Behavior Change and Getting Creative
I’ve been increasingly interested in behavioral science, a very UX adjacent discipline that touches our lives in countless ways. With the life-upending changes that 2020 brought, behavioral science research tells us that we continue to make life harder for ourselves. Change is the only constant throughout life, yet we are creatures of habit.
I recently listened to a talk I found on the Behavioral Scientist newsletter that discusses how behavioral science compliments medical science to combat the pandemic. (Watch the full YouTube video if you can, or read the highlights here: Four Things I Learned About Behavior Change During a Pandemic from Katy Milkman and Jay Van Bavel - By Evan Nesterak)
The experts in this video discuss how barriers to behavior changes - temptation, forgetfulness, laziness, lack of confidence, social norms - can be addressed to help us work together to combat COVID-19 and support the vaccine rollout. They discuss how the severe political polarization in the US has affected pandemic so far, but they somehow remain optimistic about how we continue to fight as a country.
If you’re looking for ways to learn and practice going with the flow, I love the Heart Wisdom Podcast by Jack Kornfield. He is an author, and teacher of meditation and Buddhism, and frequently references how human suffering often boils down to our internal fight against change and the impermanence of everything in life.
Thanks for reading UX Adjacent, and remember, you can always just reply to this email to send me your thoughts on this issue or ideas for future ones.
Thanks!
Alissa
5 tips for getting your creative project off the ground
This article explains how, Ji Lee, a creative director at Facebook and Instagram, incorporates personal projects into his life and how you can too.
For me, making even small steps on a creative project, like this newsletter, gives me a sort of personal satisfaction that nothing else can. I completely relate when Lee says, “The act of doing something for me by me is hugely beneficial,” he says. “I’m taking care of myself.” Here, Lee explains how he’s made personal side projects a part of his routine—and how you can too.
UX Tools releases the results of their 2020 Design Survey and it's a comprehensive view of all things tools. I found the UI Design section especially interesting, where the responses show a shift from Sketch to Figma as the most used design tool. I haven’t worked at any organizations that use it yet, so it is now on my list of new tools to learn!
Another Chrome extension to save you from yourself
Once is a Chrome extension that lets you visit your social media and other time wasters sites, but only once per hour. It may not be for everyone, but I do much better with moderation instead of deprivation.
I’m also a fan of News Feed Eradicator, a Chrome extension that hides your news feed on Facebook (so I don’t get distracted when I go there to find a specific post or link).
I found this via the Curious Bunch newsletter
Thanks for reading! I’m a UX designer and writer, and design-adjacent content writer. If you’d like to be featured in the next issue of UX Adjacent, send me a short bio and links to your website or profiles.