The PhD Life Coach

They tackle why external accountability makes academic work easier to start. Practical ways to recreate structure, clarity and reassurance from within are explored. Short-start tactics and their risks get examined. Strategies for stopping well, keeping progress records, and building self-trust round out the conversation.

They reframe confusion as a normal signal that you are tackling important, complex problems. Writing is presented as a tool for thinking, not just polishing prose. Practical, low-pressure tasks and material changes are offered to turn fuzzy thinking into usable drafts. The conversation encourages experiments that make progress feel possible even when direction is unclear.

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!One of the most annoying phrases I hear is “my supervisor only gives feedback on polished drafts”. This is usually accompanied by stories of wasting weeks stressing about whether the work is polished enough, only for the supervisor to later declare it “missing the point” or other such criticisms. In this episode I discuss (ok, I rant about) why waiting for a polished draft is a fundamentally flawed policy and what we should do instead. I give advice for supervisors who think that this is the easiest/best way (I know you’re not doing it to be unhelpful!) and for students whose supervisors still do this. Check it out if you’re in this position, or if you just want to hear me get a bit feisty! If you liked this episode, you should check out my episode on how to edit your work without hating yourself. ****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!Lots of people struggle to get work done because they feel like they’re always interrupted, whether that’s by colleagues, friends or family. In this episode I discuss how we can explore this with curiosity, and give some tangible tips about how to reduce the likelihood of interruptions as well as reducing the impact on your work. There’s some hard truths in here too, so be ready to get called out (in a loving and compassionate way as usual!)  If you liked this episode, you should check out my episode on how to spot, and stop, all or nothing thinking.****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.

A conversation about when thinking about academic work becomes a problem and how to notice its impact. Practical tactics are shared like role-based time blocking, carrying a note-taking “dumping ground,” and scheduling dedicated thinking slots. The discussion also covers reclaiming hobbies and non-academic friends, calming anxious self-critical thoughts, and building tolerance for uncertainty.

They unpack four common, contradictory beliefs that trap academics in inaction around time. Practical alternatives are offered, from short focused slots to rethinking non-negotiables. There are tips on making early-morning writing sustainable and finding hidden time inside work tasks. The episode finishes with a simple, one-week small-plan challenge to test a change.

Listeners hear why tough tasks often get misread as personal failure and how that mindset clouds progress. The conversation contrasts threat and challenge framings and lists three common causes of difficulty. Practical approaches are offered: noticing self-talk, finding missing skills or resources, experimenting with different problem views, and using peers for fresh perspectives.

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!In this coaching episode, podcast listener Claire is exploring career options, but worries she lacks the lateral thinking skills to come up with possible ideas. I am not a career coach, but we use this example as an opportunity to explore how limiting beliefs can prevent you finding solutions and how there are many routes to creative ideas. Listen in as we discuss her situation and identify a path forward. If you want to be on the podcast in the future, make sure you’re on my newsletter to hear about future chances to volunteer! If you liked this episode, you should check out my episode on How to make decisions you love and this episode on how PhD Students Can Network Smarter & Avoid Career Panic with Dr David Mendes from Beyond the Thesis****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.

Strategies for handling tasks that arrive unplanned and derail your week. Tips on pausing before saying yes and checking what you already committed to. Ways to swap, defer or partially accept new work without losing control. Reasons to record completed unplanned tasks to boost motivation and learn for the future.

A guide to handling tasks that are taking far longer than planned. Short breathing and mindset resets to calm panic. A boss-like checklist to find why work is delayed. Practical options: shrink scope, change deadline or accept lower polish. Tips on noticing avoidance, tracking where time goes, and who to tell early.