FOUR PROVEN HABITS FOR PhD SUCCESS.

SELF-CARE is the foundation of the journey. As a newcomer to the PhD journey, bear in mind that it is not your duty to exhaust every research area in your dissertation topic. Sleep is not a concept at this time is imperative that you get adequate sleep. Eat nutritious meals; that is non-negotiable although the temptation will be present to eat ready-prepared junk food. Exercise regularly, join your college gym or take a walk in your neighborhood or at a nearby park.

Here are a few proven strategies that have worked for me so far on my PhD journey.

Firstly, schedule ‘me’ time similarly to how I schedule time with my supervisor. For example, I ensure one minute break-time for every fifteen minutes of work. During the break-time, I close my eyes, breathe, and reset my mind.

It is dangerous to go into a day that you have not commanded. As part of my morning routine, I schedule thirty minute slots each morning for meditation, prayer and journaling. After meditation and prayer, I journal to command my day. Then, I write down exactly how I want the day to flow based on my to-do-list. Next, I write three things that I am grateful for at the start of each day. Lastly, at the end of the day, I do a “Glimmer Moment” in my journal. I write one good thing that happened to me during the day and how it made me feel.

HAPPINESS, is not a destination, it is a way of life. Small intentional habits can shift your mindset and help you find joy in the midst of chaos. Try going to bed and waking up at the same times daily. Create a morning routine of meditation, exercise and journaling.

Set an alarm for a specific time daily. I call this my ‘gratitude minute.’ At this time, I pause and take one minute to give thanks for how my day has been going, whether I think it’s good or bad. You will be surprised how you can regain your center and become more productive for the rest of the day. Try it, it will be worth it!

Protect your INNER PEACE. Avoid drama and control your thoughts. Negativity and drama can create additional stress which cause you to lose control. Learn very early to set boundaries and let go off anything that you cannot control.

Acknowledge your emotions. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions that may arise without judgement. Accepting your feelings is the first step to letting them go. Additionally, you may want to sit and talk with a trusted friend about anything unsettling that you may be experiencing along your PhD journey. Talk therapy is a proven way to regaining your inner peace.

To reclaim your inner peace, take a walk in nature. Concentrate on the beauty of nature. Nature has a proven soothing effect and can help you to feel grounded. My evening walks are a game changer!

Next, practice journaling, mindfulness and meditation. Take a few minutes morning or evening to meditate, focus on your breath, observe your thoughts, and let them pass without judgement or attachment. Likewise, journaling helps to protect your inner peace. Reflect on what you’re thankful for, this will help shift your focus away from stress and worries. Write your thoughts in your journal. Join the 30 day PhD success gratitude journal challenge here.

TIME MANAGEMENT is a critical tool to achieve success on your PhD journey. Own your schedule, time is not your enemy, how you use it is.

Every week, I try my utmost to set some realistic goals based on my weekly tasks. Goals are supposed to be SMARTE. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound and “E” stands for Evaluate. Write your goals down, you are more likely to accomplish your goals when you write them down.

Specific: If your goal is to get in shape, write, “I will walk 5km 5 days per week.”

Measurable: If your goal is to analyze more articles for the week, write, “I will analyze three articles this week.”

Achievable: Instead of “I will work on my dissertation this week” write, “I will write 1000 words towards my dissertation every day this week.”

Relevant: If you want to write more, your goal should be, “I will improve my writing skills by reading 10 pages and writing 1000 words per day.”

Time-bound: Set a deadline for accountability. “I will write the introduction to the paper by March 31.”

Evaluate and adjust. Life is always ‘life-ing’ and unforeseen circumstances will occur. Evaluate your progress and adjust your goals as needed. Ask yourself what is working and what is not working well? What do I need help with? What do I need to change? If you answer these questions honestly, you will stay on track, make progress and meet your deadlines.

In summary, getting your S.H.I.T together does not mean you are perfect. It means that you are being intentional about self-care, happiness, inner peace and time management. It is important to start small, remain consistent and take time to celebrate the small wins along your PhD journey.

Please, feel free to share your proven strategies for getting your S.H.I.T together on your PhD journey in the comments.