Self Management

Doctoral study is unlike other degrees in terms of expecting candidates to display a very high level of self-organisation and self-management. It can take a while to settle into different ways of working, especially if things don’t go according to plan right away. When planning research, don’t expect superhuman things of yourself and ensure that you practice self-care by factoring in time for breaks and contingencies. It’s a good idea not to underestimate the time it will take to do things to a high level of quality.

Getting the most out of yourself and staying on top of your project is a challenge in its own right. It can be helpful to regularly take stock of what has been achieved so far, reflecting on what could work better.

It’s also important to plan for your own professional development throughout the life of your doctoral studies. Will you need to learn new skills (or brush up old ones)? Institutions often have a budget to support this but places on training programmes can be limited.

Another thing to think about is developing your personal networks, particularly if your research is dependent on them. Networks like GO-GN can be a valuable source of support throughout a Ph.D or Ed.D.