Think Like a Designer, Feel Like a Rockstar
How design thinking can transform your wellbeing
What if I told you that the same toolkit used by some of the world’s most innovative companies—think Apple, Disney, BMW, and Lululemon—could be applied to your health and personal wellbeing? Sounds bold, right?
But design thinking isn’t just for creating gadgets or groundbreaking products. It’s an incredibly powerful tool for solving personal challenges, like designing a healthier, happier life that feels authentically yours.
What Is Design Thinking?
Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that starts with empathy—deeply understanding the needs of the user (in this case, YOU!). It then uses ideation, experimentation, iteration, and creativity to develop tailored solutions. Companies like Google, Airbnb, and Nike use design thinking to create products and services that delight their customers. But here’s the exciting part: you can use the same principles to design your own path to better health and wellbeing.
Let’s dive into the five stages of design thinking and explore how you can apply each to your health journey.
1. Empathise: Understand Your Needs
The first step in design thinking is to empathise—to get curious about your current reality and uncover what’s truly going on. This step requires you to pause, observe, and deeply listen to yourself. What do you really need to feel better?
Practical Tool: The Wellbeing Audit
Take 10 minutes to create a simple wellbeing audit:
Draw a circle and divide it into five areas: movement, nutrition, sleep, stress, and joy.
Rate each area on a scale of 1–10 based on how satisfied you currently feel.
Identify which areas feel most out of balance.
Reflective Question:
“What do I need most right now to feel supported and energised?”
This exercise helps you tune into your needs with clarity and compassion.
2. Define: Frame the Problem
Once you’ve identified your needs, the next step is to define the problem clearly. Vague goals like “I want to be healthier” can feel overwhelming. Instead, reframe them into actionable focus areas.
Practical Tool: The Problem Statement Worksheet
Write down your challenge using this structure:
I want to [outcome], but I struggle with [obstacle] because [reason].
Example: “I want to exercise more, but I struggle to stay consistent because my schedule feels too busy.”
Reflective Question:
“What’s the smallest, most meaningful change I can focus on right now?”
Framing your challenges in specific, actionable terms makes it easier to take the next step.
3. Ideate: Brainstorm Solutions
Now it’s time to get creative! In this phase, you generate as many potential solutions as possible, without judging or overthinking them. The goal is to explore possibilities and unlock new ideas.
Practical Tool: The Brainstorming Sprint
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write down as many potential solutions as you can for your problem.
Think small and specific. For example: “Walk for 10 minutes at lunch,” “Put my phone in another room before bed,” or “Batch cook healthy meals on Sunday.”
Circle the top 1–3 ideas that feel doable and exciting.
Reflective Question:
“What’s one small step I can take today to move closer to my goal?”
Brainstorming helps you shift from feeling stuck to feeling inspired and ready to act.
4. Prototype: Test Your Ideas
This step is all about action. Instead of waiting for the “perfect” plan, start small by testing one idea. Remember, you’re experimenting—there’s no pressure to get it right the first time!
Practical Tool: The Mini Experiment Plan
Choose one idea from your brainstorm and commit to trying it for one week.
Write down:
What you’ll do (e.g., “Walk for 10 minutes after lunch every day”).
When and where you’ll do it.
How you’ll track your progress (e.g., ticking off each day on your calendar).
Reflective Question:
“What can I learn from trying this, regardless of the outcome?”
Prototyping shifts your mindset from “What if this doesn’t work?” to “What can I learn along the way?”
5. Test: Iterate and Refine
Finally, test your idea and refine it based on what you learn. Maybe your lunchtime walks feel amazing—or maybe you realise mornings work better. The goal is to adapt until you find what works for you.
Practical Tool: The Reflection Loop
At the end of your experiment, ask yourself:
What worked well?
What didn’t work?
What will I tweak or try next?
Reflective Question:
“How can I use what I’ve learned to build something even better?”
Iteration is the secret to creating lasting change. It’s not about getting it perfect—it’s about learning, adapting, and growing along the way.
Why Design Thinking Works for Wellbeing
Unlike rigid health plans or cookie-cutter advice, design thinking is deeply personal. It empowers you to listen to your own needs, experiment with solutions, and adapt as you go. Instead of feeling stuck in cycles of guilt or frustration, you’ll start to see yourself as a creator, actively shaping a life that feels energising and sustainable.
Ready to Design Your Rockstar Life?
If you’re ready to take this a step further, my Wellbeing by Design programme is built on these principles. Using science-backed strategies, no BS health advice and design thinking, we’ll work together to create a healthier, happier life—designed just for you.
Because when you design your life with intention, you don’t just feel better—you feel like a rockstar.
Are you ready to start designing? Let’s write your next chapter together. https://www.unwritten.coach/links