Field Guide to Caring for a Developer (2.0)

Surrounded by constant workflow advancements, new frameworks, and version updates, tech culture often makes exhaustion a badge of honour. How do we best take care of ourselves when faced with obstacles like burnout, isolation, and uncertainty?

Whether you’re a remote employee, freelancer, or working within a larger tech team, the issues of mental health are important. In this talk, we’ll examine the state of mental health awareness within tech and discuss strategies and resources to improve it on both a personal and community level.

Transcript

1. FIELD GUIDE TO
   CARING FOR A DEVELOPER
   WORDCAMP SALT LAKE CITY 2017
   

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2. TODAY’S JOURNEY
   ◇ The Stats
   ◇ The Why(s)
   ◇ How we can work towards change as a
   community
   

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3. I’M ALLISON.
   Feminist. Writer. Mental health advocate.
   Front-end developer.
   @allisonplus
   

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4. CONTENT DISCLAIMER
   aka “You Do You”
   

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5. WHY THIS
   MATTERS TO ME
   

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6. HULA HOOPER.
   CANADIAN.
   MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE.
   FEMINIST.
   FRONT-END DEVELOPER.
   ASPIRING BANJO PLAYER.
   DAUGHTER. WRITER.
   TRANSPLANTED CALIFORNIAN.
   VEGETARIAN.
   AVID READER.
   DOLLY PARTON FAN.
   INFJ.
   INTROVERT.
   PARTNER.
   SISTER.
   AUNT.
   

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7. THE STATS
   

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8. 1 in 5
   people living with a mental health
   issue
   

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9. Over 500,000
   people miss work each week due
   to mental health issues.
   

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10. $50+ billion
    estimated annual cost of
    absenteeism + lost productivity
    

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11. WHY DON’T WE TALK ABOUT IT?
    ...being treated differently
    ...exclusion
    ...judgement
    ...being labelled
    ...being viewed as less competent
    

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12. {AWKWARD
    AUDIENCE
    PARTICIPATION
    SECTION}
    

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13. Has your employer ever formally discussed mental health
    (for example as part of a wellness campaign or other official
    communication)?
    

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14. ...discussing a mental health disorder
    with your employer would have
    negative consequences?
    ...discussing a physical health disorder
    with your employer would have
    negative consequences?
    DO YOU THINK THAT...
    

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15. WHY THIS
    APPLIES TO TECH
    

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16. THE TECH INDUSTRY AS A WORKPLACE
    ◇ Compressed deadlines
    ◇ Ambitious goal setting
    ◇ Constant review and approvals
    ◇ Communicational chaos
    ◇ Independent work
    ◇ Expectations of being available outside
    of hours
    

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17. I totally understand all the latest
    technologies, systems and
    workflows within my industry.
    —No One
    

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18. WHAT IS BURNOUT?
    Physical, mental or emotional exhaustion caused by
    long-term stress.
    

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19. TECH INDUSTRY
    can make this seem like the status quo.
    THE
    

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20. GOOD JOB RESOURCES
    ◇ participation in decision
    making
    ◇ task variety
    ◇ job automony
    ◇ potential for
    qualification
    ◇ support from
    colleagues/family/peers
    ◇ lack of social support
    ◇ low job control
    ◇ poor performance
    feedback
    ◇ time pressure
    POOR JOB RESOURCES
    

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21. THERE ARE WAYS OF KEEPING
    UP THAT DON’T INVOLVE
    BURNOUT.
    

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22. STRATEGY
    SUGGESTIONS
    

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23. PUT ON YOUR OXYGEN MASK FIRST
    ◇ Setting boundaries
    ◇ Know the perks + benefits available to
    you and your rights as an employee.
    ◇ Take your vacation
    ◇ Communicate empathy.
    ◇ Improve your self care strategies
    

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24. 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE GIVING*
    1. Prioritize the help requests that come your way — say yes when it
    matters most and no when you need to.
    2. Give in ways that play to your interests and strengths to preserve your
    energy and provide greater value.
    3. Distribute the giving load more evenly — refer requests to others
    when you don’t have the time or skills, & be careful not to reinforce
    gender biases and who helps and how.
    4. Secure your oxygen mask first —you’ll help others more effective if you
    don’t neglect your own needs.
    5. Amplify your impact by looking for ways to help multiple people with a
    single act of generosity.
    6. Chunk your giving into dedicated days or blocks of time rather than
    sprinkling it throughout the week. You’ll be more effective — and more
    focused.
    7. Learn to spot takers, and steer clear of them. They’re a drain on your
    energy, not to mention a performance hazard.
    *Adam Grant & Reb Rebele, Harvard Business Review
    

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25. FREELANCE STRATEGIES
    ◇ Setting aside time for learning (½ a
    day every Friday, etc.)
    ◇ Client boundaries re: communication
    ◇ Join a biz support group or ‘power
    pod’
    

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26. EMPLOYED STRATEGIES
    ◇ #5ftf
    ◇ Lunch n’ Learns or ongoing training
    sessions
    ◇ Create a dialogue with HR + bosses
    ◇ Extracurricular activities not revolving
    around work or drinking
    ◇ Enforcing reasonable work hours
    ◇ Providing clear expectations
    

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27. WHAT CAN WE DO AS A
    COMMUNITY?
    

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28. EMBRACE NEURODIVERSITY
    CHALLENGE THE STIGMA AGAINST TALKING ABOUT
    FEELINGS
    REDUCE STIGMA BY EDUCATION AND
    DISCLOSURE
    SUPPORT OTHERS IN A SUSTAINABLE
    FASHION
    

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29. https://osmihelp.org
    Open Sourcing Mental Illness
    

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30. DON’T ACCEPT THINGS
    IF THEY’RE NOT
    WORKING FOR YOU.
    YOU DESERVE TO BE
    HAPPY AND HEALTHY.
    

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31. WE’RE NOT JUST CODE,
    WE’RE COMMUNITY.
    

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32. ◇ Open Source Mental Illness: osmihelp.org
    ◇ WPHugs: https://wphugs.org/
    ◇ IMAlive (online crisis network): https://www.imalive.org/
    ◇ National Alliance on Mental Illness:
    http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/national-standard
    ◇ Mental Health First Aid: http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca/
    RESOURCES
    

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33. ANY QUESTIONS?
    @allisonplus
    hello@allisontarr.com
    Presentation template by SlidesCarnival & Photographs by Unsplash
    

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