2-Year-Old
● get enough sleep & nap if you’re tired● eat healthy snacks & balanced meals ● exercise, run around, get fresh air● don’t power through discomfort
If your two-year-old self would be crying, fix it.#uxburnout
How is this shit for you?use your abilities
relationships at workenjoy what you do
autonomy company culturemeaningfulness
skill developmentvariety
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What Shit Even Matters?what’s important to you?tell me what you want. what you really really want.
set goals so you have a gaugeaim high. or at least aim.
check yo selfhow are you doing? what needs correcting? what priorities have changed?
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use your abilitieswork relationshipsenjoy what you do
autonomy company culturemeaningfulness
skill developmentvariety
WHY?FACTOR RATING CARING
#1 Use Your Abilities
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Are you doing what you are good at?Are you doing what you were trained to do?
#2 Work Relationships
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How’s your relationship with your project team?With your supervisor? With management?Your UX peers? With your mentor or mentees?
#4 Autonomy
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Do you have control of your schedule?Do you have ownership of what you work on?Do you make decisions about what’s in or not?
#6 Meaningfulness
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How is your job important to what gets done?How does your work make the world better?
#7 Skill Development
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What resources and opportunities do you have?Mentoring? Conferences? Tasks outside your comfort zone?What do you want to improve?What would help your work to improve?
#8 VarietyWhat variety do you get? Projects? People?What variety would be ideal? What’s realistic?
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Sources of Frustration1) You work with people
2) You work in a place
3) You work with yourself
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Working with People● Combative ● Lack of trust● No positive feedback● Competition● Overly siloed
YOUR COLLEAGUES
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Working in a Place● Work overload● No control● Management pressure● Insufficient rewards● Unestablished company culture
YOUR ORGANIZATION
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Working with Yourself● Anxious● Unassertive [or overly assertive]● Insecure● Eager to please ● Too motivated at work
YOU
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Can You Avoid The Shit?Of the things that piss you off, identify those youcan’t change
AND LET THEM GO
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Its The PrincipleOften we feel like things go wrong specifically to hurt our feelings
THEY DON’T
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Everyone is Dealing with ShitDon’t take it personal when someone gives you shit. Chances are it’s not about you
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The Devil is in the Details
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Take context at face value.
Resist the urge to expect similar outcomes from contexts that seem similar
So What’s Your Barrel?Narrow down the real problem by asking:
○ Is it more than one person?○ Is it more than one project?○ Is it more than one task?○ Is it outside of work?
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What do they have in common? What are they doing that’s so annoying?
Is it just one bad project, or does is go beyond that?
Is there one task that is particularly stressful, or are there multiple tasks? What are they and why?
Are there things outside of work that are making it harder for you to deal with normal work stressors?
This Is A Story About ControlWhat among your problems can you change?(We’ll give you a hint)
CAN CONTROL CAN’T CONTROLYOUR BEHAVIOR EVERYONE ELSE’S BEHAVIOR
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What things can I do to change the way I handle the shit?
What areas do I want to improve in to increase my happiness?
What am I actually going to focus my time and energy on?
What are my actual problems?
What are We Fighting About?Pause for alignment● Goals & Objectives● Priorities● Constraints
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Are you using the same lens?
Active EmpathyBefore you ARGUE, take their side.
What is their intention? What are they trying to do? What are they trying to protect? What perspective do they have that you don’t?
Verbalize the sames AND the differences. #uxburnout
DoStay calmUse facts, logic, dataAsk & listenConcede pointsAdvocate for the userRespect project tensionLook for win-win
Get personalGet distractedWater it down ProvokeExaggerate
Don’t
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Life is ComedyImprov style: ROLL WITH BAD IDEAS. Good for brainstorming & problem solving.
THE RULES:● Don’t negate● Accept & add on● Make it work
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Simmer DownMeditate through the urge to explode● observe your thoughts, feelings, reaction● don’t judge, don’t fix it, don’t act● focus on your breathing● postpone responding
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Recognize Your TriggersLearn yourself.What sets you off?How do you avoid it?How do you quell it early on?
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Guilt-Free BreaksDon’t waste your breaks
Facebooking.
Get away from your desk and do something that
makes you happy.
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Work Smarter
Potential efficiency opportunities:● Cut out a detailed func spec ● Skip [unnecessary] meetings (or call in)● Wear headphones
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Not harder.
You Can’t Do It Alone“Asking for help with gratitude says: We have the power to help each other”
- Amanda Palmer
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You Have Nothing To ProveLet go of the notion that you have all the answers
Its ok if someone has a better idea, it doesn’t mean you suck(We still think you’re awesome)
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Stop ComplainingKeep venting sessions brief and only to trusted colleagues, friends and family
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Stay PositiveDon’t let a bad situation turn you into a different person
Your attitude has the power to change your environment
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Elements of Organizational CultureSchein
Unconscious mental modelsAssumptions
Beliefs and IdeologiesValues
Processes and behaviorsActions
Attitudes Feelings and emotions
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What Your Momma Gave Youown your strengths & accentuate them
find workarounds for your weaknesses
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Go Back to the BasicsTalk to your users (guerilla this shit if you can’t get funding for research)
Read new UX books and reread the classics
Attend conferences (like this one. Good job!)
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Time For a New ChallengeImplement a new design or research technique(maybe some you’ve learned at the IA Summit??)
Try a new deliverable ● Sick of wireframes? Try a different tool or for less
complex projects, just sketch on a white board
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Make Shit HappenDecide what you want
ASK, create proposals & requests, or JUST DO IT
Stretch outside your comfort zone
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Get A LifeDon’t rely on your job alone to satisfy your need to create, analyze or just be part of something awesome
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Talk ShopSchedule regular check-ins with UX colleagues
Join a meetup in your areaCan’t find one? Start one!
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Make Good UX
“The biggest problem of success is that the world conspires to stop you doing the thing that you do,
because you are successful.”- Neil Gaiman
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Ummm...use your abilities
relationships at workenjoy what you do
autonomy company culturemeaningfulness
skill developmentvariety
#uxburnout
Nothing Is WorkingThere may come a time to leave your job, client or project
Just beware...
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Focus On Changing YourselfIf you don’t change how you handle your stressors, then things won’t change.
Because...
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make happy a priority
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engineer joy
see the good
have a focus
it’s not personal
find the real whys
see their side breath through itREBOOTsay no & ask for help
More About How Much to CareThe Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor
Burnout: The Cost of Caring by Christina Maslach & Philip Zimbardo
The Person and The Situation by Lee Ross & Richard Nisbett
The Truth About Burnout: How Organizations Cause Personal Stress and What to Do About It by Christina Maslach and Michael P. Leiter
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resources