How to Stay Motivated as a UX Designer?

This time a few weeks ago, I was pretty sure my ribs were broken! It was not a good feeling. Long story short, I had a mishap with my jiu-jitsu partner and they accidentally slammed me in the ribcage. Not fun.

The pain I was feeling that night had me speed-dialing the doctor’s office. Turns out the ol’ ribs were only bruised, but I legit felt like I was in a dance or gymnastics competition with all the moves they put me through during that examination!

Fast forward two weeks and I’m feeling pretty good now, but I was on time out with my podcast and some other things for a while. When I tell you that I missed being able to do jiu-jitsu… I missed jiu-jitsu!

What I’m Learning

One of the things I’ve been learning recently is that most of the achievement lies in being out there, building the discipline in an area that 90% of people never do. Jiu-jitsu is a mindset thing, so even when you’re in competitions you are mostly in competition with yourself. If you rank lower but you grew in skill and did your best out there on the mat? No one can take that away from you.

I started jiu-jitsu because I wanted to have more confidence and be more able to defend myself and my family if need be. It’s been harder and more rewarding than I ever thought it could be. This is such a healthy discipline, and I highly recommend it. (Just try not to get your ribs bruised up like I did.)

New Job, New Setup

It’s a good thing I’m on the mend, because (surprise!) I am starting a new, full-time remote job. I’m going to be senior product designer at a startup that will for now remain nameless. Very exciting stuff.

I’ve been working on a whole new home office setup, and my new job sent me a bunch of gear. I’ll have to do a video tour of the whole shebang once I’m ready.

Community

Cool things are also happening in the Ugly Unicorns community! We’re just starting out, but my new chat group is super-fun in a chill kind of way. Some of the members are more seasoned individuals, others are fresh UXers. It’s a great mix, you should check it out!

How to Stay Motivated

A topic that came up in the chat recently? Motivation.

What kind of motivation are we talking about, though? Is it the motivation to go to work at the UX job you already have? The motivation to get started in UX design? The motivation to keep applying until you find the right job?

Context matters, but for the sake of this post I’m going to stick with my perspective as someone who was trying to come up through the ranks while still brand new to the UX field.

The Human Factor

Getting into UX, what motivated me most was hearing real people’s stories. Seeing what made them tick, going to meetups, and learning from those relationships as we built them. Having people who you get to know and who actually like to talk with you is key. It’s so much easier to ask for advice from friends, and to trust that they’re not just giving you some easy reply with no real-world value.

Now that my wife is also in UX, I have someone who I can always talk to about this field. But meetup groups and people I can call or text with questions, people with different experiences than ours? Still so valuable. And that’s why I believe in giving back, and why I’m so passionate about sharing what I’ve learned with anyone who finds it helpful.

So for me? Motivation mostly came through that human factor. And it still does.

Anything But That!

Another thing that really helps me stay motivated is jiu-jitsu, but I also like to go cycling. Really, any hobby or activity that isn’t UX! So if you’re struggling to stay motivated and on task, try taking a break to do something completely unrelated.

YouTube videos and podcasting are also like a hobby for me, but they’re somewhat related to UX and might fit completely into this category. But at the end of the day, these activities are outlets that flex different creative muscles, and that’s a great way to give your mind a break before resuming “work.”

Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a real problem, but sometimes the bigger issue is feeling like you’re not quite at the level you should be yet. I actually don’t even like that term: insecure is probably a better way to describe it.

If you lack confidence, you need to look back at why you were hired. Unless you lied on your resume, you got your job because someone saw something in you. Maybe you need a little boost with training or mentoring. Maybe you need more practice. Cool. You can handle that. That doesn’t mean you’re an imposter, or that you don’t belong.

Quick Wins

A great way to boost your confidence? Work on something that you know will give you a quick win. I’m not saying abandon your other tasks, I’m saying make sure you do something that you can be happy with at your current skill level.

Another path to quick wins is partnering with someone who can help you with one thing you aren’t yet confident in. Instead of trying to learn a whole new skill, ask someone to sit with you for fifteen minutes and go over one thing you can improve. Work your way up from there. Keep moving, don’t get bogged down.

Ask Specific Questions

Every workplace and team has its own culture. Do your legwork: find out as much as you can about what your team will expect from you. Not just from your work, but from how they handle conflicts, how they collaborate, and how to give and receive direction.

Getting comfortable in your environment will make all your work go smoother. And it’s a LOT easier to stay motivated if you know what you’re dealing with.

Keep Learning

Are you reading? Or listening to audiobooks, for that matter? Sometimes there’s nothing better than a good book to get you out of a rut.

Even if you’re a self-starter, hearing outside advice and encouragement is a must. You need to know the stories of others who’ve succeeded in this space, and to learn from their mistakes and their achievements.

Touch Grass

Or sand. Or whatever. Heck, just go outside! I don’t care what you do out there, just get some fresh air and some exercise.

This is not up for debate: getting outside and staying active will benefit you on every level. So get out there and take a deep breath or twenty. If you don’t feel more motivated after that, I don’t know what to tell you.

Practice, Practice, Practice

If you are bad at something relevant to your field, don’t just let that go. Get in the habit of working on those weak areas. Look for resources and tools that you can learn from.

And most of all: practice, practice, practice. Intentional practice will take the pressure off since it’s about skill-building, not finishing a project. And less pressure means less stress, plus hopefully more motivation.

Motivation Comes in Many Forms

What motivates you might not be what motivates you, and vice versa. Have I ever mentioned that I don’t like motivational speakers? Which is ironic, considering what we’re talking about right now.

But here’s the cool thing: if you like motivational speeches and you play them on loop to help you stay focused? That’s great! And if you wouldn’t get on a jiu-jitsu mat in a million years? I’m still going. Which is awesome. Different people find different things helpful. That doesn’t invalidate our results.

Wrapping Up

So, recap time here at Ugly Unicorns! What are you going to do to stay motivated and on target? Pick one, pick a few, and don’t forget to let me know how it goes!:

• Connect with other people in your field

• Find mentors or others who can encourage you

• Do something unrelated to what you’re procrastinating on

• Build up your confidence

• Look for quick wins

• Ask your team specific questions

• Learn more in areas you’re less skilled at

• Go outside and stay active

And last but definitely not least… Practice, practice, practice!