Hello everyone. I will be starting a psychology doctorate in September and I am really nervous. The reasons why:
I am a chronic procrastinator
I get stressed easily
I get bad back / bad eyes staring at a computer
I am going to be totally broke for 3 years
I can only seem to write in the middle of the night

I am capable enough, when all I have to worry about is academic work. I got 78% in my Masters last year. But I wrote it all at night drugged up on caffeine. I literally sat at my desk all day, incapable of focused concentration until the world was dark and quiet and then I would be gripped by some form of terror of morning and the writing would come. I lived mostly on cheap junk food, because a. I was poor and b. I was too tired / stressed to cook.
I may have got a good grade in my masters, but my face and body seemed to have aged about 5 years in that 12 months. It was not a healthy lifestyle either physically or mentally.
Now I am thrilled to be accepted onto the applied psychology doctorate, but this will involve placements during the day and excellent time management skills. I can't stay up all night and sleep till noon. As a psychology graduate I should really know how to fix this but... I. just. can't. I went to see a counsellor a couple of times who was not particularly helpful. I know I have to break these habits, but they are seriously ingrained and most academics I know set an extremely bad example working all sorts of crazy hours- what is a realistic schedule?

Does anyone have advice about living a healthy, productive lifestyle while studying for a doctorate/phd? If you have achieved this- please share what you do! What's your routine? Any tips for focusing in the day when it's sunny / noisy / life is going on around me? I need an example to follow!

I've got 4.5 months to prepare for this course and undertake some serious personal development!

Many thanks in advance :-)

Hello! Congratulations on your PhD offer!

I started mine in January, but due to some issues with the university, I only actively started my PhD in February. I don't know if you're funded or not, but if you are, which is my case, make sure the university has all the info and get the paperwork part done first. It took my university a long time to do it and it was really stressful for me.

A second point is, I don't know if you are a good writer or not, but I'd recommend taking language/grammar/how to write a thesis classes or workshops. It will save you a lot of time while writing your proposal or thesis. I'm only doing that now and it's soooo annoying. I wish I had done that before.

Just like you, I get stressed very easily and have high levels of anxiety. However, since I am finally doing what I love after years being stuck in the corporate world and feeling miserable, I am happy just for the opportunity. If you work hard and know you're doing your best you'll be able to control your stress levels because you know you're putting in your 100%. Anywhere you work these days will cause stress or anxiety. It is our century's disease. You just have to learn to live with it, breathe in, breathe out and keep going.

As for procrastinating, so far what I can tell you is start writing from the beginning. That's what I've been doing and it works. And in regards to the $$$ situation, all I can say is, work hard and you'll only be broke for 3 years. Can you imagine not being able to finish the programme in 3 years and having to be broke for another 2 years?

My PhD experience has been good so far and I know yours will be too. Have a little faith that it'll all work out.

Good Luck!

Living on cheap junk food will do nothing to help your mood, concentration, ability to sleep and overall general well being. You really can eat healthily on very little money. Cook a big pot of something and then freeze it and have it throughout the week. There are lots of websites with good ideas of how to cook cheaply.

We all get stressed. I have worked full time and raised two kids alone for the last 7 years while doing my PhD by distance and it's been a very tough ride. Regardless of your circumstances, placement, work or whatever, a PhD seems to stress most people out. I think you just have to ride the waves and learn to go with the flow.

As for having 4.5 months of personal development ahead ...... I think of myself as a work in progress, the personal development is never ending. You will fall into your own routine and find what works for you. Some weeks I feel like giving up the study and hibernating under my covers forever and ever and ever and then the next week I'm on top of my game again. I think that's how life is.

My marriage broke up mid PhD and I saw a counsellor at that time. I saw quite a few until I found the right one that I clicked with so if you think that's something that could help you, then you maybe need to try out a few first. It's exhausting and disappointing pouring your heart out to someone and just not feeling like it's any good, but when I eventually did find the right one, it was a huge step in moving forward.

You have listed a whole bunch of negative stuff about yourself to justify why the PhD will be hard - too poor, too stressed, capable enough, I just can't etc etc - I got 78% in my Masters BUT....there's no but about it - that's a fantastic mark and you did it! And now you've been accepted to study at PhD level. That's pretty amazing. Of course you will be feeling nervous and that's fine, but maybe change the critical inner voice a little and be a bit - actually a lot - kinder to yourself. For me, the PhD itself has been a huge part of my personal development in so many ways and still is - I am on a horribly tight deadline until submission and have a new job with long hours and a lot of responsibility. However, over the years I've learned not to be so hard on myself and to believe in myself 100%....on most days anyway!

I don't think you need someone else's example to follow I think you just need a huge dose of self belief and faith! Wishing you the very best of luck!

Hello! Couldn't help but stop and reply.

Congratulations on the PhD! Its a huge achievement.

My biggest advice would be to treat the PhD as a job - the routine of hours in the office etc will help you to organise your time effectively and productively. If you are worried about deadlines etc, prepare a timeline of deadlines and when you want to start/end different phases. This goal setting should help focus the writing. Remember, its only a PhD, its not going to change the world. This helped me realise it didnt have to be the next shakespeare piece. Plus i'd spend ages writing something, only to have it returned all track changed - be practical. Your supervisor should help with this. Supervisors are a great source of support. If you are worried about writing, i've also heard that 'free writing' helps to start the process. I'm based in an open office which has its pro and cons, just invest in a pir of headphones! I'm not sure what institution you will be at but there are always PhD support groups to join and as mentioned, training on effective writing etc. These support groups will help no end in helping you realise that the struggles you have, are not unique to you. We're all in the same boat. Try not to put too much unhealthy pressure on yourself.

As for money, its true it isnt a great source of income, but its not actually as little as you first think. You find a way to make ends meet. Find a few staple meals you can cook in batches and freeze. Then on days when you are stressed AF you can simly reheat. A good diet will help your concentration, as you know already :)

Contratulations again!

Congrats on your PhD offer and fantastic Masters result!

If your first year is anything like mine, it will be quite quiet compared to the Masters (you may even start to look younger again).

Based on what you've said it sounds like you want to change your way of working a little... So I guess I would start by listing a few practical things to try... e.g., print off articles instead of screen reading (for the eyes), go into shared PhD office (if you have one) 9-5 at least X times a week (for the routine), get a decent office chair and make sure I walk around the room now and then for a few minutes (for the back)...

It is hard to answer about a realistic schedule. It'll depend on the workload, and that will change over time too. I find that going into the office Monday to Friday from 9 ish to 5 ish gives me the routine I need. When things get busy I can work longer hours if needed.

For the procrastination and stress and working in the middle of the night... I am wondering if that is perhaps how you function... your procrastination leads to some stress, which motivates you to write (incidentally in the middle of the night)... ? A lot of people find that the stress gets too much during the PhD. So maybe you could think about other things that motivate you to work, and have a look at some strategies for dealing with procrastination and stress.

hi, congratulations on starting your phd! When I read the first paragraph of your post, it sounded exactly like me right at this very momernt -- except that part about being totally broke for 3 years, I am totally broke now...!

I was very hardworking when I did my phd, I did not procrastinate and I was a totally different person to what I am today (prolific procrastinator etc.etc).

The best advice I can give you is to have a plan, build up work/tasks in small chunks and don't worry about not being able to finish in 3 years. Many people actually take slightly longer than 3 years to complete the phd (viva, minor revisions), just cross the bridge when you get there.

I would also encourage you to be friends with like-minded people so you can encourage each other and if you tell somebody what you're going to do, you're more likely to do it.

good luck

The PhD process has broken me, mended me, broken me, mended me a bit more, broken me one final time, and now putting me back together slowly but surely. I had counselling, have had major setbacks, super highs and equally depressing lows, and it's without doubt being the most difficult 3-4 years of my life, and I still haven't finished.

Would I do it again? Absolutely.

It will hurt and impact your life like you wouldn't believe, and some of it is faults with the system, while others are part and parcel of it. A PhD is the highest level degree you can get on this planet. It's supposed to be tough like no other qualification. Grab it by the horns and go for it. I wish you luck.

Thank you everyone for your support and helpful wise words. I will be coming back and re-reading these posts frequently I'm sure (and possibly pestering you about other things too, come September)!
Many thanks :-)