Profiles in Tech, Part V: The Dev Whisperer

For our fifth installment of “Profiles in Tech,” we meet Ana, a product manager at a mobile app. We hear what it’s like to address a slew of user concerns, dealing with the ever-present pressure to fix everything, like now, like right away. We learn about her awesome ability to pick up on how her developers are feeling, especially the quieter voices. As a reminder, this blog series highlighting the unique mindset of those who work in tech… their outlook, their concerns, and their quest for fulfillment. Each post derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer, or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and begins with their story, followed by a few reflections from a mental health perspective.

techiesAndrew KushnickDecember 21, 2023attunement, burnout, communication, technology

Profiles in Tech, Part II: Chasing the Carrot of Success

In the second installment of “Profiles in Tech,” we meet “Morgan,” a front-end engineer who’s questioning whether coding is for him, and seeking more from his work. As a reminder, “Profiles in Tech” is a blog series highlighting the unique mindset of those who work in tech… their outlook, their concerns, and their quest for fulfillment. Each post derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer, or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and begins with their story, followed by a few reflections from a mental health perspective.

techies, self-helpAndrew KushnickJanuary 9, 2020communication, burnout, self-discovery, values

Profiles in Tech, Part I: The Programmer, Productivity, and Prioritization

Welcome to “Profiles in Tech,” a blog series focusing on the unique mindset of the techie. Each post derives from an interview with an engineer, programmer, or developer in the San Francisco Bay Area. We’ll begin with “Derek,” a software engineer who’s exploring the role that coding plays in his life, and what it means to be productive.

techies, traumaAndrew KushnickNovember 29, 2019burnout, self-discovery, perfectionism, values

Help! I'm a perfectionist at work. What's a totally perfect way to cope?

Do you agonize over every detail in a slide deck? Spend 20 minutes composing a one-paragraph email? Perfectionism at work can be stressful and distracting. Even worse, it can cause you to hate your job. In this post we’ll identify where your perfectionism likely comes from, how to recognize when it shows up, and how to release yourself from its grip. Ironically, by getting out of your own way, you’ll get more of what you’re looking for.

anxiety, CBT, mindfulness, self-helpAndrew KushnickJuly 8, 2019perfectionism, self-critic, burnout, stress