Self-care in Design Research
While in the thick of interviewing whānau for a kaupapa with The Southern Initiative, it brought back memories of past projects where I hadn’t yet learnt the importance of self-care.
It reminded me to pause, reflect on what I’d learnt, and apply it in my current work.
I hope my hard-leant lessons can help keep yourself or your team psychologically safe in heavy work.
See the original post and self-care tools shared by others on Linkedin or download the PDF.
Some of the hardest parts of design research are the ones we’re not always trained for.
Every project where I’ve listened to people’s stories has shifted how I see the world. Many have changed me for the better.
But some have left scars.
When people share traumatic experiences, those voices can stay with you if there’s no space to process and let them go.
Hearing a story isn’t the same as living it - but when you listen empathetically over and over, without time to breathe, process, and release each one…
…it builds up.
Researchers often learn about ethics in terms of avoiding harm to others.
But we also need to learn how to avoid causing harm to ourselves.
So if you work in social impact—or hope to one day—please remember:
Import work doesn’t always need to be heavy work
Find a healthy balance so you can engage deeply when it matters most.
Heavy topucs often surface when you least expect it
People bring their whole selves, regardless of your scope or research questions. So plan for team support and safety processes, even if you think it’s a ‘light’ topic.
If you have lived experience, it will hit differently
You might not be the right person for a project if it puts your wellbeing and ability to stay grounded at risk.
Give yourself breathing room
Try to keep interviews to 1-2 a day. Cramming them in might keep the timeline short, but it will take its toll in the long-run.
If you know the work will be heavy, plan for care
If you can, set aside a budget for therapy/supervision sessions to debrief and offload as you go, or use your employer’s EAP. Your partner/cousins/friends might not have the emotional capacity to hold it all for you.
Block out and protect time to refill your cup
Whatever that looks like for you, book it in, and plan around it. It’s an essential part of the work, not a nice-to-have.
