{"id":122,"date":"2020-07-17T13:43:21","date_gmt":"2020-07-17T13:43:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/postgradproofreader.co.uk\/blog\/?p=122"},"modified":"2022-11-03T15:48:00","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T15:48:00","slug":"five-tips-for-looking-after-your-mental-health-as-a-postgrad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgradproofreader.co.uk\/blog\/2020\/07\/17\/five-tips-for-looking-after-your-mental-health-as-a-postgrad\/","title":{"rendered":"Five tips for looking after your mental health as a postgrad"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n


Postgraduate work is rewarding and can advance your career. But it can also be hard, lonely and scary. When your brain is full of ethics forms, analysis and recruitment, it can be hard to take care of yourself. Looking after your mental health is always essential but is especially important when you\u2019re so busy you feel you don\u2019t have the time. As the Zen proverb says:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u2018You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day \u2013 unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Photo by Jared Rice<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Here are five tips for maintaining your sanity while completing your master\u2019s or PhD.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

1. Fight isolation <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Postgrad work is often groundbreaking. This is exciting, of course. But the problem with breaking new ground is that there might not be anyone else breaking that ground with you. This means you can end up feeling isolated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Is there anyone else at your university doing similar research to you? If so, drop them an email, see if they fancy lunch. If not, have a look online for groups of people doing similar work to you. Lots of PGPR clients are conducting qualitative research using interpretative phenomenological analysis; if you\u2019re one of those people, check out the IPA groups.io<\/a> gang, which is a supportive place to ask questions and make contacts. Despite its reputation for being toxic, Twitter can also be a friendly space for academics. You might want to start out by following @AcademicChatter<\/a>, @PhDVoice<\/a> and PGPR’s account @DrJohannaSpiers<\/a> for some interesting online conversations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Postgrad work can be lonely
Photo by Fabrizio Verrecchia<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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2. Take breaks <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

When you\u2019re drowning in deadlines, it can feel tempting to keep working on into the night, only stopping to cram crisps into your mouth every now and then. But we all know this is a bad idea, right?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Make sure you work regular breaks into your days. Does your uni have a gym? Go for a yoga class or a game of squash. Are you working from home? Go outside, sit in the sun, read a chapter of a novel. Is it Sunday and you\u2019ve been working for 15 days straight? Stop it! Watch some Ozark and put your feet up. You\u2019ll feel much better, and you\u2019ll be more productive when you do get back to your desk.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

3. Ask for support if you need it <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There\u2019s no escaping it; doing a master\u2019s or a PhD is tough. You\u2019re leading your own research, which is unpredictable and has many elements outside of your control. You\u2019re probably skint. You\u2019re watching your friends and family fill their evenings with fun while you\u2019re conducting analysis and writing discussion sections. And you might be juggling family responsibilities while doing all this. If you need help, ask for it. Many universities have free counselling services which are quick to access. Your personal tutor is there for you to talk to. Asking for help is a sign of strength, so don\u2019t be scared to reach out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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We all need a helping hand from time to time
Photo by youssef naddam<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

4. Celebrate the wins<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you\u2019ve read this far, you might be forgiven for thinking postgrad work is nothing but doom and gloom. However, there are many triumphs along the way: getting accepted onto the course, passing your status upgrade, getting ethics approval, recruiting your first participants, writing your first paper, presenting at your first conference. These are all amazing achievements \u2013 remember to enjoy them!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Celebrate your postgrad wins whenever you can
Photo by Ambreen Hasan<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

5. Contact PGPR for extra help<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you\u2019re feeling stuck with spelling, tense about tenses or grouchy over grammar as you\u2019re writing up your findings, get in touch for proof-reading help. We can also offer written and video-based feedback for qualitative social science work or help with your interview schedules and conference presentations. Just fill in the form below to find out more.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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