I wondered if you could give me a bit of advice. I was 6 months into my phd and then became unwell - I have the opportunity to start a job which would be similar to my previous job which I enjoyed ok but it was v busy and I hardly got a break. I have the option of returning to my phd and get funding which would be less than the salary but still the funding is ok. How do I decide what to do? In some ways I prefer working, but I would like the acheivmeg of a phd. Also, the financial end would direct me to taking a job. Your advise would be welcome. Thanks.

Jonnyt,

Please don't take offence but was it not you who left their last PhD because you hated the isolation? You were indecisive then but eventually left the PhD and seemed to think it was the right decision. My feeling is you should not do a PhD based on your previous postings. Apologies if it sounds harsh but I think it's good advice.

It is really hard to have the best of both worlds at once. Working is great and the money is often even better but most professional jobs are very demanding and don't leave you much energy for study, once you have taken care of your life outside of work (home, family, friends, exercise, chores, leisure, etc). It isn't impossible to study as well as work in a rewarding career or profession but it is pretty difficult and you have to be determined. And it isn't something that you would want to go on for ever-about 5-6 years of career+study seems to be most people's limit. However, money and income are important and they can bring with them a freedom of sorts-once you have fulfilled your work responsibilities.

Other jobs-ones that you can leave at work and not think about at all- are good for the work/study combination but they don't always take you very far. They are purely there to put 'bread on the table', while you focus on your study or whatever else it is that you are passionate about in life.

Full time study can be personally very rewarding and lead to further employment. However, inbetween the rewarding aspects of achieving goals are long spells of quite boring or demanding study and research and you have to be content with a much simpler standard of living while you study.

But you rarely can get all of these things together in one package (unless you have a private income or something). So finally, you have to look at a combination of what you want, where you would like to be and what seems to be the best pathway to get there (for you that is-given your own talents and abilities). And then when you are on that pathway, you need to have some acceptance that it won't always be great, there will be days when you wonder whether you made the right decision and days when you envy those who have made a different decision (but this won't last-it is just a normal human feeling).

Personally I find that not only writing for advice (as in journal writing or posting on a forum) but discussion with a variety of people whose judgement I trust, really helps. It also helps when they have quite different perspectives, as sometimes they provide an insight that I might have overlooked. I don't always follow one person's advice-I just keep thinking about all of the different perspectives until I have formed something that suits me (mostly-there are always some losses-'the road not taken'- R.Frost).
Good luck and best wishes:-)

You would like to the PhD just for the achievement? If you want some adrenaline try bungee jumping or some sports, you will equally feel a rush of achievement. Do you want a job in academia or research? Those are your best shots of getting a job with the PHD, and even so, I know PhDs who are now jobless... or applying for postdocs (which is not much difference to keep on studying, in my opinion). Also if you really wanted it you wouldn't be doubting as much (is like getting married I think, you just know when it is just right).