A #phdstudent told me yesterday that she emailed a draft chapter to her supervisor 5 weeks ago and she still hasn't heard back.
I find that completely unacceptable - and I hear similar stories A LOT.
Can anyone beat five weeks?
I hear you. Those days are rough. I hope you’ve had many good moments since. Please feel free to DM me if I can be of help.
Thank you for your message. I am so glad you found it useful! It's always helpful to remember and practice loving-kindness towards yourself.
When the work feels hard, remember the three versions of you: past you, present you, and future you. That tough task today? It’s a gift to future you. It won’t make the work easy, but it might make starting just a bit easier.
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Be kind to yourself when you have a bad day. Remind yourself that not every day can be good and that what won’t help things is letting your internal critic get the better of you.
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Don’t be too harsh on yourself if you haven’t made the progress you aimed for, or you still have a lot of writing to do. Instead, congratulate yourself on the writing you have done, not the writing you haven’t.
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PhDs never, ever, ever go to plan. But don’t be so harsh on yourself. You’re human, and humans make mistakes. Show yourself loving-kindness, and see the mistakes as part of your ongoing development as a scholar and PhD student.
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Have you ever heard of a done list? To-do lists can overwhelm, whereas done lists inspire. That’s because the only things that matter are the things you actually do.
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Momentum often starts with the smallest possible step.
Take that step today.
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Trust your process, even when it feels slow.
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Momentum often starts with the smallest possible step.
Take that step today.
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Don’t underestimate how far you’ve already come.
Your past self would be proud.
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Confusion is not a setback.
It’s a sign you’re thinking deeply.
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You’re not alone — every researcher faces doubt.
Talk about it when you need to.
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It’s fine to slow down.
Slowness doesn’t erase your progress.
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Sometimes, clarity arrives after you start writing — not before.
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This morning’s #PhDDailyThought: Celebrate the days you keep trying.
They count the most.
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You’re becoming the kind of person who can finish hard things.
That’s a skill you’ll keep for life.
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The fear of not being good enough is common.
Don’t let it decide your next move.
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Imperfect drafts are how perfect arguments begin.
Write first, refine later.
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You’re not behind — you’re on your timeline.
Trust that.
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This morning’s #PhDDailyThought: Some days, courage looks like opening the document.
That’s enough.
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Your low-motivation days will pass, making room for calmer, more focused moments. Be patient with yourself. Always remind yourself: you’re doing better than you think.
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Don’t speak to yourself in a tone you’d never use with a friend. You have strengths, gifts, and a trajectory worth noticing. Look for them—they’re there.
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In a PhD it’s easy to stare only at what’s ahead and forget how far you’ve already come. Perfectionism blinds you to what’s already working. Take a moment to look back—you’ve made more progress than you think.
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Don’t compare your PhD to others—especially online. People post wins, not struggles. Behind the bragging is often failure you never see. Focus on your pace, your process, your progress.
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In your PhD, you can’t really be too repetitive. Here's what I mean: examiners read your thesis out of order and over weeks, so keep reminding them of your core questions, contribution, and theory. Clear signposting stops confusion.
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Some PhD days fall out of tune, and that’s ok. You won’t know everything or nail the first draft. What you can control is how you treat yourself. Be kind to yourself. You’re still learning the craft. That’s the process.
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If you’re finding your PhD difficult, remember—there’s a reason. It is difficult. For most students, this is the first time doing nearly every component at this scale. Keep going. It will start to make sense.
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“Your PhD must make an original contribution to knowledge.” Sounds huge, right? But here’s the truth: your contribution won’t be grand. It’ll be tiny and very niche, as it should be. You’re working at the research edge, not filling some mythical gap.
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