Campfire: Mental Wellbeing for Remote Workers
Concept Case Study
MY ROLE
Designer
Branding
team
Designer
Branding
timeline
Oct 2021 - Sep 2021
tools
Figma
Whimsical
After Effects
Whimsical
Rive
Maze
Notion
links
Figma File
Moodboard
Research Wiki
Prototype
The Problem
Since the global shift to remote work, nearly 1 in 5 workers report struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Campfire aims to tackle this issue head-on, fostering both productivity and mental well-being.
Amy, a freelance writer, found herself working long hours without a clear break between personal and professional time. What started as excitement about the flexibility of remote work soon turned into feelings of isolation, lack of motivation, and an overwhelming sense of burnout. Amy’s story is echoed by many remote workers who share similar struggles.
The main challenges that remote workers face include:
Lack of routine
Blurred lines between work and personal life
Isolation from the outside world
Lack of accountability
Having personally experienced these struggles during my two years as a remote worker, I realized that while work-from-home setups offer flexibility, they also demand a high level of discipline and structure that many are not accustomed to.
The Solution
Campfire was designed to give remote workers the structure, community, and wellness support they need to thrive.
It tackles isolation with virtual coworking spaces, prevents burnout with wellness incentives, and boosts accountability with gamification and AI-powered personalization. All features are seamlessly integrated to create a holistic platform where users can balance productivity and wellness.
defining The Problem
OPPORTUNITY
The global shift to remote work post-pandemic opened up new ways of working but also brought mental health concerns to the forefront. According to a survey by Buffer, 80% of remote workers experience challenges related to mental health. The lack of structure and social support in remote work environments has led to increased stress, burnout, and lower productivity.
Hypothesis
Our hypothesis was that by combining community, personalized wellness, and structured routines, remote workers would not only feel more productive but also experience greater job satisfaction and improved mental health. Success would be measured by positive feedback during prototype testing, with users reporting higher engagement, better mood check-ins, and fewer feelings of burnout.
research
METHODOLOGY
We employed a mixed-methods approach to understand user needs. First, we conducted a survey with a diverse group of remote workers to gather quantitative data on common challenges. This was followed by in-depth user interviews to explore the qualitative aspects of remote work struggles. These insights directly informed our feature set and design decisions.
Survey
Our survey of 87 remote workers across various fields (tech, writing, marketing) revealed:
72% struggled to maintain a consistent work routine.
65% felt isolated and lacked community support.
80% expressed interest in tools that combined productivity with mental wellness.
These findings validated our focus on schedule management, community support, and mental health integration.
competitive ANALYSIS
We conducted a competitive analysis of existing tools, focusing on platforms that address productivity, community, or wellness for remote workers.
Through this analysis, we identified that while many platforms offered specific solutions like coworking or accountability, none provided an integrated experience that merged productivity, wellness, and community.
user interviews
We interviewed 10 remote workers, including freelancers and corporate employees, to gather in-depth insights:
Freelancers struggled to maintain work-life boundaries.
Corporate employees desired accountability but wanted flexibility in how they were reminded or nudged.
Most users wanted wellness incentives but had trouble finding the motivation to follow through on them.
These insights directly shaped features like customizable accountability and the integration of wellness rewards.
personas
These personas helped validate our focus on personalized schedules, community support, and mental wellness incentives.
Core Task flow
The core user task flow revolves around setting up a work schedule, joining a coworking space, and receiving wellness suggestions based on user feedback.
ideation
wireframing
We created low-fidelity wireframes and presented them to potential users. The feedback indicated that users preferred simple, clutter-free interfaces. Many requested more integration between scheduling and mood tracking.
iterations
Based on user feedback, we made several iterations. For example, users wanted more flexible mood tracking, so we added customizable stress monitoring, which adapts based on user behavior.
final solution
Campfire integrates scheduling tools, community support, and wellness tracking, enhanced by gamification and AI personalization. It offers an all-in-one solution for remote workers who struggle with work-life balance.
Key Features:
Scheduling & Wellness: Customizable work schedules and wellness suggestions based on AI recommendations.
Accountability Group: Join accountability partners or groups to set and track goals.
Gamification & Milestone Tracking: Users earn rewards and badges for maintaining productivity and wellness habits.
AI-Powered Personalization: Recommendations for stress relief and work schedules adapt to user habits and check-ins.
Virtual Coworking Spaces: Real-time coworking with peers simulates an office environment.
Mood & Stress Monitoring: Users track their mental health through daily check-ins, allowing the system to suggest personalized de-stress activities.
final solution
Throughout testing, we learned that simplicity and progressive engagement were crucial to user satisfaction. Users responded best to features that were introduced incrementally, allowing them to customize their experience as they became more familiar with the platform.
Moving forward, we plan to continue prototype testing and refine our features based on real user needs.