❤️ Why Design Work Drains Us: The Emotional Weight We Don’t Talk About

Design work drains us emotionally due to the hidden demands it makes, such as emotional tuning, presence, and ambiguity, which are often overlooked. The emotional labor involved in understanding users and translating their needs into actionable concepts is heavy and invisible. Designers absorb confusion, pressure, and tension, which can lead to burnout. Clarity and asking the right questions can help lighten the emotional load, but meaningful work inherently carries a cost. Recognizing this emotional work is the first step towards managing it.