Super8: Eight intriguing articles from June.

With a year like the last, we recognise, now more than ever, just how important it is to look after our health—both physical and mental. In Australia, one in six people are currently experiencing some form of depression or anxiety; that’s a heavy statistic to wrap our minds around.

Which is why this month’s curation of articles are focused on mindset—because someone we know might be facing these health issues. Sometimes the simple, instinctual actions we make day-to-day can be jarring or confronting to those afflicted with depression or anxiety.

This month, Vince Raffaut offers an inspiring and intriguing selection of articles that focus on how we can make the environments we operate within a better place.

So, check-in on yourself, your friends, your family, your workplace, and let’s look at ways we can be better with, and for, each other. Welcome to Super8 in June.

1. Stop being so hard on yourself.

• Read the full article here.
• Article by: Melody Wilding.
• Contributed by: Bridget Noonan.

We’re all guilty of being our own worst critic at times but giving ourselves too much tough-love when it comes to our performance can be detrimental to our future-state.

Sometimes, we can become dejected at the simplest of tasks, letting anxieties and frustrations weigh heavily—but approaching a situation with a different mindset, whilst challenging, can help us redefine how success is determined.

So, let’s start to flip the script, change our thought process, and get into a healthy mindset. Success can be easily attained when we start to broaden our definition of what we consider a ‘win’. After all, our desire to be the best is an asset when we can manage it right.

2. Inclusive UX in an era of anxiety.

• Read the full article here.
• Article by: Cara Brashears.
• Contributed by: Timocles Copland.

In the world of web-design, it’s important to think about how we make the digital world more accessible; especially for users who grapple with insomnia, anxiety, blurred vision, and fatigue.

We must ask ourselves what areas of our users lives could be putting strain on their emotional and mental state, and what we might be able to do to alleviate potential anxieties.

Here, Cara Brashears shares the story of Alex, what we can learn from her experiences, and the infinite items we should consider when building and designing platforms.

3. Playing (and living) in the moment.

• Listen to the podcast here.
• Created by: Nike,TRAINED.
• Contributed by: Sarah El-Atm.

Sometimes we can be caught living in the past or worrying about the future, but how often do we stay in the present?

Graham Betchart, a mental-performance coach and sports psychologist—who’s trained some of the best in the NBA—highlights that it’s our ability to come back to where our feet are, in the present, that separates the great from the good.

Betchart shares some quick techniques we can use to centre ourselves, train our mind to slow down, visualise what we want, and to start becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.

4. What’s the difference? Customer service vs. customer experience, explained.

• Read the full article here.
• Article by: Laduram Vishnoi
• Contributed by: Sergio Moreira

It can take some time to master and understand a customer-centric approach; so, it’s important that we invest time into how we might improve our interactions to build an exceptional customer experience.

In this article, Laduram Vishnoi discusses the difference between customer service, customer experience, and tools we can use to make these processes even better. Pro tip to remember: a happier client is a more engaged client.

5. 5 workplace behaviours that impact employee mental health (and how to fix them).

• Read the full article here.
• Article by: The Calm team
• Contributed by: Bridget Noonan

We don’t always have to make broad stroke changes to help fix some of the challenges we may face in our work environments. Sometimes, small, gradual changes can be some of the most effective.

Here, the Calm team look at some common workplace conventions that might be inadvertently undermining our mental health, and what behavioural changes we can make to find the sweet spot; so that our workplaces create and foster the best environments possible.

6. The Spring books to stretch your mind.

• Read the full article here.
• Article by: Adam Grant
• Contributed by: Claire Grainger

Great books don’t just give us new answers—they lead us to ask new questions, inspire our curiosity, and to gently remind us that real life can be tricky to navigate.

Psychologist Adam Grant has curated a list of his favourite books to help us explore and expand how we might approach the conflicting, adulting, equalising, ever-changing, continual, and complex concepts we grapple with in our lives.

7. A complete guide to accessibility tooling.

• Read the full article here.
• Article by: Nic Chan
• Contributed by: Kurt Smith

As web developers, the last thing we want would be to create disappointment and anxiety for our users.

We have a responsibility to make sure the sites we build and design are as inclusive as possible.

However, as humans, we can sometimes make mistakes; which is why thorough testing is a necessity.

In this article, Nic Chan explores the different tools we can use to ensure accessibility testing runs like a well-oiled machine.

8. Best practices for image text alternatives.

• Read the full article here.
• Article by: Emily Lewis
• Contributed by: Isabel Silvis

We have a principle at August to show, not tell.

Instead of declaring what you should do, this piece shows you what to do, and assists you along the way.

Filled with information and working examples, this piece has multiple contributors having a multitude of small discussions.

So, if you want to up the standard of accessible content and dive into a deeper level of thought, this is for you.