You can't tackle 2 complicated problems at the same time

I have been serving as a mentor to around 18 students, helping them to learn UX design. A few of them have successfully landed jobs, while some are still searching. Interestingly, three students decided to unmatch me as their mentor, and two of them are Chinese students. According to their feedback, communication appeared to be an issue in our mentorship. This might seem confusing since we share a common native language, making communication potentially easier compared to non-native speakers.

As a non-native English speaker myself, I used to struggle with the language. I would often worry that people couldn't understand me due to my accent, or that I wasn't fully understanding their point. Similar struggles seem to be present for these two students, whose English could use some improvement.

At the outset of our mentorship, I encouraged them to use English as our primary mode of communication, given its prevalence in the job market. However, this became a barrier for them, and so they decided to unmatch with me. Interestingly, other native English speakers have provided positive feedback regarding our communication, indicating no language-related issues.

My takeaway from this experience is the realization that tackling two complex problems simultaneously can be challenging. Learning UX design is a multifaceted endeavor, involving various sub-projects and a wide range of skills to improve upon. Similarly, learning a new language is a complex journey with numerous steps and directions.

It seems our mental capacity, time, and resources might not be sufficient to handle two such demanding projects at once. If you find yourself in a similar situation, it is crucial to decide and prioritize which issue to tackle first. Set clear expectations, define a timeline, and establish how progress will be measured. By being clear about your scope, you can effectively allocate extra time to resolve other problems.

Starting from today, I've begun utilizing my walking time, specifically during my evening walks, to practice writing a daily English essay. This could be posted on a blog, included in a newsletter, or simply serve as a diary entry. The important thing is to start taking action. With voice input significantly lowering operational barriers, there's no reason not to get moving.

作为UX设计导师，我帮助了大约20位学生一对一地学习UX设计。其中一些人已经成功找到了工作（包括500强的企业），一些人仍在转型中。然而，有三个学生与我解除了导师关系，其中两个是中国留学生。

这两位学生在反馈中提到，沟通问题是他们决定更换导师的原因。这可能有点反常识：因为我们都以中文为母语，理论上应该会更容易沟通啊？相反，对于我其他以英语为母语的学生，他们对我在沟通的反馈是全是正面评价。

我的假设是：我要求这两名学生以英语为我们的默认沟通语言，因为大部分的工作都要求英语，但对他们来说，这成为了学习的障碍。

我的收获：我们一般不能同时解决两个复杂的问题。学习UX是一个复杂的项目，涉及许多子项目，需要提高和学习许多不同的技能。学习语言也是一个复杂的项目，有许多不同的步骤和方向。我们的精神能力、时间、能量和努力可能不足以支持同时进行两个复杂的项目。因此，如果你处在同样的情况下，那么你应当果断并且有意识地决定首先解决哪一个问题。

需要确定你的期望、时间表，以及如何衡量它。清楚你的范围，然后你可以花一些额外的时间来解决另一个问题。在这个阶段，80-20法则确实起作用：80%的时间精力放在一个主要问题，其他精力可以用来解决其他次要问题。