Overcoming the biggest PhD frustrations | QUICK EASY TIPS!

In this video, I give you my quickfire tips on overcoming the biggest PhD frustrations that you will almost certainly face at some point throughout your PhD.

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▼ ▽ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – introduction
0:15 – isolation
3:44 – research not moving fast enough
5:15 supervisor issues
8:38 – work-life balance
10:42 – motivation
14:00 – outro

[ayodejimatuluko]

Research timelines moving slowly is one of the biggest frustrations I have encountered so far. I have learnt to manage my expectations and take it one task at a time, day after day.

[novita]

I totally agree with 'the silent mode' studying, unlless I am expecting a call. I check phone only on particular time and it helps me focus to study.

[lolixxxx]

The comment on activation energy was totally spot on...sometimes it takes me hours to react!!! Hahaha...I definitely need a catalyst...

[camelliasodki]

I have had my phone on silence mode for years now ahah I don't even know what my phone tone is

[Konsul]

With my phone I go a step further and use an app that locks my phone for x amount of time. And on the topics of finding friends and work-life-balance: I combined those two. Started bouldering again after 2 years of not going, found friends through that. Joined my university's choir after not singing in a choir for 5 years and found friends there. The great thing about those two hobbies is that while bouldering you run into all sorts of people and not just academics, so it's great to get my mind to think about things outside of Uni. With choir it's naturally mostly undergrads (just because they are the largest group here in the UK), so their problems are just completely different from the problems us PhD students have. And lastly, we have a PhD society, where PhD students from all departments meet up once a month to socialise and that is a great way to speak about problems with people who understand them.
I 100% agree with you about being proactive with seeking out people to befriend, otherwise the PhD will inevitably become an extremely lonesome journey.

[paleoeco]

I find your proposal to find a friend or partner interesting to counteract the isolation. In my case it was not a good idea or at least I had no good luck. The lab partner I managed to make my friend turned out to be fake and self-serving. Abusive narcissist who ended up affecting me psychologically. This is the first time I have admitted it in public. It was painful and it took at least two years for me to recover emotionally from the emotional state in which she left me. So I think you have to be careful when choosing the company of other people at a time when we are vulnerable.

[fireinthehole]

Andy your content is top notch. I felt so frustrated today with my PhD because I can't damn learn Scala! But this video really helped me out.

[janswanton]

Thanks Andy. You really understand what it is like and it really helps to know someone does!
Had to laugh about Supervisors! Wanted him to read a chapter...knew he wouldn't, so sent him a list of bullet points on what I'd covered. He didn't read that either lolol! He still seems to have the mindset of undergrad essays i.e. once they are written they are in the past. He doesn't seem to grasp the idea of drafts or 'work in progress'. He certainly doesn't have the words 'advice' or 'suggestions' in his vocabulary!
Isolation!!! You don't know the half. My supervisions are a phone call. So although I have seen a photo of my supervisor and heard his voice, I've never seen him move and certainly never met him! Can't imagine I will, either.
Honestly, the most helpful tool is your diary/worksheet. Not a 'to do' list, but an honest daily look at what I have done. Nothing motivates like looking back over the week and seeing how much telly I watched instead of working!!! You are spot on about how helpful that is.
Have to disagree with you about tech, though. It is my only contact with anyone, except the delivery drivers who deliver my groceries. I'd go mad without contact with the outside world!
Love your videos. They really keep me going! Thanks again!

[Aamirphd]

this is a great summary of very key points for PhD frustration. I myself definitely experience them all when I did mine!

[kasiatutak]

You forgot about money frustration which I find particularly painful :D

[janicegoh]

is it terrible that i am procrastinating by watching your videos>

[a.friedrichs]

Phone on silence is one thing... but how can I keep myself from hopping away to Facebook, Instagram, and the like? Is there a way to block these sites, like a really easy way? Thanks a lot.

[chippydolphin]

Andy, what’s the workload like in a postdoc? It sounds a little horrendous.