Importance of mental wellness during Ph.D. and how to maintain it
Ph.D. is all about a roller coaster of feelings. At times you feel over-excited by your findings and the very next day you feel like none of your findings are significant. It is okay to have these feelings but it is important to know how they affect our mental wellness. Your Ph.D. journey could be far more demanding than you might realize, both physically and emotionally. Thus, mental wellness, along with persistence and perseverance is the key factor for a successful Ph.D.
“Do you want to earn the badge of Ph.D. at the cost of your health and social relations? Or you want it with work-life balance? ”
The very first step to tackle stress is to identify and segregate it on the basis of its origin. I personally do so with two main categories: professional issues and personal issues. With that defined, let us now analyze the major points which can disturb our mental state during Ph.D.
Professional issues
● Unavailability of your supervisor
There is almost nothing that cannot be worked out when talked over or conveyed clearly.
Sit down with your advisor and work out a time slot for weekly or fortnightly meetings (weekly meetings are advised as they help you to keep on track). Before meetings prepare a set of points (crisp and clear) you would like to discuss with them. This practice really turns out to be effective for both. After each meeting prepare your minutes of the meetings (MoM) to keep things on the record. Making this habit will save you days if not weeks of time.
Remember that “open and clear communications with your advisor are always fruitful.”
●Balancing lab work and writing
This is a major issue with 95% of the Ph.D. students. How to stay sane while juggling between their lab and writing work? Well, don’t worry because every Ph.D. student has passed through such a phase.
My personal suggestion on this is: “start writing early and daily”.
At the very beginning of your writing try your hands on some of the paper writing tools, start from very basic like Microsoft Word, Google Docs and then you can proceed to try some more specified software LaTex, raxter.io, Scrivener, etc.
Then try to know your library, which all reference managers are available like Endnote, Mendeley? Which all other libraries they have crosslinking or indexing facilities? How to request for new literature through the library?
Which open sources or paid sources subscriptions are available for the required literature? Which are the writing management tools that are available with the library? Do they have SciFinder user access? Ask them for arranging workshops for new students where they will be able to learn and understand all these tools.
These tools are like the weapons of Ph.D. students in the battlefield of publications, so it is advised as soon as you are equipped with all the available weapons soon you can hit the battlefield. Thorough knowledge of all these tools will help you to start and write that small bit regularly, when you know that the work which you are going to start is much easier than you think, then it obviously keeps on pushing you to start and finish it on time and on the other hand gives you an ample amount of time to focus on your lab work as well.
● Fear of data representation
Data representation, collation of acquired data in a presentable manner is another nightmare for young Ph.D. minds. Some of the students are very good at lab desk when it comes to doing experiments, but in the end, when they need to collate it and present it to their supervisors or in public, it becomes a big challenge. In such cases, they should learn the art of data management tools early on. They should start with the basics of Microsoft Excel, which is an extremely useful tool for every researcher.
Then based on the requirement of your field get your hands on software like SPSS or statistical tools like ANOVA. Take the help of seniors, lab mates or library as well.
●Presenting your work publically
Practice, practice and then practice a little more. These sessions need not always be professional ones, you can practice your talk alone, record it and listen to it again and again. Practice in front of your mirror, look into the kind of expressions you are giving, which words you are emphasizing. Speak out loud and you will see where you can improve. Present it to some of your friends or lab mates. These sort of practice sessions creates synergy between you and your presentation. Want to get the basics of your presentation right!? Explain it to an 8th grader, if he or she can understand half of what you talk, you have done a pretty good job.
● Fear of missing deadlines
Let’s admit we all fear deadlines. Deadlines at times are personal (that you or your supervisors decide among yourselves) and at times they are official (that your administrative authorities decide which can’t be missed at any cost). If you are not organized and disciplined, academic deadlines can take a heavy toll on you. Plan your days and weeks in the beginning, use date alerts, activity logging apps for every task. Use alerts of Google calendars to keep yourself on the track. Once everything is in sync half of your worries are gone.
● Lack of understanding of lab equipment
Every Ph.D. student needs to learn many new types of equipment and software throughout their tenure. Ask your lab in charge to arrange for individual or group inductions of lab equipment. Take a short online course to learn useful software, there are plenty of good platforms out there and practice daily. Don’t feel hesitant to ask your seniors who are working on the same lab wares and types of equipment to guide and help you, till you undergo your induction program. Make sure that you attend this kind of internal and external skill development programs/ workshops now and then throughout your research life.
Personal issues
● Fear of getting scolded in public if you admit your faults in doing your experiments, fear of complete failure, underestimating yourself, having an inferiority complex, loneliness, feeling of imposter syndrome”
All of these arise due to a cluttered mind, lack of self-confidence, lack of interactions with your near and dear ones. All of them can be handled once you are able to handle your mind. Give priority to your health at the very first place. Try to engage yourself in some of the physical activities, such as going to a gym, walking, any sport or anything that pumps your heart. These activities supply your brain with a large amount of oxygen which makes your brain smarter and your heart healthier. Try to pick any of your hobbies, your passion other than Ph.D. Just don’t think that your Ph.D. is the only aim of your life, try to think about the bigger picture after your Ph.D. Pick up random topics and try speaking within your circle, this kind of public speaking actually helps to build your confidence.
● Peer pressure in terms of experiments or publication
Always remember each Ph.D. is unique to each individual. Stop comparing yourself with others because that is not going to help anyway. Keep going at your own pace, just remember to continue. Banish negativity from your routine and keep moving, just keep in mind that you are doing it because you want to do it, not for anyone else.
● Financial and future self-establishment issues, Fear of landing yourself a decent job, number of Ph. Ds outnumbered than the available jobs in the market.
The best way to cope with this situation is to do tons and tons of networking. Try to meet more and more people during different meetups, conferences, talks, etc. Try to keep their contacts with you for future use, LinkedIn, Facebook, Gmail contact list, etc. When it will come to your afterlife Ph.D. you will really find these contacts useful for searching jobs, for recommending you, for endorsing you, or even for your Postdoc admissions as well. Keeping contacts with people of your field also keeps you updated. Networking will also help you with coping and keeping your stress levels low.
Then again this undoubtedly does not mean that one should ignore the daunting signs of this stress. If any day the amount of produced stress overpowers you, then definitely the trauma caused by the depression and the anxiety would be of serious concern. Throughout your Ph.D. journey always keep in mind that you’re not the only or first individual who is going through this, so never ever be ashamed of asking for help from your near and dear ones (friends, family, relatives, counselor, etc.)
The only thing that you need to keep at the back of your mind is that this is just the temporary phase of your life and soon it’s going to approach a glorious end. All of these feelings will fade off with the time, but for now, what time demands is to stay and stand strong against your own feelings.
Conclusion
If you try to retain your motivation levels high and your stress levels low by following few of the tips mentioned above, you are surely going to escalate your probabilities of magnificently defending your thesis and stepping to the next phase of your life.
And always remember that “the grass is always greener on the other side”. You just need to find your own way out.
by Sreeparna Samanta
(Ph.D. from Deakin University, Australia, in Nano-biotechnology. Currently working as RAx community Coordinator)
