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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
132 episodes
3.41 Thriving with autism in academia: Advice for students and universities
In this episode, I’m joined by Jess Dineen, who is both a PhD student and a neurodivergent consultant, speaker, coach, and founder of NeuroNatives. We discuss the strengths and challenges of being in academia with autism, how autistic people ca...
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Season 3
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Episode 41
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52:24
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3.40 How to read academic papers more quickly
One of the most common comments I hear from PhD students is that reading always takes longer than they expect. In this episode, I share four elements that you need to take into account when deciding how much time you are going to give an articl...
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Season 3
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Episode 40
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39:59
3.39 How to get ahead when you’re feeling behind
In this episode, best selling author Sophie Hannah shares her “Book Ahead” method for managing multiple projects when you already feel behind. Born in the midst of a particularly busy year of writing, the first iteration of the Book Ahead metho...
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Season 3
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Episode 39
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40:19
3.38 Nine things PhD students need to tell themselves more often
Most PhD students and academics spend a lot of time telling themselves they’re not doing enough, they’re behind or they’re not good enough. Even if you truly believe that’s true, constantly having those comments in your head makes everything fe...
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Season 3
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Episode 38
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32:37
3.37 Why academics need to think like entrepreneurs
In this episode, I welcome Dr Ilana Horwitz, author of the new book, The Entrepreneurial Scholar. Being entrepreneurial isn’t just about starting a business — it’s about thinking creatively, seizing opportunities, and applying academic skills i...
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Season 3
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Episode 37
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52:23
3.36 Why you shouldn’t always do your best
If you are bored of being told “just do your best” and not knowing what that means, then this is the episode for you. We are gonna talk today about why you shouldn't be trying to do your best all the time, what the problems are if you do try an...
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Season 3
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Episode 36
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21:35
3.35 How PhD Students Can Network Smarter & Avoid Career Panic with Dr David Mendes from Beyond the Thesis
Struggling to figure out your career path after your PhD? In this episode, David Mendes—host of the Beyond the Thesis podcast—shares expert tips on using networking to map out your job market early. Learn how to have strategic career c...
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Season 3
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Episode 35
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45:35
3.34 Why making halfassed decisions is making your PhD harder
We don’t usually think of a PhD as a decision making process but it really is. We decide what research we do, how we do it, how we report it, and we make hundreds of decisions a day about what order we will do work in, what opportunities we wil...
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Season 3
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Episode 34
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18:11
3.33 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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25:44
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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32:33
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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1:06:21
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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57:04
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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37:52
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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27:25
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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1:04:39
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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32:44
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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44:13
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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52:45
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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35:31
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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29:00
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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38:45
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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35:37
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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1:04:36