How can you maintain good health while working as a UX Researcher?

Planning rigorously and still leaving room for changes is tough for many. What I have done that helped me over the years was the time-box my priority activities and place them in my calendar. This helps make sure to leave space for rest, and avoiding procastination. A moment for vulnerability: When I had done that, I wasn't aware of the importance of informing my team and collaborators of why I was planning my schedule that way, and it intimidated many folks to reach out to me for a quick exchange or book a time for collaboration. Then the lesson was learned: I approached my calendar & to-do lists more flexibly, and communicated that folks can always reach out to me anytime they need.

Maintaining good health as a UXR is the same as maintaining good health in any field: set your boundaries and stick to them. A good work-life balance makes you cognitively sharper, more empathetic, and able to respond rather than react. I do this by having a routine that does not vary even when not working. I still go to bed and get up, workout, and see people socially. Basics like water and eating well are also in there. After that, knowing what your stakeholders need, what the question really is, and scoping the project correctly allows for a better flow in maintaining your health. Plan your schedule across projects and (VERY IMPORTANT) communicate expectations to all involved. If changes say why and what the new timeline is.

I learned this the hard way. I never knew the importance of exercising or meditating. It's crucial to take care of your health and lead an active lifestyle. Whether working as a researcher or in any corporate role, we stare at screens all day, sit for long hours, and this can have negative consequences. Make sure to move actively between your work hours, stay hydrated, and incorporate some stretches to alleviate the stress that your body carries.

It's valuable to start your day with an exercise routine and also end your day with it, too. Staring the day with some movement helps to get you into a good mode and prepares your body for a long day of meetings. Ending your day in the same fashion is helpful, too, to disconnect from work and remember there's an entirely separate life ahead of you beyond user interviews, launching surveys, and making presentations. As a mother of two, in my case, I rarely have time to step out an exercise. That's why I got a bike and leverage my commute time to stay active. It's much recommended :)

I have been going through a period of transition over the last months, and connected with inspiring folks from San Francisco to Singapore, and many places in between. This was a great source of strength for me and allowed me to explore new ideas, feel supported, and find the joy in what I was doing. I recommend you to: - Find people here whose posts you find valuable, comment on them, support them, and reach out to them. - Explore if these folks would be open to a 20 mins coffee to meet and exchange ideas about a certain topic that you know interests both of you based on those posts -These are fun moments to go outside of your comfort zone and meet someone new within research, explore synergies, and get out of your routine.