The 8AM project. Could you create a small writing group with your colleagues? From: Planning Your PhD buff.ly/2HDraX9 #PhDchat #ECRchat #postdoc

Getting distracted during your PhD. Try the Isolator!

Open Culture @openculture.bsky.social · 18h ago

The Isolator: A 1925 Helmet Designed to Eliminate Distractions & Increase Productivity (Created by SciFi Pioneer Hugo Gernsback)

The Isolator: A 1925 Helmet Designed to Eliminate Distractions & Increase Productivity (Created by SciFi Pioneer Hugo Gernsback)

The Isolator: A 1925 Helmet Designed to Eliminate Distractions & Increase Productivity (Created by SciFi Pioneer Hugo Gernsback)

The anti-distraction device is the modern mousetrap: build a better one, and the world will beat a path to your door.

openculture.com

Danni is struggling with a difficult part of her research. She thinks that because she is finding it hard that she is stupid. Danni is not stupid. She is wrong. A PhD is hard. #PhDchat #PhDForum

This is Luke’s happy place. He once had a great idea while he was looking at this tree. He sits here a lot waiting for another good idea. It probably won’t come. But at least Luke gets to look at a nice tree.

Ikram has set a deadline of finishing his methods chapter by Friday. He set the same deadline last week. But things got in the way. Ikram believes it will be different this time. Ikram is wrong. Things will get in the way this week too. #PhD

If you're using AI to help you write your thesis and you're not telling your supervisor about it - there's a problem.

#7PhDSecrets Secret 3: Be realistic “The best is the enemy of the good”. Which in practice means that by striving for a perfect thesis you will find it very hard to finish any thesis. The best thesis is a finished thesis. From: buff.ly/32cMaBK #PhDforum #PhDChat

#7PhDSecrets Secret 4: Say NO to distractions. When you're supposed to be working on your thesis why is housework so much fun? Why is everything else so much more appealing than what you should be doing? #PhDChat #PhDForum #ECRchat #postdoc

#MentalHealth tip: A #PhD can be very isolating. You need a support crew. People you can share the highs and lows with. Give them a shout out. #PhDchat #ECRchat #PhDforum #Gradschool

Does your thesis have a SOCK - a Significant and Original Contribution to Knowledge? How would you know if it's significant or original enough? Look at other theses to see what their contribution is. Ask your supervisor and peers. #PhDForum #phdlife

A PhD means making a significant and original contribution to body of knowledge. This doesn't mean winning the Nobel Prize. #PhDchat #PhDforum #ECrchat #postdoc

It's easy to forget but you are not your PhD. If PhD is having a bad day that does not mean you are a bad person. You are more than your PhD. #PhDforum #EMCRforum #gradschool

If you ever have a moment of clarity about your research question then get out a big sheet of paper and write it down and stick it on the wall behind your computer. That moment of clarity will not last long. Capture it. #PhDchat #ECRchat #postdoc #AcademicChatter #PhDForum

#7PhDSecrets: Thesis meetings. Take control. email the agenda before and email the notes afterwards. To all supervisors. From: buff.ly/3orOoIS #PhDchat #ECRchat #postdoc #PhDforum #AcademicChatter

#7PhDSecrets: Use an agenda to keep your meetings on track. Download a free template here: buff.ly/3waJkg4 #PhDchat #ECRchat #postdoc #PhDforum #AcademicChatter

Readitis: The belief that after reading one more article you will be ready to write. There is no end to how much you can read. So write first, then read some, write, read, repeat. #acwri #phdForum #EMCRforum

#PhDstudents: To get more out of your supervisory meetings come prepared with an agenda. It means you're more likely to get your questions answered. Download a template for free from: buff.ly/2L0YISj #PhDchat #PhDforum

Secret 7: You can do it! A PhD is 90% persistence and 10% intelligence. Of course you have to be clever. But that's not enough. You also have to persist. Hang in there. #7PhDSecrets #phdchat #ECRChat #postdoc #gradschool

#7PhDSecrets: Secret 6: Get help. If you are stuck don't stay stuck. It's OK to ask for help. From: The Seven Secrets of Highly Successful Research Students. #PhDchat #ECRchat #postdoc #PhDforum

Most PhD students & researchers feel guilty all the time. Have I done enough? I took some time out? I should be doing more. #7PhDSecrets Secret 5: Treat it like a job. If you know when to work, you know when to not work. Reduces guilt. #PhDchat #PhDForum #postdoc

Secret 4: Say NO to distractions - even the fun ones and the ones you think you must do. #7PhDSecrets

#7PhDSecrets Secret 3: Be realistic. It's not a Nobel Prize. When you are doing a PhD you are learning how to do research. #PhDchat #PhDlife

#7PhDSecrets. Secret 2: Write and show as you go. It's show and tell - not hide and seek. You tell yourself that they are not ready to write yet. But you are. You need to write all the way through. #PhDforum #PhDchat #acwri #ECRchat #postdoc #academicchatter

Some people are starting PhDs soon. Here are the Seven Secrets of Highly Successful Research Students. Secret 1: The care and maintenance of your supervisor. You have to learn how to work effectively with your supervisor. #PhD #PhDForum #7PhDSecrets

You can't do it all. Being strategic means sometimes saying NO. If you say yes to one opportunity it means there will be less time for something else. You can't do it all.

Reactive: responding to everything that comes along; emails, interruptions, distractions. Proactive: spend a bit of time working out your priorities for the day and make a bit of time to work towards them.

This is Paul's fountain pen. His parents gave it to him when he started his PhD. This is a useless present. Nobody writes a PhD with a fountain pen. #PhDchat #PhDforum #ECRchat #postdoc #acwri #AcademicChatter

Jessie is formatting her document (again). She thinks she is writing. Jessie is wrong. She is procrastinating. #PhDchat #PhDforum #acwri #ECRchat #postdoc

#MentalHealth tip: We have no idea what is going on in other people's lives. Bear this in mind when you're: Tempted to judge Providing feedback Frustrated by someone's behaviours. If you walked a mile in their shoes you might see things differently. #PhDchat #PhDforum