Good question. For a long time I actually avoided using online bill-payment products because I was the lead designer/researcher for my company’s bill pay product – I didn’t want to bias myself and wanted to respond to the research and user testing with an open mind. I actually think that was good, at the time, as I was not as mature in my discipline as I am now.
I still thinking being dispassionate is vitally important when it comes to objectivity, but passion also is a key motivator… and if you aren’t passionate about what you are doing then you are never going to get to the “next level” when it comes to your work and output.