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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
111 episodes
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
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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
3.08 How to be more patient and realistic (part of the Be Your Own Best Boss series)
If you make unrealistic plans and get impatient that you’re not progressing more quickly, then this is the episode for you! I’m going to give you specific tips about how to be more realistic and more patient so that you can be a better boss to ...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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27:21
3.07 How (and if) to work when things feel uncertain
It’s a tough world at the moment. I’ve had lots of clients struggling with job insecurity, family or personal health issues, and the direct or indirect effects of all the bad stuff that’s happening in the world right now. In this podcast, I giv...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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33:20
3.06 How to inspire the next generation (with Rosa Smith from the Brilliant Club)
Do you remember what fascinated you about your PhD topic? Sometimes when we’re stuck in the middle of endless studying it can be hard to recall why we even chose this programme. This week in the podcast I’m talking to Rosa Smith from the Brilli...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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40:28
3.05 Client Q&A – getting it done when you don’t feel like it
If you struggle to get stuff done when you don’t feel like working, this episode is for you! I’m answering three questions from my listeners:Q1 How do I go from rough notes to writing sentences?Q2 How do I edit when I’m sca...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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27:52
3.04 How to be more strategic and ambitious
Sometimes in academia being “strategic” and “ambitious” can feel like criticisms – like we’re building our career at the expense of others or being too “corporate” for a university setting. In reality, being strategic and ambitious is just abou...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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24:29
3.03 How to get started on a task
A lot of PhD students and academics struggle to get started on a task or believe that they can’t start until they’ve got lots of time. In this episode, I show you how to get started on a task, so that you can complete work even when you’re busy...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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23:57
3.02 How to start the academic year
This week, we’re talking about starting a new academic year! This is NOT about goal setting or new resolutions - instead I'm talking about three ways that you can start the year that are more positive and empowering. These are how to harness yo...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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21:13
3.01 How the PhD Life Coach can help you this year
We are back for a brand new season and I want to help all of you struggling with procrastination, overwhelm, imposter syndrome, working too much, not working enough, feeling behind, having too much to do or wondering if you want to be doing thi...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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19:21
2.48 Why we should ask if this will make the summary
Sometimes we can feel like we have to do everything, that everything is urgent, and we don't even know when to start. Sometimes the best approach is to work out how to be efficient, organise ourselves and get stuff done. Other times, it's worth...
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Season 2
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Episode 48
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17:33
2.47 Nine lessons the Olympics taught me that help in academia
Whether you have been watching the Olympics or not, we have so much we can learn from Olympians. Don't worry - this is not going to be the usual "you've got to work harder, you've got to grind" toxic mindset. I am going to share nine lessons th...
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Season 2
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Episode 47
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28:40
2.46 How to work with the version of you who shows up (with special guest Dr Alison Miller)
Sometimes we have the best intentions for the work we're going to do, but we wake up just not feeling it. We're tired, we lack focus, we don't think we're in the right frame of mind to work. Sometimes we beat ourselves up and force ourselves to...
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Season 2
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Episode 46
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48:12
2.45 Why we should all be more intentional and resourceful (and how!)
You ever feel like you get to the end of the week and you have no idea what you did, you've been busy but you definitely didn't do the things that you wanted to get done and the week just seems to have got away from you, then you are in exactly...
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Season 2
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Episode 45
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22:46
2.44 What to do when you get contradictory advice
PhD students and academics often wonder how to handle contradictory advice and how to decide what to do. In this episode I think about what makes contradictory advice feel so challenging and I give you some questions to ask yourself to help you...
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Season 2
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Episode 44
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40:18