PSG #011: Silencing the Chaos: A guide for overtaking PhD candidates

Do you wish you could use noise-canceling headphones not only to shut out external but also internal noise?

In this newsletter, you will find guidance and support to help you manage your overthinking and anxiety as you pursue your PhD.

We will explore strategies to help you navigate the journey, and learn to silence the chaos in your mind.

Together, let's make the PhD journey a more positive and fulfilling experience.

1. Understanding Overthinking

As a PhD candidate, it's easy to get lost in the chaos of overthinking. The pressure to produce original research and meet deadlines can be overwhelming, leading to a constant stream of thoughts that can be difficult to manage.

During my PhD, I suffered from overthinking all the time. Especially at night when I tried to fall asleep. All things that I had to do were spinning around in my head as well as the smallest mistakes I did. I even thought about how to phrase an email or what to exactly say to for example my boss or in a group seminar. Often, this started a negative spiral leading to lying awake for hours.

Then, the next day was also screwed because I was tired af. Could not focus. Was not productive.

Overthinking not only negatively affects your sleep and relaxation time, but also has ramifications for your daily success.

I found different things helping me stop overthinking, my favourite being brain dump journaling ( see tip 1 below).

Ultimately, silencing the chaos requires self-care and compassion. By taking care of yourself and being gentle with your thoughts, you can overcome overthinking and succeed as PhD candidate.

2. Identifying and Analyzing Your Thoughts

Identifying and analyzing your thoughts is a crucial step in silencing the chaos of overthinking.

As a PhD candidate, your mind is constantly racing with ideas, questions, and doubts. It's easy to get caught up in this cycle and lose sight of what's important.

By taking the time to identify and analyze your thoughts, you can start to understand the patterns and triggers that lead to overthinking.

This self-awareness is key to establishing boundaries for your thought processes and introducing grounding techniques to help you focus.

It's important to create a calming environment for quiet reflection, where you can take a step back from the chaos and gain perspective.

With a clear understanding of your thought patterns, you can start to develop an action plan to combat overthinking habits.

3. Creating an Action Plan to Combat Overthinking Habits: 8 tips

Creating an action plan to combat overthinking habits is an essential step towards silencing the chaos in the life of an overthinking PhD candidate.

The action plan should be personalized and tailored to your individual needs and preferences. It should include specific goals and strategies that can help you to overcome and overthinking tendencies.

The following tools and tips have helped me tremendously. Have a look and give them a try!

1. Brain dump journalling

   A brain dump journal is a great tool to reduce overthinking. When you start overthinking or struggle to fall asleep because your mind is racing, get up, take a piece of paper or journal and just write down everything going through your mind.

   Dump it on the paper. Just get it out.

   Additionally, you can write everything down that you should do the following day. Then you don’t have to keep it in your mind overnight. For very important things you can also put a reminder in your calendar.

   The next morning you can use this as the basis for your to-do list and prioritize the task according to importance and urgency.

2. Establishing Boundaries for Your Thought Processes

   Establishing boundaries for your thought processes is a crucial step in silencing the chaos of overthinking. As a PhD candidate, it's easy to get lost in the endless stream of thoughts and ideas that flood your mind.

   However, setting boundaries can help you regain control over your thought processes and prevent them from spiralling out of control.

   Start by identifying the triggers that lead to overthinking and limit your exposure to them.

   For example, if social media is a trigger, set a time limit for how long you spend on it each day. Most phones can limit the eaves for a app, check it in your settings!

   You can also establish mental boundaries by creating a designated time and space for focused work, free from distractions.

   Additionally, practice saying no to tasks or commitments that don't align with your priorities or goals.

   By setting boundaries, you'll create a sense of structure and routine that can help you manage your thoughts and reduce stress.

3. Introducing Grounding Techniques to Help You Focus

   When it comes to overthinking, it's easy to get lost in a sea of thoughts and lose focus on the present moment. That's where grounding techniques come in. These techniques help you stay present and focused on the here and now, rather than getting lost in your thoughts.

   One grounding technique is to focus on your senses.

   Take a moment to notice what you:

   • see,
   • hear,
   • smell,
   • taste,
   • and feel.

   Another grounding technique is to use a mantra or affirmation to bring your mind back to the present moment.

   Repeat a phrase to yourself, such as "I am calm and focused," or "I am in control of my thoughts" or go through your body and address each part by saying „my feet are relaxed, my left leg is relaxed,….“

   If this is not your kind of jam, simply focusing on your breath can help. Count your breath. Try to breathe out longer than you breathe in. This activates the parasympathicus and leads to relaxation.

   By incorporating grounding techniques into your daily routine, you can train your mind to stay focused and present, which can help reduce overthinking and increase productivity.

4. Walking

   Go outside and walk. Nature has been shown to have a calming effect. The same is true for a simple, repetitive task such as walking. Leave your phone at home or at least turn it off! Simply walk, breathe, and enjoy nature.

5. Distracting yourself

   If all else is not working properly, distract yourself. For example, talking to someone, sharing your thoughts is a good way to deal with them.

   Read a book, this is also a proven way to calm yourself (depending on what you are reading ;)

6. the 70-20-10 rule (Jonathan Mann)

   70% of your work/experiments/texts … will be mediocre

   20% will suck

   10% will be amazing

   This means the more you produce, the more awesome results you are going to achieve. Failing is normal and thus if you avoid failing, you avoid success.

   Stop overthinking your mistakes and failures, take them as changes to learn and grow!

7. Spotlight effect (Cognitive Bias, inspired by Ben Meer)

   People pay far less attention to us than we think.

   This one was also hard for me to learn. I used to think everybody would notice and gossip about my flaws.

   Until I learned the harsh truth: nobody is thinking about you. They are all busy thinking about themselves or even worrying about what you think about them.

   This can set you free!

8. Stop looping, ask powerful questions

   I used to re-run things in my head and think about things I could have said or done … hours after the situation I had the very best, funniest, most sarcastic answers…

   Usually, these loops do not help us, they usually make us feel worse.

   When you catch yourself in such a loop (again: awareness is key), stop and ask these questions:

   • Is this useful?
   • Will it matter in a year?

   This can bring you back to the present and stop the loop.

4. Seeking Support from Peers and Professionals

As a PhD candidate, it is easy to feel isolated and overwhelmed by the demands of your program. However, seeking support from peers and professionals can make a significant difference in combating overthinking habits.

Peers can provide a sense of camaraderie and understanding, as they are also navigating the challenges of graduate school. Consider joining a writing group or attending a workshop to connect with others who share your experiences.

Additionally, professionals such as therapists or coaches can offer valuable guidance and tools to manage stress and anxiety. Don't be afraid to reach out for help when you need it.

Remember, seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.

By building a support system, you can feel more empowered to tackle the challenges of your PhD program and silence the chaos of overthinking.

Conclusion: Silencing the Chaos with Self-Care and Compassion

In conclusion, silencing the chaos of overthinking as a PhD candidate requires self-care and compassion.

It can be easy to get caught up in the demands of academia and the pressure to succeed, but taking care of oneself is crucial for success. Establishing boundaries for your thought processes, introducing grounding techniques, and creating a calming environment for reflection are all important steps to combat overthinking habits.

However, it's equally important to recognize that self-care is not selfish, but rather a necessary component of a healthy and successful academic career.

Seeking support from peers and professionals can also be a valuable tool in managing overthinking and promoting self-care. Remember to be gentle with yourself and practice self-compassion, even in the face of setbacks or challenges.

By prioritizing self-care and compassion, PhD candidates can silence the chaos of overthinking and achieve their academic goals with greater ease and confidence.

See you next week!

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We're excited to share the PhD Survival System with you because we know how tough it can be to get through a PhD program. We have developed a holistic system combining all the necessary areas to obtain optimal results.

We start with the foundation, your mindset and on top of that we building two pillars with time management and stress management.