Thread by @DisabledAcadem

This term I am (hopefully) graduating! Here are some strategies I'm trying out to manage anxiety and overworking 1/9

1. Check fellowships and job postings once a week and once a week only

2. Use printed calendars to map out chapter deadlines and edits 2/9

3. Keep a running "to do" list so I don't feel anxious about forgetting future edits/additions

4. Accept that the defense is about imagining a better manuscript. This is a starting point. It can't be perfect and it won't be. 3/9

5. Keep a work accountability buddy who's anticipating a similar timeline. Share goals and check in weekly

6. Keep in contact frequently with my advisor so there are no surprises and we're on the same page 4/9

7. Take weekends off and block out a 40 hour work week. I can't feasibly write well for more than four hours a day, so I'm also building a schedule with varied tasks 5/9

8. Ask all my friends outside the academy to hold me accountable to distanced social engagements. It helps to have people outside the system remind me that it's just a job, and that I deserve and need self care. 6/9

9. Ask for help early. I'm working on feeling less guilty saying "no" and less guilty focusing on this one thing. I don't need to present at conferences or give talks or guest lecture. Because I might be shifting to a career where none of those things are valued. 7/9

10. Use this time to acknowledge the PhD process for what it was and what it was not. It's hard to commit so much time to a system that will continually make you feel like you're not enough and that you're not working hard enough. 8/9

What advice do you guys have for those of us with upcoming defense dates? 9/9 #phdchat #AcademicChatter #phdlife #highered