How to stop feeling stuck during your PhD [7 easy steps]

In this video, I will help you escape being stuck in your PhD. Here are the seven easy steps I always go through if I'm feeling a little bit stuck.

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▼ ▽ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – analyse
1:15 – outside in
1:57 – creativity
3:19 – taking a break
4:52 – work hard
6:56 – find others
7:49 – listen to your adviser
9:19 – small projects

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▼ ▽ TOOLS

[detected]

Wow, thank you, i am phd student, and just feeling stuck, this video cures my depression. Perfect timing

[colleenstuart]

Very good advice Andy. I particularly like the learning your way out of a problem. It is so very time consuming because you feel that you are spending so much time trying to overcome a single thing, knowing full well that there is much more to get through and future challenges are around the corner. But what it teaches you is to just keep piecing it all together, stay focused and keep your head up/down 🙃

[axin]

I have been pursuing the PhD career in Chinese history in China for more than five years from now. I felt stuck and overwhelmed a lot of times: it is not easy to finish dissertation in a foreign language, it is not easy to obtain all sources and then conceptualize them into a single thesis. Then, it is very difficult to manage expectations of people around you, who kind of want you finish quickly, but who also kind of want you to be present at the same time. Professors and peers keep inviting you to new conferences and research projects. Peers want to meet up with you.
Apart from the PhD, i got involved in many side projects which stretched my capacities. On one hand, it was good as i could see myself in different research fields, try experimenting with topics outside my expertise. On the other, it also could have been that the time could have been spent on finishing dissertation earlier.
Then, the COVID came. Many of my peers back in China felt stuck with progressing. Many gave up taking the PhD: what kind of research could you make when all archives, libraries and labs are closed anyway? As I was struggling, many people around me worried: why are You wasting Your time? Can you just suck it up and finish it quickly? Why other people are successful and graduate early, have job and so on?
Luckily, thanks to my partner, some of my friends and research peers big support, i am slowly going back on track - with hopes of earlier graduation. I would say three tips worked for me:
1. Ask yourself: what things do matter to You? What things do matter to others? Academia and any professional field are full of passionate people who sometimes forget that we do not always share the same passions. They might be mad at You and get toxic: why do you study these useless things? Let them be, forgive them, You do not have to share their interests. This return to my interests kept me moving in writing.
2. Enjoy the time with people outside academia: can be Your partner, Your family, Your friends. Some of them will not necessarily understand Your PhD struggles, but they may give You a gentle reminder that life is not just about the research. I see many people struggle as they take the PhD too seriously. The work life balance gets distorted, the self esteem goes down, one feels cannot do anything outside the academia. People outside the academia may you give this sober distance: not just towards Your phd project, but towards the entire academic system.
3. Time is limited - sometimes You cannot do it all. You either focus on PhD or attend events. The events may seem tiny, but once combine they can snowball very quickly. You end up with neither being satisfied with events you attend (since there are too many options), nor You make progress in Your field. You might experience the FOMO feeling, but it is fine: not all opportunities are relevant to Your growth as a researcher.
Goodluck to everyone!

[kashammagaji]

This came exactly while I was stirring at the ceiling.

I felt I don't have the right skills, so I'll definitely learn something new
Thank you Andy

[ST-gxml]

Every time I watch you Andy, no matter what your video is about, I feel much better. Many thanks!

[TheUllrichj]

Great advice for life. Even outside of academia. If you are stuck try a different approach.
Learning should not be a forced slog without joy.

[ammory]

I really like your videos Andy. It keeps me motivated all time

[kemihoang]

Thank you Andy 🙏. Your videos have been a great source of help and support

[ishikaghosh]

Can you please make a video on how to proceed with an almost self-supervised Ph.D ? How to plan the entire work? Which one to do after which one? How to know which skill to learn after which one? How to proceed with no feedback at all? It will really help.

[valoraz]

Got stuck in my second year for 9 months, stopped what I was doing, went done something else for 3 weeks. Came back to the problem and immediately solved it. A good book to read is how to solve it by George Polya.

[danishpannu]

I play your videos in the background while working sometimes. Also, all the advises you give, make me suspect more and more that you also have ADHD or ODD... they're really useful for neurodivergent folks!

[ShinYaguchiSama]

It’s very nice of you to make a video exclusively for me.
How did you know?

[strongenough-vmbv]

I have a problem in comparing my self to other phD’s💔

[Lilliana]

Why do I feel stuck.
I am not a stepsister.
So I don't feel stuck now

[arthurs.]

Is it ok to feel stuck since the first day of phd?

[mohammedsekkal]

Hi Andy, how can I get in touch with you rapidly, kind of urgent regarding my phd, I need some advicefrom you

[lucasoni]

Watching through your vids, this has some great tips. Will share this vid. Although accountability meetings can lead to argument. Great otherwise.