A bit about Lisa:
“I’m
a final year PhD student at The University of Southampton, UK investigating how
diets during pregnancy impact the baby’s muscle function in later life.
Currently enduring the thesis life! I’m an aspiring science communicator and
love to write for my science blog “In a Science World”. I talk all things
science and share my life as a scientist/PhD student, but what I really love is
sharing tips and advice through my PhD SOS feature”
Blog
website: https://inascienceworldblog.wordpress.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/inascienceworld
Facebook
blog page: https://www.facebook.com/inascienceworld/
Working
in the world of academia as a PhD student can be very demanding. We don’t get
awarded the title of Dr for simply generating some good data or coming up with
an awesome idea, we work hard to earn that PhD. Hard work comes with stresses
and sometimes a few road bumps along the way.
One
thing a lot of us can forget is that all important self-care. A PhD is like an
endurance event, it’s a long and rewarding journey, but we need to take care of
ourselves to get to the finish line.
So
how can we look after ourselves? Here are my top 10 PhD self-care tips:
Stop comparing yourself to
others
You
may start your PhD the same time as other students but everyone’s PhD is
different. Comparing yourself to others on occasion can be a healthy kick up
the backside if you’re slacking. But trust me, for the most part it’s unhealthy
and causes unnecessary stress and unhappiness. Focus on you and your PhD.
Need help? Ask!
Whether
you need help with a protocol or you’re having a few struggles with mental
wellbeing, seek help. We all need help at times no matter how big or small the
problem is, and there is a wealth of support out there for you. Know the right
people to ask for help in the lab, find out what support services your
university provides, and read blogs to help with issues related to the PhD life.
Don’t just live for the
weekend
Looking after yourself is not just for the weekends. Working 12-hour days
during the week with those fun things left to the weekend is going to lead to
burnout. Be honest with yourself, how productive are you after the normal 8/9
hour working day? Probably not very. So take time for you in the evenings,
whether that’s just relaxing, going to the gym or seeing friends. Living for
the weekend can lead to you associating the week with negative thoughts, that’s
not exactly a great way to live.
Emails. You don’t have to
be attached 24/7.
Does
your phone notify you as soon as you get a work email? If yes, I really suggest
turning them off. Having them on means you never have a true break from work
and in some situations this can lead to anxiety. Also, try not to check emails
fist thing. Checking emails as soon as you get to work can lead you off track
from your original plan for that day. Try opening them up a couple hours into
work so you start your day off well. Are they really so important that they
can’t wait a few hours?
Sleep well, exercise
regularly and eat right.
Being
mindful of the foundations to leading a healthy life (mentally and physically)
is so important. Getting those 7-9 hours sleep improves brain function. Regular
exercise keeps you fit, allows you to focus on something non-work related and
is a great stress reliever. Eating a balanced diet and not relying on sugar to
keep you awake whilst working gives your brain and body the right fuel to
function well. Being and feeling healthy helps to keep a positive mindset.
The
deeper into the PhD journey you get, the more studies you’re juggling and the
more items you have on that to-do list. Being organised is key to keeping
yourself on track, focussed and motivated. These all lead to reductions in
stress levels. Set short terms goals. I advise making daily goals at the start
of the week or the day before and tick them off as you go along. Small steps make
big progress.
Play to your strengths
PhDs
come with a degree of flexibility in how you work. If you are most productive
in the morning, then start and end your working day earlier. Maximise that time
you work well. If you aren’t a good multitasker then set aside blocks of time
in your week to do your research, reading and the other odd jobs. There’s no
point trying to tackle everything in one day if you know your brain doesn’t
function like that!
It’s ok to say no
You
can’t take on everything your supervisor and others want you to. Saying yes to
everything will lead to burnout. Be aware of the work you can take on without
compromising your work/life balance. Developing this awareness does take time
but it allows you to then manage the expectations you have of yourself, and
enables you to manage your supervisor’s expectations of you.
Celebrate successes
We
work hard so reward yourself when you’ve reached a goal. Allowing yourself
treats will help you to stay motivated. For the smaller goals treat yourself to
something little like your favourite dinner, and for the bigger milestones
reward yourself something super fun like a trip to the pub/cocktail bar or a
day trip to the beach.
Time off
Remember
we are entitled to time off, everyone needs a break. Taking time off helps us
to relax, unwind and gives that overworked brain some nice relax time. It helps
us to come back to work energised and proactive. If a certain phase of
laboratory work means it’s hard to take a whole week off, make sure you’re
planning in some long weekends.
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