To create a space that discusses and shares insights on mental health within the industry, Archinect recently conducted our latest Mental Health survey to better understand how our community has navigated the stressors inherent to the architecture industry. On this October 10th, World Mental Health Day, we share the results of this survey.
Within architecture and design, "burnout," "fatigue," and "anxiety" have become more than just buzzwords; they now represent the very real challenges faced by professionals. The feedback we've collected reflects the current state of 129 survey participants within the architecture community.
The architecture and design community consists of practicing architects, design professionals, firm leaders, architecture students, faculty, and academic leaders (deans, chairs, and department heads). Our survey participation reflects that.
Out of those who participated in our survey, 45.7% associated as architectural designers/design professionals, while 44.2% identified as licensed architects.
Of our academic participants, 38% were graduate students, 19% were undergraduate students, and 43% identified as educators (design faculty, lecturers, adjunct professors, etc.). It was great to see a few academic leaders participate in our survey, making up 1.6% of those who participated.
The remaining percentage of design professionals, 3.2%, identified as retired architects, marketing and AEC communications specialists, and architecture designers halfway through their licensure exams.
Among our survey respondents, 64.1% of those who participated identified as male, 33.6% identified as female, 0.8% identified as non-binary/non-confirming, and 1.6% preferred not to say. While these numbers may seem skewed, they are not far off from the industry, making up 23.3% owomen and 76.7% men.
When broken down by age range, 35.7% of participants were between the ages of 25–34, followed by 21.7% representing the 35–44 age range. Those within the 45–54 age range made up 13.2% of our survey group, while those over the age of 55 made up only 17.1%. Younger individuals who would fit into the Gen Z category, 18–24 age range, represented 7% of our participants.
Since 2020/21, the challenges people faced were heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the uncertainty of the pandemic. However, after surveying the community three years later, mental health concerns appear to be split. Some have shared that they feel as though their mental health has improved, stating a decreased stigma of discussing mental health and being more open to therapy has helped.
One participant shared, "Mental health is no longer taboo; therefore, we are more aware of it." Others have pointed out that their mental health and stress have improved slightly due to employment changes and their work environment. "Working less and distancing from stressful employers and clients has equaled to better mental health," shared a participant. Another responder commented that stepping out of architecture and "taking a more supportive role in planning" helped their mental health tremendously.
A recurring comment many participants have expressed is the increased public awareness and acknowledgment of mental health
A recurring comment many participants have expressed is the increased public awareness and acknowledgment of mental health has greatly helped in navigating the ups and downs of one's well-being. "I feel like my mental health is better than it has been in the past. I've learned to have a more healthy relationship with school while actually outputting and enjoying the work despite perhaps less time spent on it," one participant shared. "In addition, my school has been adjusting processes, workloads, and expectations accordingly to support better mental health."
Even though 52% of our survey participants ranked their mental health above a 6 out of 10, many still feel the weight and stressors from the industry. Repeating responses related to stress were attributed to work, poor project management, long hours, compensation, school studies, finding a job, layoffs, and burnout. One participant commented by simply stating, "Architecture is stress."
...responses related to stress were attributed to work, poor project management, long hours, compensation, school studies, finding a job, layoffs, and burnout. One participant commented by simply stating, 'Architecture is stress.'
Some equate working 100% in-person/in-office has made work more difficult. "I used to be able to clearly focus and get through my work tasks, then be able to turn off," someone shared. "Now, I struggle to both focus at work and then also turn off when I leave. It causes stress, apathy, and frustration."
Besides the looming workload and economic uncertainty, many struggle with being underpaid and finding better career opportunities. "I feel less certain of my ability to cope with the day-to-day stressors of work and life together — this is largely due to my feelings of isolation and being on an island at work — I feel largely responsible for the work in my care, but the leadership of the firm expects more and more with less and less support," shared another participant.
It's clear our industry is still recovering from the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic, with almost half of the respondents claiming COVID-19 remains a source of stress
Of those who participated, 86.7% expressed that work and school stress have heavily impacted their personal lives, while 10.2% responded no. A related comment expressed that increased responsibilities led to finding it hard to separate work from personal life. "I find work taking up more of my headspace, making it difficult to be present for social events and family."
Another survey participant brought up licensure and shared that after getting licensed, they felt lost in how they wanted to continue pursuing their career. Feelings of uncertainty and the constant weight of burnout have left many feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with the industry.
From a series of hot topics frequently discussed on Archinect relating to worries and concerns within the industry, 59.4% marked their uncertainty about the future as a primary factor contributing to their mental health.
59.4% marked their uncertainty about the future as a primary factor contributing to their mental health.
Balancing the demands of work and home was voted the second most concerning issue affecting well-being at 56.3%, followed by the looming uncertainty of the economy, receiving 46.9% of the votes.
Other pressing issues, such as social life and work culture and navigating politics, have impacted the community's mental health. Both climate and health were tied as areas of concern, followed by fears surrounding employment and wage/compensation.
Many felt as though a move away from architecture was something they would consider, with 57% of responders indicating they have considered entering another field for mental health reasons.
The remaining 3.9% responded by stating they would leave but didn't believe the alternatives were necessarily better. Others in this group expressed their disgruntled outlook on academia, feeling "sick and tired" of it. While some have thought of switching from practice to academic full-time.
While many who participated expressed they were glad to see the stigmas of discussing mental health were slowly fading, a surprising 24.8%, shared that they feel very uncomfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings around the subject. Only 10.9% feel very comfortable discussing mental health concerns with peers and superiors.
Even though mental health is becoming more widely discussed amongst the general public and among individuals, crossing that hurdle of feeling comfortable expressing oneself and their struggles in public work/school settings still needs a lot of work and support. What do you think would help make architects feel more comfortable broaching this subject with their colleagues? Tell us in the comments.
This yes or no question resulted in concerning feedback. While most firms and schools express an intention to help and assist their employees, students, and faculty when it comes to navigating the stressors of architecture and its relationship to mental health, 70.5% of those surveyed said they did not receive services or resources.
Firms and schools have a number of opportunities to help facilitate positive mental health in their communities, which may include counseling, mental health workshops, online resources, health insurance coverage for mental health, mental health days, support groups, wellness programs, and referral services. If your employer or school has provided some effective options, please share in the comments.
It's true we cannot predict the future, but what we can do is pay attention to specific trends and patterns happening within the industry. When asking the community what they think of the future, many responded with worry.
If we reference our question, "What affects your mental health the most?" many are concerned about their financial futures, noting if they will be able to support themselves and their families while working within the industry. Retirement was another concern for many. "While many of my friends are retiring from their jobs, I do not feel that I can ever retire from my profession," shared one individual.
Several mentioned the looming concerns brought by climate change and politics. Others expressed their worries relating to social inequities. One participant shared, "I think that more and more architects are realizing the importance of a work/life balance. I've always said since I was in school: 'Architects design for life. In order for them to do so, they must understand what life is.'"
It's true we can not predict the future, but what we can do is pay attention to specific trends and patterns happening within the industry.
In terms of employment and professional practice worries, some hinted at their concerns surrounding AI and potentially being "replaced." Others brought up growth within their careers. Someone shared their concerns surrounding the loss of mid-level talent, sharing, "...we are losing too much mid-level talent — we cannot find any [...] good mid-level staff with 3-7 years of experience who can afford to live in our area and be in the architectural profession. This will only constrain our options forward." They also expressed worry about women in the industry, stating they were "worried about women who step out of the profession but want to come back. Would like to see more re-entry opportunities for women after a break, especially if it's childcare-related."
From the employer side, an individual shared their experiences with retaining and maintaining staff. "I am an employer, and I worry that we won't have enough work coming in to keep my team. I care about my employees a lot and don't want to lose anyone. Recently, I had to lay someone off due to a lack of work, and that was very difficult."
Compared to our Summer 2020 survey results, the community was still coming to terms with the new changes brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic. With questions like ranking the community's mental health before, during, and 12 weeks after the announcement of the pandemic, it was clear mental health began to decline over time as the pandemic progressed.
The survey data indicates a fluctuation in mental health among respondents in the architecture community across three key timeframes: pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and three years post-pandemic onset. Initially, 79% reported a positive mental health score of 7 or higher, which dipped significantly during the pandemic, with 64% reporting scores of 6 or lower in June 2020. Fast forward to 2023, there's a moderate recovery observed, with 52% of respondents rating their mental health at 6 or above, although 34.1% still rate theirs at 5 or below, reflecting a continued impact on mental wellness.
There is a clear consensus that while the topic of mental health and its importance has grown, the underlying issues and concerns are still very present and far from being resolved.
When asked what practices, methods, and resources individuals have been using to maintain a positive outlook and reduce anxiety, many expressed simple yet effective tips like walking during their lunch breaks, engaging in social activities, and participating in outside activities like painting, journaling, exercising yoga, and daily meditation. Some shared their experiences with going to therapy and counseling in order to help work through big feelings and stressors caused by work and school. One person shared that they've stepped away from architecture completely and expressed that it helped reduce their anxiety.
Individuals are learning how to recognize where stress and anxiety resonate in their lives and are making attempts to be more proactive about navigating moments of stress, anxiety, and worry [...]individuals are looking inward and finding ways to identify how they can mitigate these overwhelming feelings.
There is plenty to unpack, but one important takeaway is that those who are struggling or feeling overwhelmed by work and school are not alone. Individuals are learning how to recognize where stress and anxiety resonate in their lives and are making attempts to be more proactive about navigating moments of stress, anxiety, and worry.
By looking at the data we've collected over the last two weeks, these responses are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unpacking the issues at hand. Many feel the industry they're in has been struggling to create a positive outlook within professional practice and academia, but more than half of our surveyed participants expressed that their mental health was okay and better than average compared to previous years. Individuals are looking inward and finding ways to identify how they can mitigate these overwhelming feelings.
Maintaining mental health is crucial in the rigorous field of architecture. Incorporating regular exercise and mindfulness practices like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can significantly offset stress and anxiety. A balanced diet, rich in essential nutrients, along with adequate sleep of 7 to 9 hours nightly, forms the bedrock of good mental health. Effective time management, crucial in avoiding the common pitfalls of procrastination and last-minute rushes in the architectural domain, also plays a vital role in stress reduction.
Building strong social connections provides a valuable support network during challenging times, and seeking professional help for persistent stress, anxiety, or depression is a wise measure. Amidst the rush to meet deadlines, taking regular breaks is essential for relaxation and rejuvenation. Engaging in hobbies and staying updated on mental health research are proactive steps toward managing stress. Practicing gratitude, maintaining open communication about work-related stress, and avoiding substance abuse are integral for a holistic approach to mental health management, fostering both personal and professional fulfillment in the architectural realm.
Join the conversation, and share your personal experience in the comment section below.
6 Comments
Alarming!
For the place I currently work at (hopefully not for long) one can ratchet up all the negative attributes to 99%
I work in a pretty progressive company and still feel burnt out.
Mental health causes stress; after trying to accept an offer in Portland I found out that the corporation's medical fraud now corresponds with a legal defiance, as observed in a small claims review over them asking me to talk to my lawyer (I am a Californian by birth!). I legally proved that a top 50 Oregon business is a pirate and behaviorally disabled; the legal history references a past serial rape habit. We need Contemporary progress to remove the old gangs, reference painter boys, from destroying the health of published professionals.
That may be in perfect English but I have no idea what you are talking about.
Unmanaged free-floating anxiety seems to be a significantly increasing problem. I'm not sure what to even do about that, since it seems to be a general symptom of modern living.
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