asking for a friend
ASK QUESTIONS ANONYMOUSLY TO AN INDUSTRY LEADER AND A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT
SUBMIT A QUESTION (100% ANONYMOUS):
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First Thursday of the month. 12.30pm AET
Our industry can be a tough place. While we know how rewarding it can be, we’re also more than aware of how challenging it can be. When times are tough, who can we turn to?
We all know that “asking for a friend”is an easier way to ask a tough question. So once a month we’re going to allow anyone anywhere to “ask for a friend”, to an industry leader, and a psychologist, anonymously, and online.
Asking For A Friend is an initiative by Never Not Creative, Young Bloods Australia and Mentally-Healthy. It exists to make it easier for creatives to ask the unaskable. Can’t wait for the next session? Search our database of past questions and answers below..
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QUESTIONS (FOR A FRIEND)
Use the topics below to see if your question has been asked before.
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Our unique combination of industry leaders and psychologists, means that you’ll get practical, relevant advice no matter what your situation might be. Of course, that’s all it is – advice. We want to make it just that little bit easier to share and be heard. But if things get too serious you should absolutely seek professional help. Talk to your HR advisor, manager, or a psychological / medical professional. You can also find resources at mentally-healthy.org.
How can the creative industry work well with AI?
How can the creative industry work well with AI?
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Creative Business
Professional development
Supporting others
Creative block
Is advocating for mental health & neuro-equality change worthwhile as a lower level employee?
Is advocating for mental health & neuro-equality change worthwhile as a lower level employee?
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Mental health
Diversity
Equality
ADHD
Workplace culture
Does owning a pet boost creativity and is it proven to improve your mental health?
Does owning a pet boost creativity and is it proven to improve your mental health?
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Mental health
Mental wellbeing
Work life balance
What are the advantages or disadvantages of sharing your mental health status? How to disclose it?
What are the advantages or disadvantages of sharing your mental health status? How to disclose it?
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Workplace culture
Mental health
Mental wellbeing
How to address a supervisor who seems nice in private but doesn't support or credit you in public?
How to address a supervisor who seems nice in private but doesn't support or credit you in public?
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Career advice
Manager
Workplace culture
How do independent creatives access higher-level clients?
How do independent creatives access higher-level clients?
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Clients
Creative Business
Professional development
Self promotion
Value and pricing
How to handle being pulled from projects if your Creative Director doesn't agree with your style?
How to handle being pulled from projects if your Creative Director doesn't agree with your style?
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Career advice
Feedback
Workplace culture
Manager
What to do when not
having enough work is affecting my mental health?
What to do when not
having enough work is affecting my mental health?
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Stress
Creative Business
Is my age affecting job rejections? How to overcome?
Is my age affecting job rejections? How to overcome?
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Career advice
Ageism
Professional development
When do you know to leave a job?
When do you know to leave a job?
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Work life balance
Workplace culture
Career advice
Stress
Salary
How do you go about finding a job with little to no experience?
How do you go about finding a job with little to no experience?
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Career advice
Graduate
Can you be both a creative person and a total sales savage?
Can you be both a creative person and a total sales savage?
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Confidence
Self promotion
What are the benefits of having a mentor?
What are the benefits of having a mentor?
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Career advice
Professional development
What are some book recommendations that contribute to success?
What are some book recommendations that contribute to success?
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Career advice
Professional development
What valuable advice would you give your younger self?
What valuable advice would you give your younger self?
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Career advice
Professional development
How do you bounce back from failure, rejection or not reaching your goals?
How do you bounce back from failure, rejection or not reaching your goals?
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Confidence
Mental health
As a freelancer, how do you stay on task and juggle different priorities?
As a freelancer, how do you stay on task and juggle different priorities?
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Career advice
Work life balance
What are some red or green flags to look out for as a junior designer?
What are some red or green flags to look out for as a junior designer?
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Career advice
Graduate
Workplace culture
What steps do you take to reset when you're not feeling it?
What steps do you take to reset when you're not feeling it?
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Creative block
Mental wellbeing
Work life balance
What are your thoughts around knowing where you want to go in your career?
What are your thoughts around knowing where you want to go in your career?
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Career advice
Professional development
How do I manage in a job that doesn't make me happy?
How do I manage in a job that doesn't make me happy?
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Burnout
Mental wellbeing
Workplace culture
How do I deal with rejection and setbacks?
How do I deal with rejection and setbacks?
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Career advice
Confidence
Self promotion
How do I navigate the pressure to create and prioritize my mental health?
How do I navigate the pressure to create and prioritize my mental health?
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Mental health
Burnout
Work life balance
What do I need to know before starting a design business?
What do I need to know before starting a design business?
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Career advice
Value and pricing
Work life balance
Have you always known what you wanted to do?
Have you always known what you wanted to do?
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Career advice
Professional development
How do I stay relevant after having children as an independent designer?
How do I stay relevant after having children as an independent designer?
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Career advice
Professional development
Is it wrong to plan for a family after a promotion?
Is it wrong to plan for a family after a promotion?
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Career advice
Salary
How do I ask for a promotion or pay rise?
How do I ask for a promotion or pay rise?
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Salary
Career advice
Value and pricing
How do I stay optimistic whilst not loving where I am but also feeling scared to leave given a looming recession?
How do I stay optimistic whilst not loving where I am but also feeling scared to leave given a looming recession?
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Career advice
Confidence
Mental wellbeing
How do I approach my manager who takes credit for my work?
How do I approach my manager who takes credit for my work?
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Career advice
Confidence
Self promotion
Is it ok to dump a client?
Is it ok to dump a client?
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Clients
Manager
Workplace culture
Work life balance
How do I fix my freelance rate and chase payment for invoices?
How do I fix my freelance rate and chase payment for invoices?
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Salary
Value and pricing
Clients
How do I speak up in meetings?
How do I speak up in meetings?
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Career advice
Confidence
Is the design industry ageist?
Is the design industry ageist?
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Ageism
Career advice
How do I let my team know that I’m stressed or not coping with the current workload and still remain a good leader that they respect?
How do I let my team know that I’m stressed or not coping with the current workload and still remain a good leader that they respect?
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Career advice
Manager
Mental wellbeing
Stress
How do you help two team members get on the same page?
How do you help two team members get on the same page?
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Manager
Career advice
Supporting others
How to stay on task whilst juggling a million things at once and what to do when feeling overwhelmed
How to stay on task whilst juggling a million things at once and what to do when feeling overwhelmed
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Work life balance
Career advice
Mental wellbeing
I work part time and feel like there is an expectation to put in more than full time workers
I work part time and feel like there is an expectation to put in more than full time workers
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Career advice
Workplace culture
Equality
What are some initiatives you recommend to help celebrate your employee’s successes and make sure everyone feels recognised?
What are some initiatives you recommend to help celebrate your employee’s successes and make sure everyone feels recognised?
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Manager
Workplace culture
Professional development
Do you have any advice for a multi tasking parent who's feeling guilty?
Do you have any advice for a multi tasking parent who's feeling guilty?
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Career advice
Impostor syndrome
Parental leave
Work life balance
How do I resist being hard on myself?
How do I resist being hard on myself?
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Confidence
Impostor syndrome
Stress
How do I overcome the fear of failure in transitioning into a new career?
How do I overcome the fear of failure in transitioning into a new career?
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Confidence
Impostor syndrome
Career advice
As a new senior leader, how can I change the toxic culture in an organisation?
As a new senior leader, how can I change the toxic culture in an organisation?
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Career advice
Professional development
Workplace culture
How can you communicate mental health struggles without your team thinking you're lazy / can't cope?
How can you communicate mental health struggles without your team thinking you're lazy / can't cope?
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Feedback
Mental health
Supporting others
How can managers create a safe space for their team to speak up about mental health?
How can managers create a safe space for their team to speak up about mental health?
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Manager
Mental health
Supporting others
Workplace culture
How do I stop myself thinking about work when trying to get to sleep?
How do I stop myself thinking about work when trying to get to sleep?
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Mental health
Mental wellbeing
Stress
Where can I find out more information about minimum wages for a junior designer?
Where can I find out more information about minimum wages for a junior designer?
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Career advice
Salary
Value and pricing
How do I deal with a manager that has no empathy?
How do I deal with a manager that has no empathy?
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Career advice
Feedback
Manager
Workplace culture
How do I change careers and still retain my salary band?
How do I change careers and still retain my salary band?
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Career advice
Salary
There's a person that I work with that I can't get on with and I dread meeting with them. How can I stop these feelings?
There's a person that I work with that I can't get on with and I dread meeting with them. How can I stop these feelings?
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Workplace culture
Supporting others
Feedback
Should you call someone's bad behaviour out in front of others?
Should you call someone's bad behaviour out in front of others?
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Workplace culture
Feedback
Supporting others
My boss refuses my request to take a mental health day. What should I do?
My boss refuses my request to take a mental health day. What should I do?
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Workplace culture
Work life balance
Manager
Mental health
I have a really hard time trying to focus at work. Any tips?
I have a really hard time trying to focus at work. Any tips?
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Creative block
Mental wellbeing
How do I find the motivation to search for my next role when I've experienced burnout?
How do I find the motivation to search for my next role when I've experienced burnout?
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Career advice
Burnout
Self promotion
How can I reach out to someone who I think is struggling without looking nosey?
How can I reach out to someone who I think is struggling without looking nosey?
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Mental health
Supporting others
2 of our clients just cancelled some big briefs. Are we heading into another crisis?
2 of our clients just cancelled some big briefs. Are we heading into another crisis?
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Career advice
Confidence
Workplace culture
What's the right number of months or years before you should get a promotion?
What's the right number of months or years before you should get a promotion?
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Career advice
Manager
Self promotion
How do you combine parenting with running a creative business?
How do you combine parenting with running a creative business?
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Career advice
Work life balance
When should you disclose a mental health condition to your employer?
When should you disclose a mental health condition to your employer?
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Career advice
Mental health
Manager
Workplace culture
As a creative, how do I deal with Marketing Managers dictating to me what to do?
As a creative, how do I deal with Marketing Managers dictating to me what to do?
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Career advice
Professional development
How can I turn a poor performing team into a high performing team?
How can I turn a poor performing team into a high performing team?
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Career advice
Supporting others
Professional development
Workplace culture
How do I get a job as an international student on a work visa
How do I get a job as an international student on a work visa
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Career advice
Internships
Graduate
Self promotion
How do I find motivation in repetitive and uninspiring work?
How do I find motivation in repetitive and uninspiring work?
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Career advice
Professional development
How do I handle joining a team that's notorious for working long hours and weekends?
How do I handle joining a team that's notorious for working long hours and weekends?
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Work life balance
Workplace culture
Career advice
How can I improve my self-esteem?
How can I improve my self-esteem?
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Confidence
Impostor syndrome
Mental wellbeing
How do I resist being so hard on myself?
How do I resist being so hard on myself?
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Mental wellbeing
Stress
Confidence
Do people with mental health challenges get treated and recognised the same way as others?
Do people with mental health challenges get treated and recognised the same way as others?
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Mental health
Workplace culture
Career advice
How do I tell if my new manager is going to be kind?
How do I tell if my new manager is going to be kind?
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Manager
Workplace culture
How do you motivate someone with moderate anxiety to go outside of their comfort zone?
How do you motivate someone with moderate anxiety to go outside of their comfort zone?
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Mental health
Supporting others
How do you stop yourself thinking about work whilst you try and get to sleep?
How do you stop yourself thinking about work whilst you try and get to sleep?
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Stress
Work life balance
How do I break into a creative role without experience of being a creative?
How do I break into a creative role without experience of being a creative?
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Career advice
Professional development
How do I work in a team where it feels like everyone's trying to compete with each other?
How do I work in a team where it feels like everyone's trying to compete with each other?
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Career advice
Professional development
Workplace culture
How can I help my partner with their mental health?
How can I help my partner with their mental health?
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Mental health
Supporting others
How do I navigate being able to do work that aligns with my ethics vs adding to over consumption?
How do I navigate being able to do work that aligns with my ethics vs adding to over consumption?
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Career advice
Professional development
How do I break into a cliquey team?
How do I break into a cliquey team?
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Career advice
Workplace culture
Will I be judged negatively for a cv that shows a lot of roles over a short period of time?
Will I be judged negatively for a cv that shows a lot of roles over a short period of time?
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Career advice
Self promotion
What is the best way to deal with impostor syndrome?
What is the best way to deal with impostor syndrome?
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Impostor syndrome
How should I approach burnout with my manager at work?
How should I approach burnout with my manager at work?
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Burnout
Manager
Work life balance
Do you have any tips or tools for managing stress and anxiety at work?
Do you have any tips or tools for managing stress and anxiety at work?
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Mental wellbeing
Stress
Supporting others
I am a Freelancer and I'm concerned that there is a perception about my credibility if I am not registered for GST. Is this true?
I am a Freelancer and I'm concerned that there is a perception about my credibility if I am not registered for GST. Is this true?
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Clients
Self promotion
Value and pricing
Should I get in touch with my workplace's Employee Assistance Program?
Should I get in touch with my workplace's Employee Assistance Program?
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Mental health
Supporting others
Workplace culture
I love what I do at work, but I'm struggling making friendships and feel like I just don't fit in. What should I do?
I love what I do at work, but I'm struggling making friendships and feel like I just don't fit in. What should I do?
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Career advice
Supporting others
Workplace culture
How do I build up the courage to talk about my mental health with someone at work?
How do I build up the courage to talk about my mental health with someone at work?
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Confidence
Mental health
Manager
Supporting others
I'm a parent and having difficulty finding part-time work. Do you see this changing in the design field?
I'm a parent and having difficulty finding part-time work. Do you see this changing in the design field?
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Career advice
Ageism
Equality
Parental leave
What are your thoughts on the quiet quitting trend?
What are your thoughts on the quiet quitting trend?
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Career advice
Workplace culture
I feel like I'm always on the verge of burnout because I love what I do. Any tips on how to manage my need to be always on?
I feel like I'm always on the verge of burnout because I love what I do. Any tips on how to manage my need to be always on?
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Burnout
Mental wellbeing
Work life balance
How do I deal with a micro-manager?
How do I deal with a micro-manager?
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Career advice
Manager
Feedback
Workplace culture
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