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The PhD Life Coach
Whether you're a PhD student or an experienced academic, life in a university can be tough. If you're feeling overwhelmed, undervalued, or out of your depth, the PhD Life Coach can help. We talk about issues that affect all academics and how we can feel better now, without having to be perfect productivity machines. We usually do this career because we love it, so let's remember what that feels like! I'm your host, Dr Vikki Wright. Join my newsletter at www.thephdlifecoach.com.
Episodes
124 episodes
3.30 How to make your week more effective
If you start your weeks strong but usually end disappointed, then this episode is for you! I’m going to be sharing how everything improved for me when I separated “boss me” from “implementer me” and used that idea to understand why I felt so fr...
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Season 3
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Episode 33
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26:46
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3.32 How to work out why you procrastinate and what to do about it
Pretty much every PhD student struggles with procrastination yet the advice is often very generic. In this episode, I talk about a theoretical framework that helps us better understand why each of us, as individuals, procrastinate so that we ca...
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Season 3
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Episode 32
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33:34
3.31 Protecting your mental health during your PhD with Dr Marissa Edwards
This week I’m joined by Dr Marissa Edwards, one of the editors of the Research Handbook of Academic Mental Health. We chat about why higher education can be a uniquely stressful environment, why some researchers may have particular challenges, ...
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Season 3
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Episode 31
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1:07:22
3.30 Doing a PhD with a chronic illness, with special guest Krystina François
In this episode, we welcome Krystina François, a third year PhD student and current member of The PhD Life Coach membership. Krystina shares her experiences of doing a PhD with chronic illness, coming to terms with being disabled, and how she b...
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Season 3
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Episode 30
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58:05
3.29 How to Stop Wasting Time by Trying to Be Too Efficient
In this episode of The PhD Life Coach podcast, Dr Vikki Wright explains why chasing ‘perfect efficiency’ is actually making your PhD harder. Many students think that taking flawless notes or writing excellent first drafts will save tim...
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Season 3
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Episode 29
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16:28
3.28 How to overcome your fear of presenting (with special guest, author Linda Ugelow)
If you dread presentations, or would just like to be a bit more confident when speaking, then this episode is for you! Linda Ugelow, author of Delight in the Limelight, is talking about why so many of us struggle with public speaking and what w...
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Season 3
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Episode 28
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38:54
3.27 How to “do it all” – a listener Q&A episode!
In this episode I answer three questions from listeners on different topics, but that are all loosely connected to the idea that we want to be able to “do it all”. I give Julia some tips on writing up a PhD with small children, I advise Susan o...
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Season 3
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Episode 27
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28:26
3.26 How to look after yourself when conducting emotionally distressing research
All research can be stressful but if your topic is inherently distressing, it becomes even more important to look after your own wellbeing. In today’s episode, I welcome Dr Tina Skinner and Sarah Warbis who are experts in researcher...
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Season 3
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Episode 26
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1:05:40
3.25 How to edit your work without hating yourself
One of the most frustrating moments in a PhD or academic career is reading through your first draft—only to realise it’s a mess. It doesn’t flow, the arguments feel clunky, and now you’re stuck figuring out how to fix it.In today’s episo...
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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33:46
3.24 How and why to write for Medium (and beyond)
Want more people to read your research? This week, I’m joined by Tony Stubblebine, CEO of Medium, to explore the benefits of writing for a general audience. We’ll discuss how sharing your ideas beyond academia can boost your visibility, strengt...
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Season 3
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Episode 24
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45:14
3.23 Why what you do matters (and when it doesn’t)
Do you ever wonder why you’re even doing this? Whether your research actually matters and whether the world actually cares? In this episode I’m telling you exactly why I believe your work matters, no matter what you’re researching. I’ll also te...
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Season 3
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Episode 23
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8:05
3.22 Are you in an emotional overdraft? With special guest author Andy Brown
Do you ever feel like you’re only succeeding because you’re working more than is healthy? That you are subsidizing your work at the expense of your wellbeing? Then today’s episode is a must listen! I welcome Andy Brown, author of The Emotional ...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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53:46
3.21 Six types of social support you need as a PhD student (and how to get it)
Doing a PhD and even working in academia can be a lonely business. Sometimes we just don't feel like we've got the support we need around us. In this episode, I am going to identify six different types of social support that I think all academi...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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36:32
3.20 Why we should think less about deadlines (and what we should do instead)
Do you find yourself putting stuff off because it’s not due yet or never reaching some goals because they don’t have a specific deadline at all? Is the only thing that actually gets you moving that slight panic associated with a looming deadlin...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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30:01
3.19 Secrets we wish PhD students knew with Dr Gertrude Nonterah of the Bold PhD
In this episode, I chat with Dr Gertrude Nonterah, founder of The Bold PhD. She shares her own experience of transitioning from an academic career to an industry position and starting her own business that supports people with PhDs to build the...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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39:47
3.18 How and When to Change Your Plans: Overcoming Resistance, Embracing Flexibility, and Making Big Moves
Changing plans can feel daunting, especially when you’re committed to a specific path and you’re not sure what is the “right” decision. In this episode, we dive into why it’s so hard to shift gears, why adaptability is essential for success, an...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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36:38
3.17 Overcoming Overwork and Overwhelm in the Final Months of Your PhD (a special coaching episode!)
In this episode, I coach Swagata, a PhD student navigating the intense overwhelm and exhaustion of her final months of writing up. If you’ve ever felt the pressure of looming deadlines, struggled to balance rest with productivity, or found your...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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1:05:37
3.16 Why I’m banning highlighters
In this episode, I make a feisty case for why we should ban highlighters! I’ll give you four reasons they’re not helping you and tell you what you should be doing instead. Forward this to all your favourite stationery-obsessed friends!
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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13:16
3.15 Creating Positive Academic Environments: Insights from Sports Psychology with Dr Andrew Dewar
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Andrew Dewar from Oxygen Conservation to explore how we can build more positive, motivational environments in academia using insights from sports psychology.We dive into strategies for fostering recovery...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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1:01:45
3.14 Why Word Count Goals Don't Work for PhD Writing – And What to Do Instead
In this episode, we’re diving into a common trap many PhD students and academics fall into: setting word count goals like “500 words a day” or “6,000 words by next month.” While these goals sound productive, they often oversimplify the complex ...
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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14:21
3.13 Client Q&A - Motivating yourself in your final year, achieving post-PhD goals, and effective podcast listening
In this episode, I answer three thought-provoking questions from PhD students and graduates:Handling Final-Year DisappointmentA PhD student asks how to cope with the sense of disappointment that can arise in the final year when ...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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26:10
3.12 Why perfect plans fail: Embracing imperfection in academic planning
In this episode, I share a fresh approach to planning for PhD students and academics that doesn’t rely on perfection. If you’ve ever felt like planning isn’t for you because you “never stick to it,” this episode is for you. We’ll explore im...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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25:19
3.11 Navigating AI during your PhD: An Honest Conversation with Dr. Jessica Parker of MoxieLearn
Whether you’re a regular AI user or prefer to keep your distance, understanding AI’s role in academia is becoming essential. In this episode, I chat with Dr. Jessica Parker, founder of the AI platform MoxieLearn, about the when, why, and how of...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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1:05:43
3.10 How to go from idea overload to clarity
I don’t know about you but my brain has so many ideas and thoughts of things I should do, shouldn’t do, mustn’t forget, want to change, or need to make a decision about. I needed a system to get them out of my head but where I knew I would come...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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20:47
3.09 Client Q&A – post-deadline slumps, uncommunicative supervisors, and judging your own work
Do you struggle to get back into work after a big deadline? Have issues connecting with your supervisor? Or feel like you don’t even know whether your work is good enough or not? Then this episode is for you! In my second client Q&A episode...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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41:41