With Christmas round the corner, I thought it would be good to dedicate a post to ideas for making the most of the festive season as a PhD student. You may find it useful to spend some time over the next few weeks:
Tying Up Loose Ends
It’s difficult to say that anything is truly complete as a PhD student until you’ve finished your PhD. However, the end of a year is a good time to tie up as many loose ends as you can. By getting as many tasks as possible completed, you can start the New Year afresh which can work wonders for your motivation.
Having a Break
For many PhD students, the thought of not doing work is immediately guilt-inducing but it’s important to have a break sometimes and the holiday season is the perfect time to relax with family and friends. Even just a short period of rest will help to recharge your batteries and leave you ready to return to your research with renewed vigour.
Taking Stock of your Achievements
The end of a year is the perfect time to take stock and celebrate your accomplishments. Regardless of how big or small, make a note of everything that you’re proud to have achieved – you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised at how many things you can come up with.
Making a List of Goals for the Future
As much as the end of a year is a time to take stock, it’s also a time to make plans for the future. Make a list of your hopes for the next few weeks and months. As above, don’t just think big – you’ll want to be able to tick things off at regular intervals and smaller goals are generally more quickly realised.
Hopefully, this has provided a few ideas on how to make productive use of the festive season whilst completing a PhD. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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