PSG #012: Managing stress levels in academia

In this newsletter, we're going to explain to you how to manage stress levels in academia.

As a PhD candidate, learning how to properly manage your stress levels can lead to a more fulfilling academic journey and help prevent burnout. Doing so can help improve productivity and overall well-being, and lead to long-term success both personally and professionally.

Unfortunately, many PhD candidates struggle with stress management and often get lost in the never-ending cycle of academic demands and expectations.

The academic culture that glorifies overwork and burnout

The primary reason many PhD candidates struggle with stress management is their intense and competitive work environment.

• Reason #1: Poor time management skills.
• Reason #2: Long periods of isolation and pressure to succeed.
• Reason #3: Lack of resources to manage workload and stress.
• Reason #4: Neglecting personal well-being for academic success.

I know these reasons all first hand. Nobody taught me something about time management, I was just thrown into the cold water. Here’s your project, now produce results. Very overwhelming and stressful. The pressure to succeed and publish was of course high as well.

Neither in school nor at university and definitely not during my PhD I was taught anything about handling stress, setting boundaries, managing a huge workload, or taking care of my (mental) well-being.

So, I neglected rest and self-care leading to acute hearing loss as a result.

Only then I started to educate myself.

We want to give you a sentence of hope: there are ways to help you handle these problems in a healthier way! We will explain how to overcome these problems just laid out.

Here's how - step by step:

Step 1: Prioritize your well-being.

It's essential to prioritize your well-being to properly manage your stress levels in academia. Some ways to do this include:

• Adopting a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries and planning the „life“ part as well
• Engaging in stress-reducing activities like mindfulness and exercise.
• Seeking support and accountability from a community of like-minded individuals or coaches
• Taking breaks and time off when necessary and regularly to recharge and relax.

As a Phd candidate, I thought I could not take breaks or holidays, too much work to do. Work had to be the first priority, nothing is more important than doing your PhD. I felt guilty when I was not working, but I was also aware that the longer I worked the less focused I was.

Now I know that rest, finding a balance and stress-reducing activities are essential for productivity, focus, and success!

Step 2: Learn about time management.

One of the most significant reasons why PhD candidates experience high levels of stress is poor time management skills. To remedy this, you can:

• Set clear priorities and goals.
• Create a realistic schedule and don't overcommit.
• Also, add a buffer to every task, plus 50% is a good rule of thumb
• Learn to say no to excessive outside commitments.
• Practice time-blocking techniques to keep you on task.
• Everyone got the same 24 Horus per day, it's about prioritization and your mindset

Usually, we never learn anything about proper time management as PhD candidates. But it’s so important!

Most important: busy not productive

I was working like crazy and always busy, but as it turned out not really productive because I didn’t know what to prioritise. It’s important to know your goal and steps towards it. This helps you prioritise and makes it also easier to say no to tasks that are not bringing you forward.

in the beginning, I also tried to put as much as possible onto my daily to-do list.

And ended up stressed, overworked and frustrated because I couldn’t manage everything. Learning to create a realistic schedule and always adding a buffer, can reduce perceived pressure and stress tremendously!

Step 3: Create a support system.

Having a support network, whether it's with your peers, a mentor, or a therapist, can significantly help in managing stress levels by providing:

• Encouragement and motivation.
• Emotional support and validation.
• A listening ear and sounding board for ideas.
• Solutions and practical advice.

Sometimes just talking about things can help to release stress and calm down. But ATTENTION: don’t fall into a negative complaining spiral. This will only drag you down further.

I found it also really helpful to learn that I am not alone in going through this. Most PhD candidates struggle with stress and pressure at least at some point during their PhD. Don’t hesitate to talk to more experienced PhD candidates or Postdocs about it, they might have valuable tips for you.

in general, never be afraid to ask for help!

You deserve it and you are worth it. Nothing to be ashamed of!

By integrating these simple steps into your academic life, you can easily manage not only your commitments but also your time.

This will allow you to stay on top of your research, prepare for upcoming exams and assessments, and keep up with coursework.

It has been proven that students who are more organized are more likely to succeed in their studies, so why not give it a try and see the difference it can make for you?

Organize your academic life today and reap the rewards of a successful academic journey.

See you next week!

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If you want more help:

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.