Tips for Dealing With Stress As A Designer
The world is a stressful place. That’s why if you are dealing with stress and you search for articles, you will see a huge number of advice.
If you’re a designer who feels stressed from time to time every time, then yes this article is for you. Read on the tips to feel better.
1. Feeling anxious about an upcoming presentation
You’ve got a big Design related presentation and your nerves. Your work will be seen by many as a display, and so will you. Even if it’s for a very few people but you’ve never liked speaking publicly. You become feeling anxious about how the presentation will go and a million scenarios will end up in your head.
What’s Happening:
Humans are very sensitive to being judged by other people. Presenting your work in front of the whole team can lead to what psychologists say ’Evaluation Apprehension’. It will lead to various audience effect which causes you to behave differently.
The Solution:
Focus always on learning rather than performance. Researchers say that If you are too much focused in giving a great presentation then you are likely to do worst in the presentation. So, Instead of thinking ‘I have to give a great presentation’ think ‘This is a great chance to practice giving more presentations’ or ‘I will learn a lot from it’. This will make you feel more calm and relaxed.
2. Handling Negative feedback
The Problem:
You are done with the design and wanted to get it reviewed, so you show someone else your design and they say they like it… before telling more than 50 things that are wrong with it and your heart sinks. You feel crushed. All of your hard work feels like a total waste.
What’s Happening:
If the negative feedback stresses you out, then it might be a chance that you are new to the design field. Studies have shown that people with very little experience are the ones who prefer positive feedback to feel confident. But most of the experienced designers think that negative feedback is their key to great work. So, they mostly look out for negative feedback to improve their work.
The Solution:
The best possible way to deal with negative feedback is to actively look for it. You will be guaranteed as a designer to get feedback on the work whether you ask it or not. You should actively ask people for feedback which gives your brain permission to hear what they have to say without shutting.
3. Feeling like everyone is a better designer except you
We all know that Dribbble, Behance, and Designspiration are our best friends and we actively explore them looking for inspirations. But somehow, the more amazing work you look at, the worse you feel. Your mind has surely crossed your mind with ‘How will I ever produce anything that good’.
What’s Happening:
It happens when we compare our work with others. Social comparison theory explains that Upward Comparison is when you compare your work with the top-rated designs on the dribble with people more talented and experienced. But by comparing your work, you’re never going to be satisfied or happy with the work you produce.
Solutions:
Always avoid the Upward comparisons. Because Practise makes you perfect and of course you can reach there too. So explore and Practice but do not compare the work with others.
4. Feeling pressure to come up with a design solution ahead of a tight deadline
The Problem:
You have been given a project and you have already got the brief about it plus the deadline is near. But you are stuck. All the designs you have come up with doesn’t feel right. And the solution just won’t come.
What’s Happening:
Maybe you have opened up the design software too soon Beginners tends to work backward. They think about the final outcome and jump into ways by designing the screen too early. But expert designers always do the opposite. They don’t think about the solutions first but they think about the process that will get them there and then work forwards.
The Solutions:
Solve by learning and defining the problem space by writing done everything you know about the users, the client, etc. Write the list of all the things that you are gaining to achieve with the design.
Final Notes
Every designer lives to do great work and that’s the reason we all feel the same anxiety at the start of a new project. We all wonder thinking if this time we’ll be able to make good design.
Learning to manage the psychology with some up’s and some down’s is an essential part of the design. So, next time if you’re feeling pressure, do follow these steps to get back on track.
