Being enrolled in a PhD program compels you to take part in long research processes, experiments, reading, writing and finalizing results. You no longer take part in social activities, cut yourself from family, friends and other distractions to focus entirely on your research and thesis writing.
Before you know, you are completely isolated in a room filled with papers, books and notes only. This may be a very suitable environment to conduct research and write a thesis but after a while, you’ll start feeling alone and your negative energy may not let you work properly and effectively.
As Anna Quindlen says,
“Don’t ever confuse the two, your life and your work. The second is only part of the first”.
So, what can be done to keep you working peacefully and still eradicate loneliness and negativity from your life? Here are some suggestions which you can follow:
1. Set Working Hours
Pursuing a PhD doesn’t mean you have to work all the time or devout yourself solely to it. Yes, it does demand hard work and more dedication than other programs, but you also have to set a limit to that work. Extending your working hours late till night every day will only reduce your productivity.
Take your PhD as a job and set specific working hours for it. Work with full dedication on your research and thesis in those hours and leave the rest of the work to the next day. Use the rest of the day to spend it with your family and friends to relax, take care of other household chores etc. This will not only boost your mood but also freshen up your mind to work more effectively the other day.
2. Make New Friends
It is highly recommended to make one or two new friends especially out of your research area who will help you relax and discuss things other than your research. It is a great way to connect with the world in addition to your PhD. They will also help you discover new horizons of your work giving you a different point of view compared to the traditional ones.
On the other hand, your friends of the same research group can provide you with support and motivation when you feel anxious about your thesis or research. They can prove to be a constant support group and help you eliminate negative emotions and thoughts about your degree completion.
3. Support From Your Supervisor
Your PhD supervisor can play an integral role to remove negativity and loneliness from your life during your PhD. Discussing your doubts and problems with him can be quite helpful. They are likely to support you in difficult times of your research and can also suggest possible solutions to your problems.
Moreover, you can discuss the layout of your research and thesis and incorporate changes in your routine in light of his suggestions. You’ll not only feel supported after putting forward your queries to him but will have more confidence while working on your research.
4. Join Doctoral Boot camps
Doctoral boot camps are very useful in helping you work rigorously within an intensely focused environment. The biggest advantage of joining a boot camp is that you get to know new people.
On the first day of your boot camp, you see strangers everywhere. But, as you work through various activities of boot camp with the same people, learn new skills, engage and compete with them, you develop a very strong bond.
You share the same enthusiasm to complete your thesis and help, support and motivate each other. It is such an amazing bond and experience which you can never share by sitting in your room all alone struggling to get your thesis done.
You can find such an amazing doctoral boot camp just by clicking here:
5. Social Platforms:
Social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are great sources of interaction for like-minded people. PhD scholars can follow certain mentors or join a group dedicated solely to scholars where they support each other, present new ideas and give suggestions, thus increasing your knowledge on a lot of subjects.
These platforms not only spread positivity among people but can also help you make better connections with other scholars and socialize with them.
But amid these, you may also counter negative people. Try to avoid them as much as you can as they can pull you down instead of lifting you up.
Choose wisely as Winston Churchill says,
"Losers see problems in each opportunity; winners see opportunities in every problem"
Hopefully, these suggestions would help you fight negativity and loneliness during your PhD and in your professional life as well. Do let us know in the comment section below about your thoughts and experiences of your PhD and what other topics you would like us to discuss.
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