lost motivation for phd

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Tress Academic

#35: PhD motivation running low? Here’s the cure!

December 10, 2019 by Tress Academic

Is it getting harder to be excited about your PhD? Perhaps you struggle to find the enthusiasm to start another work day – especially when nothing seems to be going your way. You might be suffering from one of the most common syndromes among PhD students: a lack of motivation. Although it may feel like your work is coming to standstill, DON’T BE FOOLED! There are many ways to get your motivation to come out of hiding, if you know what caused it disappear in the first place! We’ll help you to understand the causes and the cures for the motivational slumps, so you can stay on track and keep smiling until your PhD is in the bag!

Make no mistake, the PhD is a very demanding period of your life. You’re working on many difficult tasks, always aware that things can go wrong, with supervisors who all have high expectations, and dish out heavy criticism whenever they sense a momentary slip-up.  Many different tasks demand your attention at any given moment; like working out your research project, experimenting, analysing data, and apart from all of that, you still must attend your graduate courses, present at conferences, and publish your results! That’s a lot to tackle alongside a high workload. So it comes as no surprise if this adds up to you feeling demotivated every now and then. Rest assured, no PhD student is super motivated and happy all the time. The ups and downs are just a part of the entire PhD process. 

Motivation changes over time

It’s normal that motivational levels of PhD students naturally change over time. We see a lot of PhD students at the very beginning of our course “Completing your PhD successfully on time” that are walking on sunshine in the first weeks of their PhD! When they’re asked to rate their satisfaction with their PhD, they’re close to 100% because they’re just so happy that they got the chance to do a PhD, after receiving a grant or scholarship or successfully beat other competitors for a PhD position, that they feel a bit like they won the lottery!

Was it the same for you in the beginning? Well, then you also know that the feeling does not last. Because after a while, reality kicks in and you realise that not everything is as perfect as it seemed at first. This is often when one’s motivation starts to adjust to a normal level, but is still pretty stable. Later into the PhD, your motivation often continues to shrink. This is when there’s still an awful lot of work to do, with difficulties creeping up all around and no end in sight. But guess what? As the day of your submission approaches (even if it is still in the distant future), motivation often picks up again, once you start to gain confidence with the results of your research, or get your first papers published and a general feeling of – I’ll probably get through this one day – begins to sink in!

Don’t let low motivation drag you down

Apart from this usual fluctuation tendency in a PhD, low motivation is always a warning sign from your psyche telling you ‘uh oh something’s wrong here’ – so don’t ignore it. 

It is very important to spot the early signs of low motivation, because at this stage, you can do a lot to get out of it quickly! And the sooner you take the necessary steps to get out of it, the better. In contrast, if you wait too long to act, then you might become really depressed and the situation is much more difficult to tackle. 

With this blog post, we want to help you reflect on the reasons you might be feeling de-motivated – as this is often the key for improvement. As we put our heads together,  to try and help you understand the problem, we also put together great tips on how to get out of a motivational low – all specific to the underlying reasons! Check out or free worksheet “How to get out of low PhD motivation?” So here’s the message: You don’t have to accept low motivation – it’s all within your power to change! 

How to spot low motivation?

These are the typical signs of a PhD student who is at a motivational low:

• You’re not as excited as usual to come to work, or when you think about your PhD.
• It takes you a long time to get started and when you do, you postpone difficult or important tasks related to your project. 
• It takes you longer than usual and feels more difficult to finish something. You’re not happy with what you produce and your overall progress slows down. 
• You deliberately look for distractions. This might take shape as aimlessly browsing the web or social media platforms (for more on combatting social media addition, see our post #14 “Social media/www distractions at work: 5-step cure!” You might also distract yourself with work-related tasks that are not challenging but still give you the feeling of doing something, e.g. getting involved in the organisation of scientific events at your institute, or busying yourself cleaning up, sorting through emails or reorganising your workspace …

Whatever form it takes, we know that this behaviour always has a root cause. So we’ve broken down for you the five main reasons for low motivation that we see time and time again with PhD students:

Reason 1: Stuck in a boring routine 

You may be in a situation where you have to do a tedious or boring task for a considerable amount of time. We know the typical routines: Maybe you are coding and you have nothing to do but coding for whole days, and you know it’ll go on like this for weeks on end. Or you’re spending seemingly endless hours in the lab, running gels, so your day is sliced into 15 or 20 min slots. Or you’re working with antibodies and have 2-3 h incubation times, which is not much better. Or you’re sorting through data to  find a few meaningful correlations that will prove your PhD work as worthwhile … It’s no wonder that your motivation plummets and you can hardly pull yourself together to continue the slog. 

Probably, you generally like working as a researcher, and most of the tasks come easy to you. But this type of routine would wear anyone down! So your motivation slips with certain repetitive tasks that you don’t like, are boing, or simply overwhelm you. 

Reason 2: There’s no end in sight

Your research is in full swing and you thought by now you’d have more clarity and confidence about your project, but instead you are getting more uncertain and confused by the day. You may have some results already, but you are unsure which aspects of it to use for your dissertation, or if you can use them at all. You’ve no clue whether you are making progress with your PhD or not. All you see are loose ends everywhere: ideas that you did not follow up on, half-finished paper-drafts, and incomplete side-projects. It seems like you’ve lost track of it all, you’re going around in circles, with your head spinning, and your motivation is way down. 

This type of motivation loss often hits home many months after you started the PhD. Your work gains complexity as you go, and not all results make sense. You may adjust and deviate from your original plan to follow different paths, but not all of them lead to success. Now you are in a phase where you are reading more and understanding better what others in your field did before you. But as you gain knowledge and insights, you also become much more critical of your own work and progress. For you, it feels like there is no clear win or breakthrough in sight that would give you the ‘green light’ so you finally know you’ll be able to manage it all and get your degree in the end. 

Reason 3: Unacknowledged work 

This has a lot to do with the nature of PhDs and the working culture in scientific institutes: Although you may be part of a team, most of what you do for your PhD in the end is done in isolation. That means you’re probably lacking positive feedback and stimulation. And because you’re still in research training and on a steep learning curve, you get the full brunt of criticism from colleagues. Your supervisors or PIs may be quick to point out any shortcomings or flaws in your work, but less practiced at giving out praise! Have you every heard anyone in your lab saying ‘Wow, you did an absolutely amazing job with this, congrats!’ Nope. This may lead you to think negatively of your own achievements, doubt your abilities, and be quite demotivating! 

We have all experienced how this works: If we get positive feedback or a praise, we’re super happy and look forward to continuing with our work or even work harder. But if we are heavily criticised or if critique dominates and nothing positive is mentioned, we are hurt and demotivated. Sometimes this is so extreme that we’d rather stop working on a task and take on something else entirely. 

Reason 4: Overworked and sleep deprived 

It can happen to anyone: Your recent experiment or field campaign was much more time intensive than expected, there was a deadline for a conference paper that you wanted to submit, and you were also desperate to work on a proposal that would give you more funding for your PhD. As a result, you got into a habit of working very long days, even on weekends,  and your last real break  was a long time ago …

It’s no surprise that after weeks or months in ‘emergency overdrive’, you feel drained and exhausted. And although you initially thought you’ll just put in some extra hours temporarily, this has in fact become your standard mode of working. You got used to that high-intensity schedule and you had little to no time to recover! Demotivation creeps in, because – after all – you may be a PhD student, but you’re also a human being! 

Reason 5: Uncertainty about the future

Do you get a funny feeling in your stomach when you  imagine the time after your PhD completed? Do you feel the anxiety creeping up and freezing you to the spot? You’ve probably heard rumours from other PhD students who had difficulty finding a position afterwards and in your worst nightmares you picture yourself unemployed and broke…! So the thought of your ‘life-after-the-PhD’ and all the questions that come along with it are hanging over you, deflating your energy and shrinking your motivation to push ahead with your PhD – because what use is it?

Uncertainty about the future is one of the big recurring worries of PhD students. (Max-Planck survey link). As a PhD student, you have been within a university for such a long time that life beyond the ivory-tower is virtually beyond your imagination. Everything outside academia may seem scary and you have no clue which of your skills will be valued by employers. And even something familiar like continuing with a post-doc seems intangible and remains in the very distant future. Not surprising that your motivation to move on stalled. . .!

How to get out of it?

Help is around. For all these five possible reasons for your motivational low we come up with hands-on advice, tips and suggestions what you can do to overcome the motivational low and get your PhD back on track. Check out our free worksheet “How to get out of low PhD motivation?” for all the help that you need. 

Conclusion:

 It is normal to lose motivation at critical parts of your PhD. But it is also easy to combat if you recognize the signs early and treat yourself properly. Consider yourself another working part of your project that you may need to adjust as things move forward. You can’t always expect to get your best quality work if you are running on empty. So slow down, take stock, break up your routine now and then with something you love, get input from the people who care about you and rest! 

If all our tips sound like we’re speaking a foreign language to you – you need to sit down and plan some changes in your week immediately! This time is always going to be a challenging one, so make it easier for yourself and take a moment of zen to see the past, present and future as part of an amazing journey that you can – no – will successfully finish! Our suggestions in our free worksheet “How to get out of low PhD motivation?” will definitely help you on your way! 

Related resources:

• Worksheet “How to get out of low PhD motivation?”
• Smart Academics Blog #14 “Social media/www distractions at work: 5-step cure!”
• Smart Academics Blog #37: 5 ways to boost your energy as a researcher!
• Smart Academics Blog #55: 7 signs you need help with your PhD
• Smart Academics Blog #59: Overwhelmed by PhD work? Here’s the way out!
• Smart Academics Blog #72: 1000 things to do – no clue where to start
• Smart Academics Blog #100: PhD success stories that motivate!
• TRESS ACADEMIC course “Completing your PhD successfully on time”

More information: 

Do you want to complete your PhD successfully? If so, please sign up to receive our free guides.  

© 2019 Tress Academic

Photograph by Ethan Sykes at unsplash.com

#PhD, #Motivation,  #MotivationalLow, #Demotivation, #DoctoralStudy,

7 Super Simple PhD Student Motivation Hacks

Losing motivation during your PhD is very, after all, you are trying to work towards a single problem for many years. When things are not going your way, or you are just fed up of thinking about the same thing over and over again, you can very quickly lose motivation.

Keeping your motivation up during your PhD means understanding you need to focus on discipline and not necessarily motivation. However, remembering your “why”, eating healthily, and finding an energising hobby can help keep you motivated.

In this article, we will go over all of the things you need to know about keeping up your motivation as a PhD student and all of the things I learned throughout my 15 years in academia.

I was always surprised at how easy it was to get myself back on track if I found myself in a slump.

Check out my YouTube video if you want to know more about how to get your PhD motivation back. I summarised all of the most important and effective tricks:

Here are all of the little tricks you need to know.

It’s about discipline NOT motivation

It’s common to feel demotivated and lose your motivation during your PhD or when writing up your thesis, but there’s a simple fact that every successful person learns.

It’s not about motivation, it’s about discipline.

That’s what successful PhD students and academics understand.

They don’t wait to feel like doing something, they just do it. And they keep doing it, even when they don’t feel like it, because they know it’s important.

Successful PhD students are disciplined. They have the self-control to do what they need to do, even when they don’t want to do it. They know that if they’re not disciplined, they won’t achieve their goals.

Unfortunately, we often wait for too long for motivation to strike. In my experience, a lot of the time, this simply does not happen.

If you want to be successful during your PhD, you need to be disciplined. You need to have the self-control to do what’s necessary, even when you don’t feel like it. You need to keep going, even when you feel like giving up.

Discipline is the key to success in academia.

Sometimes, discipline is not enough on its own. If you are experiencing any of the low motivation symptoms, you can combat them relatively easily.

How to spot low motivation?

There are several ways to spot low motivation.

One way is to ask yourself how much pleasure you get from the activities you’re engaged in. If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, it’s likely that your motivation is low.

Another way to tell if your motivation is low is to look at how much effort you’re putting into your studies.

If you find yourself procrastinating or not putting forth your best effort, it’s a sign that your motivation may be low.

Finally, take a look at your results. If you’re not seeing the progress you want, or if you’re seeing setbacks, it could be a sign that your motivation is lacking.

There are also some very specific PhD related symptoms that you should look for.

Not wanting to communicate with your supervisor

One of the first warning signs I look for in any of my students is any hesitation in communicating with their supervisors.

Students often avoid speaking with their supervisors if they are not producing results. This can happen when the PhD student feels like there is a massive hurdle in front of them that they cannot overcome.

Your supervisor should be able to help you find a simple experiment or study to do to start the ball rolling.

Never avoid or delay a supervisor meeting. The meetings will keep you accountable and help you on the path to completion.

Procrastination on thesis/writing

Writing is a massive pain in the bum.

I know that I would always procrastinate a lot when it came to writing up my thesis or peer-reviewed papers.

A lot of people find the academic writing process very tedious and painful. Finding the motivation to do just a few hundred words a day can also be very difficult.

Loss of enthusiasm

Burnout During your PhD, it is likely that you will feel overwhelmed and stressed at some point.

Your supervisor may not be able to help either, as they are usually busy with their own research and things.

Research is a notoriously competitive field, which means that there is a lot of pressure to succeed. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress, which can eventually lead to burnout.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, it is important to take a step back and assess your situation. Talk to your supervisor about your concerns and see if there is anything they can do to help you.

It may also be helpful to talk to other PhD students or academics who have been through the same thing. They will be able to offer advice and support.

In the end, it is up to you to manage your own stress levels and make sure you don’t end up burning out.

If you want to know more about combating burnout during your PhD check out my YouTube video below.

How do PhD students stay motivated?

There is no one answer to this question as different students have different motivators.

However, some ways that PhD students stay motivated include setting goals, breaking up their work into manageable tasks, staying organized, and seeking support from their peers and mentors.

Additionally, many students find it helpful to celebrate their small accomplishments along the way. This will help create a sense of momentum that can breed more motivation.

Here are the basic motivational tips including some simple actionable advice that you can use if you are feeling unmotivated.

Motivational Tips

1. The basics

First, try setting smaller goals that are more achievable. This will help you see progress and feel more successful, which can increase your motivation.

Second, make sure you’re taking care of yourself physically by getting enough sleep and exercise; both things can boost your energy and mood, which can in turn increase your motivation.

Finally, try speaking kindly to yourself and focusing on positive self-talk; this can help increase your confidence and self-belief, making it easier to stay motivated.

2. Remember your WHY

Throughout PhD it can be hard to remember why you actually started one in the first place. There is so much more you end up doing is a PhD student. You can actually forget your true purpose whilst busy with the admin, politics, and busywork that a PhD often presents.

Getting familiar with your motivations to do your PhD will certainly ground you, hopefully, help you remember why you decided to go down this path in the first place.

3. Focus on the bigger picture

Focusing on the bigger picture also helps me a lot.

Quite often we can get bogged down in the details of our research. However, connecting with the bigger picture and zooming out really helps boost motivation.

Remember questions such as:

• who you’re doing this research for
• why you did this in the first place
• what the true benefits of your work are

can really help provide that small amount of inspiration when it is low.

4. Find an energizing hobby

Hobbies have been something that has provided a welcome distraction from my PhD and academic work.

They have allowed me to get away from work and take a break from the daily grind.

However, not all hobbies are made the same.

I would recommend finding a hobby in which you feel energised. Watching TV, reading a book, are great but often leave me feeling tired. Hobbies that include hanging out with other people and being active are often much better for keeping up my motivation and helping me feel energised and ready to tackle the issues by PhD threw up.

5. Eat well

It goes without saying that eating well throughout your PhD will help you feel better in many aspects of your life.

If you’re feeling unmotivated remember to go back to unprocessed and healthy food to kickstart your healthy eating habits again.

Stay away from highly processed foods and junk food – doing so has provided me with a huge boost in energy and therefore motivation.

6. Take time to step away from your work

Step away from your PhD every so often.

Take a moment to reconnect with friends, family and old acquaintances. It is actually okay to take some time for you.

Some PhD students need to step away from their work for much longer. Stepping away from your PhD for six months to a year can also help you regain the motivation you need to finish.

7. Focus on your achievements

In the daily grind of a PhD can be hard to focus on your achievements when all you can see are your failures or challenges.

Nothing motivates me more in my academic career than seeing what I have already achieved and what I can improve on.

Taking a moment to stop and reflect on your achievements will help you fine-tune your next step and will give you the energy to want to reproduce that successful experiment or study.

I like to keep a little list of my achievements nearby so that I can look at them whenever I am feeling flat.

Why Losing Motivation In Grad School Is Normal

Losing motivation in grad school is normal for a number of reasons.

First, the academic pressure can be intense and overwhelming at times.

Second, the process of getting a PhD or postdoc often takes much longer than students expect, which can lead to frustration and disappointment.

Third, many students are juggling multiple responsibilities (e.g., teaching, research, family) and simply don’t have the time or energy to devote to their studies.

Finally, it’s easy to become discouraged when you compare yourself to your peers and feel like you’re not making as much progress as they are.

If you’re feeling unmotivated, it’s important to remember that it’s normal and that you’re not alone.

Talk to your advisor or other trusted faculty member about how you’re feeling and see if they have any advice on how to get back on track.

Take some time for yourself outside of school and do things that make you happy. And finally, remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place. Grad school is hard work, but it’s also an amazing opportunity to learn and grow as a person.

Wrapping up

This article is covered everything you need to know about keeping up your motivation as a PhD student.

The PhD is long, arduous, and can test even the most motivated of individuals. Focusing on discipline and execution every day will be the number one way you can build up momentum and keep moving forward.

When your willpower is depleted, make sure you are eating well, you take time to reconnect with friends and family and do an energising hobby.

Small steps every single day is what finishes a PhD. Take small steps and the rest of your PhD will follow.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

2024 © Academia Insider

• Translation

What to do when you Lose the Motivation to Complete your PhD

By charlesworth author services.

• Charlesworth Author Services
• 18 March, 2021

The PhD journey can be exceptionally challenging and stressful, and it is not unusual for PhD candidates to sometimes feel so overwhelmed and demotivated that they feel unable to continue with their research.  If you find yourself in this state, take comfort in that fact that you are not alone – there are doctoral students in disciplines and universities across the world who have experienced or are dealing with many of the same feelings.

Take heart that there are always ways of dealing with these blocks and stressors that can help you begin to feel better about your research again. Sometimes, all it takes is a slight tweak to your work routine, a fresh, alternative perspective on your research or the adoption of a few new practices or activities to get you back on track. Consider some of our suggestions below for reviving your PhD mojo.

1. Talk to someone

Don’t try to struggle through these difficult moments alone. Find someone to talk to. This could be someone more senior to you who can offer guidance and advice, such as your supervisor , a mentor or another academic in your department. They should be able talk you through your current situation or offer practical solutions for dealing with whatever is causing you to feel demotivated and stuck.

Alternatively, you might find it helpful to talk to other PhD students , either from your own department or a different discipline. By speaking with others who are on a similar journey to you, you may gain tips and solutions for addressing similar challenges. In turn, these conversations might prompt you to think and talk about your research in novel ways that can provide exciting new perspectives and ideas to incorporate into your work.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of empathy and solidarity . You may find a lot of relief and reassurance just from speaking with other people who understand what you’re going through and who are willing to share their own experiences. Remember that you are not the only PhD student who feels this way and the researcher community can be a valuable source of support and understanding to help you get through a rough patch.

2. Read or watch something you love

If you’re finding it hard to progress with your own research or writing, find inspiration by reading research and writing by other people you admire.

You might want to return to a journal article or a book that has always excited you about your area of research. Revisit old writings, theories or discussions that first got you interested in your subject or return to material that has been a constant inspiration for your own work. This type of inspirational material doesn’t have to be limited to academic texts.

Alternatively, you could branch out and read something completely different – for example, a new theory in your field or writing from another discipline.

Or, take a break from academic work altogether! Check out podcasts, magazines, online blogs for new, refreshing ideas, perspectives and styles of writing.

3. Turn to your research journal

Writing in a research journal to record your reflections on your research or to reflect upon the challenges you are facing can be very helpful for sorting through exactly what is causing you to feel demotivated or stuck.  Keep this as a safe space just for you to work through the issues that you’re struggling with. Use it to ask yourself questions, articulate what feels wrong and clarify what you need to move forward.

You could use mind mapping methods, drawing, free writing or any creative tool that will help you to be open and honest with what you are going through. You might find that the practice of getting your frustrations down on paper is enough for you to release some of your stressors and move on. Or, it could help you identify exactly what your obstacles are and what you need to move forward.

4. Make (tiny) notes

Even if you still don’t feel motivated enough to return fully to your research, try to reignite your creative thinking by working around the material you’re reading or watching. Write down useful quotations, jot down first impressions or ideas from whatever you’re reading, or write very short thought pieces to reflect upon any new material you’re engaging with. You  never know where these ideas might lead you . It might spark some new thinking and incite you to pick up some aspect of your research and start writing again . Or, even if you don’t use these ideas straight away, they might come in useful at a later time.

5. Don’t chase the motivation

This option may seem contradictory. After all, isn’t the whole point to find new motivation so we can keep progressing?  However, trying to force yourself to be motivated when you’re feeling exhausted, fed up and overwhelmed can be counterproductive, and end up causing more frustration. Motivation is not something that can be manufactured just because you want to feel motivated.

Instead, sometimes the best thing you can do when you’re feeling really stuck and stressed is to take a break from the PhD altogether . Ensure you catch up on rest. This does not just mean physical rest, but a mental and emotional break away from thinking about the PhD altogether.  Allow yourself to find relief and enjoyment in other activities that you enjoy, even if it is something that is not at all academic, such as sport, crafting or baking. Getting enough rest and distance from your PhD will help you move into a more relaxed, receptive mental space and be open to new creative ideas and solutions.

So, go out and have some fun! It’s the most productive thing you can do for yourself.

Maximise your publication success with Charlesworth Author Services.

Charlesworth Author Services, a trusted brand supporting the world’s leading academic publishers, institutions and authors since 1928. 

To know more about our services, visit: Our Services

Share with your colleagues

Scientific Editing Services

Sign up – stay updated.

We use cookies to offer you a personalized experience. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

PhD Burnout: Managing Energy, Stress, Anxiety & Your Mental Health

PhDs are renowned for being stressful and when you add a global pandemic into the mix it’s no surprise that many students are struggling with their mental health. Unfortunately this can often lead to PhD fatigue which may eventually lead to burnout.

In this post we’ll explore what academic burnout is and how it comes about, then discuss some tips I picked up for managing mental health during my own PhD.

Please note that I am by no means an expert in this area. I’ve worked in seven different labs before, during and after my PhD so I have a fair idea of research stress but even so, I don’t have all the answers.

If you’re feeling burnt out or depressed and finding the pressure too much, please reach out to friends and family or give the Samaritans a call to talk things through.

Note – This post, and its follow on about maintaining PhD motivation were inspired by a reader who asked for recommendations on dealing with PhD fatigue. I love hearing from all of you, so if you have any ideas for topics which you, or others, could find useful please do let me know either in the comments section below or by getting in contact . Or just pop me a message to say hi. 🙂

This post is part of my PhD mindset series, you can check out the full series below:

• PhD Burnout: Managing Energy, Stress, Anxiety & Your Mental Health (this part!)
• PhD Motivation: How to Stay Driven From Cover Letter to Completion
• How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Studying

What is PhD Burnout?

Whenever I’ve gone anywhere near social media relating to PhDs I see overwhelmed PhD students who are some combination of overwhelmed, de-energised or depressed.

Specifically I often see Americans talking about the importance of talking through their PhD difficulties with a therapist, which I find a little alarming. It’s great to seek help but even better to avoid the need in the first place.

Sadly, none of this is unusual. As this survey shows, depression is common for PhD students and of note: at higher levels than for working professionals.

All of these feelings can be connected to academic burnout.

The World Health Organisation classifies burnout as a syndrome with symptoms of:

– Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; – Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; – Reduced professional efficacy. Symptoms of burnout as classified by the WHO. Source .

This often leads to students falling completely out of love with the topic they decided to spend years of their life researching!

The pandemic has added extra pressures and constraints which can make it even more difficult to have a well balanced and positive PhD experience. Therefore it is more important than ever to take care of yourself, so that not only can you continue to make progress in your project but also ensure you stay healthy.

What are the Stages of Burnout?

Psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North developed a 12 stage model of burnout. The following graphic by The Present Psychologist does a great job at conveying each of these.

I don’t know about you, but I can personally identify with several of the stages and it’s scary to see how they can potentially lead down a path to complete mental and physical burnout. I also think it’s interesting that neglecting needs (stage 3) happens so early on. If you check in with yourself regularly you can hopefully halt your burnout journey at that point.

PhDs can be tough but burnout isn’t an inevitability. Here are a few suggestions for how you can look after your mental health and avoid academic burnout.

Overcoming PhD Burnout

Manage your energy levels, maintaining energy levels day to day.

• Eat well and eat regularly. Try to avoid nutritionless high sugar foods which can play havoc with your energy levels. Instead aim for low GI food . Maybe I’m just getting old but I really do recommend eating some fruit and veg. My favourite book of 2021, How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reduce Disease , is well worth a read. Not a fan of veggies? Either disguise them or at least eat some fruit such as apples and bananas. Sliced apple with some peanut butter is a delicious and nutritious low GI snack. Check out my series of posts on cooking nutritious meals on a budget.
• Get enough sleep. It doesn’t take PhD-level research to realise that you need to rest properly if you want to avoid becoming exhausted! How much sleep someone needs to feel well-rested varies person to person, so I won’t prescribe that you get a specific amount, but 6-9 hours is the range typically recommended. Personally, I take getting enough sleep very seriously and try to get a minimum of 8 hours.

A side note on caffeine consumption: Do PhD students need caffeine to survive?

In a word, no!

Although a culture of caffeine consumption goes hand in hand with intense work, PhD students certainly don’t need caffeine to survive. How do I know? I didn’t have any at all during my own PhD. In fact, I wrote a whole post about it .

By all means consume as much caffeine as you want, just know that it doesn’t have to be a prerequisite for successfully completing a PhD.

Maintaining energy throughout your whole PhD

• Pace yourself. As I mention later in the post I strongly recommend treating your PhD like a normal full-time job. This means only working 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Doing so could help realign your stress, anxiety and depression levels with comparatively less-depressed professional workers . There will of course be times when this isn’t possible and you’ll need to work longer hours to make a certain deadline. But working long hours should not be the norm. It’s good to try and balance the workload as best you can across the whole of your PhD. For instance, I often encourage people to start writing papers earlier than they think as these can later become chapters in your thesis. It’s things like this that can help you avoid excess stress in your final year.
• Take time off to recharge. All work and no play makes for an exhausted PhD student! Make the most of opportunities to get involved with extracurricular activities (often at a discount!). I wrote a whole post about making the most of opportunities during your PhD . PhD students should have time for a social life, again I’ve written about that . Also give yourself permission to take time-off day to day for self care, whether that’s to go for a walk in nature, meet friends or binge-watch a show on Netflix. Even within a single working day I often find I’m far more efficient when I break up my work into chunks and allow myself to take time off in-between. This is also a good way to avoid procrastination!

Reduce Stress and Anxiety

During your PhD there will inevitably be times of stress. Your experiments may not be going as planned, deadlines may be coming up fast or you may find yourself pushed too far outside of your comfort zone. But if you manage your response well you’ll hopefully be able to avoid PhD burnout. I’ll say it again: stress does not need to lead to burnout!

Everyone is unique in terms of what works for them so I’d recommend writing down a list of what you find helpful when you feel stressed, anxious or sad and then you can refer to it when you next experience that feeling.

I’ve created a mental health reminders print-out to refer to when times get tough. It’s available now in the resources library (subscribe for free to get the password!).

Below are a few general suggestions to avoid PhD burnout which work for me and you may find helpful.

• Exercise. When you’re feeling down it can be tough to motivate yourself to go and exercise but I always feel much better for it afterwards. When we exercise it helps our body to adapt at dealing with stress, so getting into a good habit can work wonders for both your mental and physical health. Why not see if your uni has any unusual sports or activities you could try? I tried scuba diving and surfing while at Imperial! But remember, exercise doesn’t need to be difficult. It could just involve going for a walk around the block at lunch or taking the stairs rather than the lift.
• Cook / Bake. I appreciate that for many people cooking can be anything but relaxing, so if you don’t enjoy the pressure of cooking an actual meal perhaps give baking a go. Personally I really enjoy putting a podcast on and making food. Pinterest and Youtube can be great visual places to find new recipes.
• Let your mind relax. Switching off is a skill and I’ve found meditation a great way to help clear my mind. It’s amazing how noticeably different I can feel afterwards, having not previously been aware of how many thoughts were buzzing around! Yoga can also be another good way to relax and be present in the moment. My partner and I have been working our way through 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene on Youtube and I’d recommend it as a good way to ease yourself in. As well as being great for your mind, yoga also ticks the box for exercise!
• Read a book. I’ve previously written about the benefits of reading fiction * and I still believe it’s one of the best ways to relax. Reading allows you to immerse yourself in a different world and it’s a great way to entertain yourself during a commute.

* Wondering how I got something published in Science ? Read my guide here .

Talk It Through

• Meet with your supervisor. Don’t suffer in silence, if you’re finding yourself struggling or burned out raise this with your supervisor and they should be able to work with you to find ways to reduce the pressure. This may involve you taking some time off, delegating some of your workload, suggesting an alternative course of action or signposting you to services your university offers.

Also remember that facing PhD-related challenges can be common. I wrote a whole post about mine in case you want to cheer yourself up! We can’t control everything we encounter, but we can control our response.

A free self-care checklist is also now available in the resources library , providing ideas to stay healthy and avoid PhD burnout.

Top Tips for Avoiding PhD Burnout

On top of everything we’ve covered in the sections above, here are a few overarching tips which I think could help you to avoid PhD burnout:

• Work sensible hours . You shouldn’t feel under pressure from your supervisor or anyone else to be pulling crazy hours on a regular basis. Even if you adore your project it isn’t healthy to be forfeiting other aspects of your life such as food, sleep and friends. As a starting point I suggest treating your PhD as a 9-5 job. About a year into my PhD I shared how many hours I was working .
• Reduce your use of social media. If you feel like social media could be having a negative impact on your mental health, why not try having a break from it?
• Do things outside of your PhD . Bonus points if this includes spending time outdoors, getting exercise or spending time with friends. Basically, make sure the PhD isn’t the only thing occupying both your mental and physical ife.
• Regularly check in on how you’re feeling. If you wait until you’re truly burnt out before seeking help, it is likely to take you a long time to recover and you may even feel that dropping out is your only option. While that can be a completely valid choice I would strongly suggest to check in with yourself on a regular basis and speak to someone early on (be that your supervisor, or a friend or family member) if you find yourself struggling.

I really hope that this post has been useful for you. Nothing is more important than your mental health and PhD burnout can really disrupt that. If you’ve got any comments or suggestions which you think other PhD scholars could find useful please feel free to share them in the comments section below.

You can subscribe for more content here:

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

The Five Most Powerful Lessons I Learned During My PhD

8th August 2024 8th August 2024

Minor Corrections: How To Make Them and Succeed With Your PhD Thesis

2nd June 2024 2nd June 2024

How to Master Data Management in Research

25th April 2024 4th August 2024

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

How to stay productive and motivated during your PhD

In these resources, we discuss the emotional challenges of doing a PhD, and offer tips to help you stay engaged and motivated.

Consolations For PhD Imposter Syndrome

Welcome to the land of PhD Imposter Syndrome... We all feel like imposters from time to time. We can carry with us a pervasive sense that, at our core, we’re intellectual phonies. That we don’t deserve to be on the PhD programme, and that any day now we’re going to...

Should you quit your PhD?

  Should you quit your PhD? There wasn’t a day that went by during my PhD when I didn’t think about quitting at least once. I’d ask myself why I was putting myself through the roller coaster, and whether I had made a mistake. It’s comforting - or perhaps also a...

Leaving Academia After A PhD

Congratulations, Doctor; academic work is NOT your only option. If you’ve just completed your PhD, the grass may be greener outside the university gates. In this post, we offer advice and guidance for those thinking of leaving academic after a PhD.  The Dream of a...

Common PhD Viva Questions (To Help You Prepare For Yours)

There are some common PhD viva questions that come up again and again in PhD oral exams. Learn what they are in this insider guide.

How Decision Fatigue Impacts Your PhD

Every day you are tasked with many choices, but making decisions saps your energy. Learn how to beat decision fatigue as a PhD student.

10 Reading Strategies for PhD Students To Improve Long-Term Accessibility of Information

We read hundreds of articles and books for our PhDs, but do we keep all the information? Learn which strategies benefit long-term memory.

Tips for working from home during your PhD

Remote learning is here to stay and you can get to the top without ever stepping on campus. Learn tips for working from home during your PhD.

Working With a Not-So-Great PhD Supervisor

The first year of supervised training for PhD students is extremely daunting. But what if you have a not-so-great PhD supervisor?

With age comes wisdom – how to succeed as a mature PhD student

LIfe as a mature PhD student can throw up challenges. Here we offer our advice on how mature students can thrive on the PhD journey.

How to prepare for PhD supervision meetings

Supervision and doctoral committee meetings are a necessary part of your PhD journey. To make the most of these meetings, there are a few important things to remember.

How to deal with unexpected PhD supervisor feedback

Devastated by unexpected constructive feedback? Take time to rage against the feedback then look after yourself and start again. Supervisors only give you feedback to help you pass your PhD, hard though it is to hear.

How to Stop Procrastinating and Complete Your PhD Thesis: 10 Strategies to Consider

“I’ll do it tomorrow…..” Stop saying and start doing with these strategies on how to stop procrastinating your PhD thesis.

80 things I wish I knew when I was doing my PhD

Often, the difference between unnecessary worry and successfully muddling through is having someone on your side who can tell you that what you’re feeling is normal and reassure you with good, practical advice that speaks to the core of you. That is the goal of this article.

Impressing the Examiners: How to Prepare for Your PhD Viva

Completing your PhD thesis is a huge moment, but there’s still another hurdle to clear. Read on to learn how to prepare for your PhD viva.

What to do if you lack motivation in your PhD

Motivation is elusive. Some days you have it and others you don’t. Well, having fluctuations in your motivation is normal and to be expected. If you took ten PhD students, how many do you think would say they’re highly motivated all the time? Not many, I imagine.

10 Things You Can Prioritise If You’re A Self-Isolating PhD Student

Whilst being based from home and self-isolating will undoubtedly have a big impact on how you work, it doesn’t mean your PhD comes to a stop. There are other things you can work on once you re-prioritise your workload and shift your projects around.

What you should know if you are self-isolating during your PhD

This post has been published in direct response to recent calls by governments around the world to encourage more people to work from home. We wanted to create a resource that talked specifically to PhD students in order to advise them on steps they could take to ease the transition to home-working. Towards the end of these guidelines are specifically tips for those who currently teach as part of their PhD workload.

5 Things New PhD Students Should Know

Noting can ever fully prepare you for the intellectual, physical and emotional assault that comes with doing a PhD. Everyone does a PhD for very personal reasons, and everyone finds them challenging in unique and varied ways. What for one person may seem like a death-blow may to others be nothing more than a minor inconvenience. However, in this post I want to discuss the six things that every new PhD student should know. They’re things that I learnt the hard way during my PhD, and which I’ve seen time and time again in my career as an academic, PhD thesis proofreader and PhD coach.

What makes a good PhD supervisor? Top tips for managing the student-supervisor relationship.

We explain what makes a good PhD supervisor, what they should and shouldn’t be doing, and how to make the most of your supervision meetings.

39 PhD Mindfulness Exercises To De-Stress Your PhD

Research has shown how mindfulness exercises can be important in lowering PhD stress. Here we present 39 mindfulness exercises to help you towards a successful submission.

Five tips to improve your PhD thesis

Regardless of what stage of the writing process you are at, there are five overarching tips you need to keep in mind if you want to improve your PhD thesis.

How to deal with post-viva PhD thesis corrections

We like to think that the viva is the end of the doctoral process; the final step in the long journey to a PhD. But, for most, it isn’t the final hurdle. The outcome of the viva in most cases is another three to sixth months work to deal with corrections.

People like me will never do things like that: PhD imposter syndrome and academic anxiety

To those who think they’re not good enough I say two things. First, good enough for what? To be an academic? Well, you are one. You’re a trainee. Second, you’re not good enough yet. There’s a big distinction.

Writing your PhD begins with writing fieldnotes

For anyone writing ethnography – or doing any participant observation at all – writing a thesis begins in earnest in the field, with notes: an absolute heap of them.

7 Ways To Beat PhD Writer’s Block

Then the deadline grows shorter. You start to worry, “I’m so far behind. Can I ever catch up? I’m a good student. So why haven’t I been more productive?”

A Handy PhD Submission Checklist

Your work isn’t finished when you’ve written your thesis and had it proofread. There is still a surprising amount of administrative work to do before you are ready to submit. Don’t underestimate the amount of time it will take to turn your finished text into a final, bound copy.

Explore Other PhD Knowledge Base Collections

Eight collections of free resources to help you along the phd journey.

Mastering your theory and literature review chapters

How to structure and write every chapter of the PhD

How to stay motivated and productive

Techniques to improve your writing and fluency

Advice on maintaining good mental health

Resources designed for non-native English speakers

Explore our back-catalogue of motivational advice

Each week we send out a short, motivational email to over 4,000 students. Here you can sign up and access the archive.

A free one-page PhD structure template

completely lost interest/motivation for my PhD

Hi everyone, I know there are a lot of threads like this one floating around, but still I will try to describe my situation in hope of some feedback from you... I'm in the third year of my PhD (technical field, engineering), more precisely 2y10m in. It's been already 3 months that I'm feeling really down: have no motivation to work on it and completely lost interest in the topic. During that period I worked and developed some stuff (extremely slowly though) but I'm not very happy with it: my supervisors put no importance on the things I find most interesting and they only focus on what is written in the project description. This has been a source of real annoyance for me. What is worse, my main supervisor is on sabbatical and the assistant supervisor on parental leave. This leaves me with little and only occasional feedback from them. My main supervisor A doesn't reply my mails and I get some feedback from the assistant supervisor, which is like: "...I talked to A and we think your idea is good, but you should do this as well while you are doing that...". As you can imagine this is really not helping and it just kills my motivation even more. Long story short, what is really happening now is that I', seriously considering leaving my PhD and get a job in industry. I know I spent a lot of time on my PhD, but at least during that time I got my licenciate degree (an intermediate degree in Scandinavia). After reading a bit online and speaking to some persons who got their PhD, I'm only getting closer to leaving. What I can read between the lines is that you do not gain much in industry by having a PhD, there is not even a strong financial advantage. I also have a feeling that I'm forgetting what I learned during my bachelor and master studies like working with tools that are used in practice. Do you have any advice for me? Thanks

You say they are asking you to concentrate on the project description and not the material you find most interesting? At 2 years, 10 months, I would say you should be looking to write up. At this stage focussing on what is required by the project description (i.e. what the project was originally aiming to determine) is probably the shortest path to completing your PhD. I would not be looking at going off on a tangent at this stage - taking the project in a new direction is normally for an earlier stage if you have, say, a dramatic, ground breaking new finding. I personally would just be wanting to get the thesis written up, submitted and putting the PhD behind you. This may seem a little contradictory, however, your supervisors' absences are not helping and I wonder if suspending until at least one of them is fully available might be an idea, as clearly you need to discuss the differences you have with them face-to-face rather than by intermittent e-mails. This will at least give you a break and a chance to fully think through what path you want to take. Whilst I would want to push for the finish at 2 years and 10 months, not having either present and you having different ideas from them could be the difference between minor corrections and a revise and resubmit decision come viva time. As a last resort, you may want to ask about a change in supervision, however, given they know your project this is not something you should do unless you have to. Ian

Me too, and only six months in.

wena dont quit, push through. A PhD is meant to be hard otherwise everyone would do it. Take a deep breathe and take some time off to think things through.

Hi all and thanks for you replies. @Mackem_Beefy: The PhD at my university is planned in a time of 5 yrs. As I just did my Lic this means that now I have to make some significant contributions in order to be able to finish my PhD. In the last few month I lost a lot of time and most importantly momentum. Change in supervision is out of the question for me, the project was devised by my supervisors and there may be only a few other persons who could supervise me, but they are again very close to my current supervisors. @derose: I know that, but I think the PhD is not meant to be such that you start feeling physical consequences or deterioration in mental health. If it is then what's the point in having a PhD and not being able to work after that? At the moment I'm still considering what to do but am leaning towards leaving and am looking after industry positions. Even if I finish the PhD I do not intend to stay in academia so I don't see the PhD as that crucial. I'm even thinking that it would be better to start working on my career in industry sooner than later.

Quote From Jennifer3511: Hi, I have also faced such challenges throughout my PhD life. But I tried and completed every single phase of my academics and now I am into a successful carrier. I still have records of all my books safely kept in a public self storage in London ( http://www.migsonstorage.com/tips.php ) . These are the memories that keep me going. Wish You all the best and I hope you will take the right decision. Congratulations to Jennifer for making her one and only post to date an advert for self storage!!!

Hey zenzo! I am sorry that you are passing though such a nervous breakdown. But believe me each and everyone and I mean literally each and every PhD holder has passed through this phase during their journey of PhD. This degree is all about patience. Are you able to get help of other lab members or a post doc? It is very rude that your supervisors are not there for you and even discouraging you :( After spending this much time on the PhD do you really want to quit? I have no idea about industrial employment scenario but I know that PhD is not just a degree but it also holds so many things imp in our lives with it. You should definitely see the Postgrad tutor or even a psychiatrist, you may find one on campus. Believe me PhD students see them often. Think about the positive and negative sides of quitting PhD and if you really feel so, you may quit it, but I wish you stay back and fight for just an another year for the degree in which you have invested a lot. Wait a bit longer. This too shall pass. Good luck

Quote From Eds: Quote From Jennifer3511: Hi, I have also faced such challenges throughout my PhD life. But I tried and completed every single phase of my academics and now I am into a successful carrier. I still have records of all my books safely kept in a public self storage in London ( http://www.migsonstorage.com/tips.php ) . These are the memories that keep me going. Wish You all the best and I hope you will take the right decision. Congratulations to Jennifer for making her one and only post to date an advert for self storage!!! Ha ha ha Didnt notice that at first

Quote From silverlining: Hey zenzo! I am sorry that you are passing though such a nervous breakdown. But believe me each and everyone and I mean literally each and every PhD holder has passed through this phase during their journey of PhD. This degree is all about patience. Are you able to get help of other lab members or a post doc? It is very rude that your supervisors are not there for you and even discouraging you :( After spending this much time on the PhD do you really want to quit? I have no idea about industrial employment scenario but I know that PhD is not just a degree but it also holds so many things imp in our lives with it. You should definitely see the Postgrad tutor or even a psychiatrist, you may find one on campus. Believe me PhD students see them often. Think about the positive and negative sides of quitting PhD and if you really feel so, you may quit it, but I wish you stay back and fight for just an another year for the degree in which you have invested a lot. Wait a bit longer. This too shall pass. Good luck Thanks silverlining for your encouragement. Well, I think I am going to take a break and re-evaluate things. First of all I should go to a psychiatrist soon, because this affects my life at home as well and I don't like that at all. I am aware that I invested a lot of time in my PhD, it is not easy nor is it supposed to be easy. I'll try now to organize things and see what is the best for me, but first I'll take a good break and get myself together.

Hi zenzo, I'm curious to know what you eventually did? did you finish your phd? did you publish? I feel stuck at the same place right now. I'm in my second year of a 5-yr phd program and I literally have no motivation to work on my research.

PHD is a long journey folk, so try to be patient and work smartly rather than hardly. We all faced the same situation, but at the end, you will become DR. 3 years means you almost done with regard to data collection, methodology, and enough pieces of literature reviwed, and you should start with the final phase which is writing up. Finally, you should push your sups to review your work bc most of them do not care what you have done or should be doing as they are busy with their routine tasks in the unv. all the best

Post your reply

Postgraduate Forum

Masters Degrees

PhD Opportunities

Postgraduate Forum Copyright ©2024 All rights reserved

PostgraduateForum Is a trading name of FindAUniversity Ltd FindAUniversity Ltd, 77 Sidney St, Sheffield, S1 4RG, UK. Tel +44 (0) 114 268 4940 Fax: +44 (0) 114 268 5766

Welcome to the world's leading Postgraduate Forum

An active and supportive community.

Support and advice from your peers.

Your postgraduate questions answered.

Use your experience to help others.

Sign Up to Postgraduate Forum

Enter your email address below to get started with your forum account

Login to your account

Enter your username below to login to your account

Reset password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password

An email has been sent to your email account along with instructions on how to reset your password. If you do not recieve your email, or have any futher problems accessing your account, then please contact our customer support.

or continue as guest

Postgrad Forum uses cookies to create a better experience for you

To ensure all features on our website work properly, your computer, tablet or mobile needs to accept cookies. Our cookies don’t store your personal information, but provide us with anonymous information about use of the website and help us recognise you so we can offer you services more relevant to you. For more information please read our privacy policy

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• CAREER COLUMN
• 28 April 2020

Finding motivation while working from home as a PhD student during the coronavirus pandemic

• Melina Papalampropoulou-Tsiridou 0

Melina Papalampropoulou-Tsiridou is a PhD and MBA candidate at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada, and conducts her PhD research in neuroscience at CERVO Brain Research Centre in Quebec City.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

At the moment, staying motivated can be tough. Many scientists have admitted this on social media or in online meetings. I’ve struggled to follow a consistent routine and to be productive, thinking twice about getting dressed in the morning while wondering, “What’s the point?” This is especially true when we’re surrounded by distractions at home — a place usually kept away from work.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-01292-x

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged .

Related Articles

• Research management

Massive Attack’s science-led drive to lower music’s carbon footprint

Career Feature 04 SEP 24

Tales of a migratory marine biologist

Career Feature 28 AUG 24

Nail your tech-industry interviews with these six techniques

Career Column 28 AUG 24

Why I’m committed to breaking the bias in large language models

Career Guide 04 SEP 24

Binning out-of-date chemicals? Somebody think about the carbon!

Correspondence 27 AUG 24

No more hunting for replication studies: crowdsourced database makes them easy to find

Nature Index 27 AUG 24

Molecular architecture of coronavirus double-membrane vesicle pore complex

Article 14 AUG 24

Long COVID lung damage linked to immune system response

News 18 JUL 24

Vaccines save lives: how can uptake be increased?

Editorial 09 JUL 24

Postdoctoral Associate- Genetic Epidemiology

Houston, Texas (US)

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)

NOMIS Foundation ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship

The NOMIS Foundation ETH Fellowship Programme supports postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich within the Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life ...

Zurich, Canton of Zürich (CH)

Centre for Origin and Prevalence of Life at ETH Zurich

13 PhD Positions at Heidelberg University

GRK2727/1 – InCheck Innate Immune Checkpoints in Cancer and Tissue Damage

Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg (DE) and Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg (DE)

Medical Faculties Mannheim & Heidelberg and DKFZ, Germany

Postdoctoral Associate- Environmental Epidemiology

Open faculty positions at the state key laboratory of brain cognition & brain-inspired intelligence.

The laboratory focuses on understanding the mechanisms of brain intelligence and developing the theory and techniques of brain-inspired intelligence.

Shanghai, China

CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT)

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

This page has been archived and is no longer being updated regularly.

Cover Story

Revive your drive

Six empirically supported techniques for getting excited about grad school again.

About halfway through graduate school — often around such big milestones as comprehensive exams or dissertation proposals — many students experience a "sophomore slump," says Alytia Levendosky, PhD, a psychology professor at Michigan State University. Their excitement has faded, their degrees seem impossibly far away, and getting there requires a tremendous amount of self-discipline, she says.

"Almost every student comes to a point in which they're stuck for various reasons," Levendosky says.

For Audie Black, a Michigan State University clinical psychology student, that moment came after he'd spent two months hammering out a first draft of his master's thesis proposal only to find out that the data to support it weren't available.

"I thought it was my shining glory," Black recalls. "In reality, I was on the wrong track and essentially had to start over."

But, with his adviser's help, Black was able to view the experience as a learning opportunity. "If I could do everything correct the first time, I wouldn't need to be in school in the first place," he admits.

Need help keeping your own wheels in motion? Here are a few tips:

Work with your adviser. Establishing regular meetings with your adviser can help you maintain your enthusiasm, Levendosky says. She keeps advisees on track and engaged in their work by developing structured project schedules and firm deadlines.

"This helps them see that I'm invested in their progress, too," says Levendosky, who adds that it's her job to help students work through whatever might be blocking their success, be it anxiety about the future or doubt about their abilities to handle a project on their own. Once she's helped a student deal with his or her concerns, often by reminding them of past accomplishments, together they develop a concrete plan for the next task.

Daydream. Years of research have shown that imagining future success can enhance your motivation. But it may be particularly inspiring to envision yourself receiving positive feedback on your dissertation proposal or passing your comprehensive exam from someone else's perspective, according to a 2007 Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin study (Vol. 33, No. 10). That's because third-person imagery prompts people to become more self-aware and see the event's broader significance, says study author Roger Buehler, PhD. For example, seeing yourself successfully defend your proposed dissertation may remind you of the task's larger meaning and help you push forward to achieve it.

"Graduate students often get so caught up in the day-to-day tasks that they lose focus on the bigger picture," says Buehler, a psychology professor at Wilfrid Laurier University. "Pausing to see things from the third-person perspective can help to remind you of why you're doing all of this in the first place."

Get outside your bubble. Sometimes it can feel as though your entire life is consumed by your program, says Black. While building a social support network with students in your department can be crucial, it may also be beneficial to tap into larger social or professional groups outside of your program. By participating in APAGS events, joining in on listserv discussions or attending APA's Annual Convention, students gain an appreciation for how their coursework and individual research fit into the broader scope of the field.

Cleveland State University counseling psychology student Heather Bonnett found that to be true when she attended this year's International Counseling Psychology Conference and connected with students and other professionals outside of her program. "Meeting others at the conference really helped put the work we're doing in the classroom in perspective," Bonnett says, noting that it allowed her to make contacts with clinicians and other practitioners she may not have met otherwise.

Find a cheerleader. One simple way to rekindle your first-year motivation may be to place a photograph in your work area of your significant other or a friend or family member who has always pushed you to do your best. In a 2003 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology study (Vol. 84, No. 4), researcher James Shah, PhD, found that briefly flashing the name of a close friend or relative inspired study participants to pursue their goals more persistently, particularly if that person viewed achievement of that goal as important.

Black says that when he is feeling stalled, he thinks about his wife, Jessica, and how completing his doctorate will affect her as well.

"This degree isn't just about me," Black says. "It's about her and our future family together. That motivates me to keep working hard for us."

Time yourself. Texas Tech University psychology professor Erin E. Hardin, PhD, says the best tip she ever received as she struggled through writing her dissertation was to commit to spending just 15 minutes per day working on it. Pledging to spend such a small amount of time made this sometimes overwhelming task seem much more doable and helped her overcome her fears.

"I often found that I kept working long after 15 minutes had expired, but if I'd told myself from the outset that I had to work for, say, three hours, I probably never would have even started," Hardin says.

Take breaks. One of the most important yet overlooked strategies for staying motivated is to step away from work once in a while, says Bonnett, who exercises two or three times a week and takes at least one vacation each semester.

"You wouldn't believe how much a vacation can rejuvenate a person, even if it is a low-cost, short one," Bonnett says.

Research on the effect of annual vacations on stress and burnout confirms Bonnett's claims. In a 2003 study in Anxiety, Stress and Coping: An International Journal (Vol. 16, No. 2), researchers found that workers who took either long or short vacations experienced reduced stress and job burnout, even up to three weeks after returning from the trip.

Black adds that it's also important to take daily breaks. To that end, he tries to read something that's purely for pleasure every day and schedules bike rides or cross-country skiing outings with his wife as often as possible, he says.

"You hit those moments where you get so sick of talking about psychology all the time," Black says. Choosing to pursue an unrelated interest, he says, can be key to tackling the road ahead.

By Amy Novotney gradPSYCH Staff

Letters to the Editor

How to Write a PhD Motivation Letter

• Applying to a PhD

A PhD motivation letter is a document that describes your personal motivation and competence for a particular research project. It is usually submitted together with your academic CV to provide admissions staff with more information about you as an individual, to help them decide whether or not you are the ideal candidate for a research project.

A motivation letter has many similarities to a cover letter and a personal statement, and institutions will not ask you to submit all of these. However, it is a unique document and you should treat it as such. In the context of supporting a PhD application, the difference is nuanced; all three documents outline your suitability for PhD study. However, compared to a cover letter and personal statement, a motivation letter places more emphasis on your motivation for wanting to pursue the particular PhD position you are applying for.

Academic cover letters are more common in UK universities, while motivation letters are more common abroad.

A motivation letter can play a key part in the application process . It allows the admission committee to review a group of PhD applicants with similar academic backgrounds and select the ideal candidate based on their motivations for applying.

For admission staff, academic qualifications alone are not enough to indicate whether a student will be successful in their doctorate. In this sense, a motivational letter will allow them to judge your passion for the field of study, commitment to research and suitability for the programme, all of which better enables them to evaluate your potential.

How Should I Structure My Motivation Letter?

A strong motivation letter for PhD applications will include:

• A concise introduction stating which programme you are applying for,
• Your academic background and professional work experience,
• Any key skills you possess and what makes you the ideal candidate,
• Your interest and motivation for applying,
• Concluding remarks and thanks.

This is a simplistic breakdown of what can be a very complicated document.

However, writing to the above structure will ensure you keep your letter of motivation concise and relevant to the position you are applying for. Remember, the aim of your letter is to show your enthusiasm and that you’re committed and well suited for the programme.

To help you write a motivation letter for a PhD application, we have outlined what to include in the start, main body, and closing sections.

How to Start a Motivation Letter

Introduction: Start with a brief introduction in which you clearly state your intention to apply for a particular programme. Think of this as describing what the document is to a stranger.

Education: State what you have studied and where. Your higher education will be your most important educational experience, so focus on this. Highlight any relevant modules you undertook as part of your studies that are relevant to the programme you are applying for. You should also mention how your studies have influenced your decision to pursue a PhD project, especially if it is in the same field you are currently applying to.

Work experience: Next summarise your professional work experience. Remember, you will likely be asked to submit your academic CV along with your motivation letter, so keep this section brief to avoid any unnecessary repetition. Include any other relevant experiences, such as teaching roles, non-academic experience, or charity work which demonstrates skills or shows your suitability for the research project and in becoming a PhD student.

Key skills: Outline your key skills. Remember the admissions committee is considering your suitability for the specific programme you are applying for, so mention skills relevant to the PhD course.

Motivation for applying: Show your enthusiasm and passion for the subject, and describe your long-term aspirations. Start with how you first became interested in the field, and how your interest has grown since. You should also mention anything else you have done which helps demonstrate your interest in your proposed research topic, for example:

• Have you attended any workshops or seminars?
• Do you have any research experience?
• Have you taught yourself any aspects of the subject?
• Have you read any literature within the research area?

Finally, describe what has convinced you to dedicate the next 3-4 years (assuming you are to study full time) of your life to research.

How to End a Motivation Letter

Concluding the motivation letter is where most people struggle. Typically, people can easily describe their academic background and why they want to study, but convincing the reader they are the best candidate for the PhD programme is often more challenging.

The concluding remarks of your motivation letter should highlight the impacts of your proposed research, in particular: the new contributions it will make to your field, the benefits it will have on society and how it fits in with your aspirations.

With this, conclude with your career goals. For example, do you want to pursue an academic career or become a researcher for a private organisation? Doing so will show you have put a lot of thought into your decision.

Remember, admissions into a PhD degree is very competitive, and supervisors invest a lot of time into mentoring their students. Therefore, supervisors naturally favour those who show the most dedication. Your conclusion should remind the reader that you are not only passionate about the research project, but that the university will benefit from having you.

Finally, thank the reader for considering your application.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Motivation Letter Format

There are some basic rules to follow when writing a successful motivation letter. These will mimic the standard format for report writing that the supervisor will be familiar with:

• Use a sans serif font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman),
• Use a standard font size (e.g. 12pt) and black font colour,
• Keep your writing professional throughout and avoid the use of informal language,
• Write in the first person,
• Address your motivation letter to a named person such as the project supervisor, however, this could also be the person in charge of research admissions,
• Structure your letter into paragraphs using the guidance above, such as introduction, academic history, motivation for research, and concluding remarks.

How Long Should a Motivation Letter Be?

A good rule of thumb for PhD motivation letters is to keep it to around one side of A4. A little longer than one page is acceptable, but two pages is generally considered too long. This equates to approximately 400-600 words.

Things to Avoid when Writing Your Motivational Letter

Your motivational letter will only be one of the several documents you’ll be asked to submit as part of your PhD application. You will almost certainly be asked to submit an Academic CV as well. Therefore, be careful not to duplicate any of the information.

It is acceptable to repeat the key points, such as what and where you have studied. However, while your CV should outline your academic background, your motivation letter should bring context to it by explaining why you have studied what you have, and where you hope to go with it. The simplest way to do this is to refer to the information in your CV and explain how it has led you to become interested in research.

Don’t try to include everything. A motivation letter should be short, so focus on the information most relevant to the programme and which best illustrates your passion for it. Remember, the academic committee will need to be critical in order to do their jobs effectively , so they will likely interpret an unnecessarily long letter as in indication that you have poor written skills and cannot communicate effectively.

You must be able to back up all of your statements with evidence, so don’t fabricate experiences or overstate your skills. This isn’t only unethical but is likely to be picked up by your proposed PhD supervisor or the admissions committee.

Whilst it is good to show you have an understanding of the field, don’t try to impress the reader with excessive use of technical terms or abbreviations.

PhD Motivation Letter Samples – A Word of Caution

There are many templates and samples of motivation letters for PhDs available online. A word of caution regarding these – although they can prove to be a great source of inspiration, you should refrain from using them as a template for your own motivation letter.

While there are no rules against them, supervisors will likely have seen a similar letter submitted to them in the past. This will not only prevent your application from standing out, but it will also reflect poorly on you by suggesting that you have put minimal effort into your application.

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

• Remember me Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?

• Sociology Forum

completely lost motivation for phd !!

By sophian August 26, 2021 in Sociology Forum

Recommended Posts

I have completely lost motivation with my phd. i took a leave of 3 months and i thought that would re energize me but it hasnt.

So far I have finished 1 year. I also have bipolar so I have a motivation issue (symptom?) as my doctor says perhaps.

The only thing is im worried im going to regret it in the future. I kno I can reapply but I dont care that much anymore.

I dont even know what I can do with it with bipolar disorder. All the potential jobs seem very intense as they are usually

with a lot of responsibility.  My supervisor says im doing really well which is kind of surprising for me considering i lose focus easily

with my condition.

Im worried about career prospects. I just ideally would like to work part time one day due to my disability with a job that fulfills me.

Im not sure if I need a Phd for that. Because when I think about working a full time job, it would definietely not need a lot of responsibility

and low stress - if that makes sense!

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

limonchello

As someone who has pushed through the PhD with a lack of motivation, i think if you don't want to be a professor or have a job that requires a PhD, it's not worth it. Do what's best for you, which i think you already know what you're leaning towards. Don't get a PhD just to get a PhD. 

A PhD can be as demanding, if not more so at times, than a "normal" job, so it's not like doing one is escaping intensity. It sounds to me like you need to seek out more intense mental health treatment. I say that not to sound mean (there's nothing wrong with seeking out mental health help!), but because it sounds like right now, you're not in a super stable place emotionally. Spend some time focusing on getting yourself to a place of stability and then figure out what you want to do.

• 1 month later...

On 8/26/2021 at 9:20 PM, sophian said: Hi there, I have completely lost motivation with my phd. i took a leave of 3 months and i thought that would re energize me but it hasnt. So far I have finished 1 year. I also have bipolar so I have a motivation issue (symptom?) as my doctor says perhaps.   The only thing is im worried im going to regret it in the future. I kno I can reapply but I dont care that much anymore. I dont even know what I can do with it with bipolar disorder. All the potential jobs seem very intense as they are usually with a lot of responsibility.  My supervisor says im doing really well which is kind of surprising for me considering i lose focus easily with my condition.   Im worried about career prospects. I just ideally would like to work part time one day due to my disability with a job that fulfills me. Im not sure if I need a Phd for that. It was difficult for me to learn some moments, so I often used extra resources to complete all the tasks given to me on time. This helped me to study longer and do complex assignments but it is not enough. Because when I think about working a full time job, it would definietely not need a lot of responsibility and low stress - if that makes sense!   Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

I think you should forget about phd for now, now it is not very relevant for you. It is better to devote time and energy to finding an interesting activity for yourself and deal with all your problems. Someday you may want to get a phd, but then you will be ready for it and put enough effort because you want it. I wish you success no matter in which direction, the main thing is that you were satisfied! Good luck!

• 3 weeks later...

RichardRich

I think you just haven't found your business yet. Don't feel bad, you're just open to looking and that's great!

Pursuing a Phd in social science with no interest in academia seems a bad idea. My advice is that you take your time and think what do you like more (subject) and start from there.

Look into nonprofit work. With your training in social science you'll be a good fit and have skills that many are looking for. They won't pay well but they have flexible schedules and are fulfilling to work with (depending on the route you go-- most of the nonprofits I've worked with deal with food security and domestic violence). 

Anthony2016

As an international student how easy would it be to get these kind of jobs anyway? Mastering out is not as easy as it seems on this board!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Already have an account? Sign in here.

• Existing user? Sign In
• Online Users
• All Activity
• My Activity Streams
• Unread Content
• Content I Started
• Results Search
• Post Results
• Leaderboard
• Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Tips for Writing a Successful Motivation Letter for Ph.D. [+Sample]

How To Write a Motivation Letter For Ph.D. Application [+Sample]

Ph.D. applications are not just sorted out in the same way as any other random application. There are processes involved without which your chances of getting in might be truncated.

If you’ve been considering applying for a Ph.D. then this post is especially directed at you. A motivation letter as used in the case of a Ph.D. application can be much likened to a Personal statement.

There is a need to know if you’re truly qualified to do a Ph.D. while writing an application to a school, so the motivation letter is the perfect insight into who you really are and they expect you to do it justice.   

• An introduction which should state in clear terms which program you are applying for.
• A Summary of your Academic Background.
• Why do you want to do a Ph.D.?
• The significance of your research on society.
• Your career plans.

Avoid Making Spurious Claims

It is quite easy to get lost while writing a motivation letter and forget that motivation cannot be achieved without the necessary evidence to back it up.

Nobody’s really interested in how awesome you are while writing a motivation letter, no offense but anybody can look good on paper but without the proper evidence to back it up, they wouldn’t be any motivation.

For Example, it is very common to see people write; “I work well with other people, or I am an expert at working under pressure”. Well, it is not a cover letter , it’s a motivation letter and you need to give realistic scenarios such as; “my leadership ability was demonstrated when I had to be in charge of a group of colleagues during my internship which required intense marketing management skills.”

Try As Much As Possible to Be Specific

It is equally very important to avoid being vague while writing your motivation letter. The reason why you’re required to write a motivation letter is that someone or some people have to know, if not you wouldn’t have to attempt one.

Saying that your undergraduate days in Marketing was very interesting is too vague to fit into a motivational letter, it sounds like something that should rather be written to a pen friend. You should be more specific about the courses you took as an undergraduate, why you love them and what you learned from them.

Show How Much Skill or Work Experience You Have

While writing a motivational letter, it is very important to concisely include how much skill and/or working experience you possess. A Ph.D. is about more than just a sequel to your past academic endeavors, it is a true test of education and education is more than just owning degrees.

They will be interested in the skills and/or work experience you’ve gathered over the years, skills which are strong enough to make you qualified to bag a Ph.D. That research, data analysis, etc. skills you thought you’d never have to flaunt, well I think this would be a perfect opportunity to talk about them.

Be Professional

It is equally quite important that you are very professional while writing a motivation letter for a Ph.D. application . It will be in your own best interest to ensure that you present your motivation letter with professional grammar, font and the appropriate writing style in which you’d rather prefer to be accepted.

Your professionalism sends a good message about your personality and would go a long way into helping you get accepted. 

Sample Motivation Letter for a Ph.D. Application

Suggested Reading:

• Cover Letter Examples
• 2024 Letter of Interest - Example & Writing Guide
• Students and Graduates Resume Example

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Post-PhD thesis submission, burnout and leaving academia - how to cope?

I submitted my PhD thesis a couple of months ago and am in the weird place between submission and waiting for the viva. The last 4 years have been hard , and I can no longer face the idea of staying in academia, research, and i'm even fatigued of my subject area (psychology). I've taken up a temp placement in a completely different area since i have no idea what I want anymore but need money and industry experience. It feels very weird to be doing something unrelated psychology, i'm having to learn a new subject area from scratch. I'm still feeling the burnout of the past 4 years and am still coming to terms with the fact i've completely lost all motivation for the goals I pursued the PhD for in the first place, and feeling like there was little point in giving all of that energy towards something I no longer want. I'm tired, confused, sad, struggling to come to terms with figuring out a new path and am dreading preparing for the viva etc as I am so done with it all (but of course i've come too far to give up now). I'm also struggling with knowing my worth within an industry setting because all of the high pay grades they say you can expect post-PhD only make sense to me if I was going into a post that i'm specifically qualified for (e.g., post doc research). I couldn't feel confident applying for a high-paying role which isn't what the PhD trained me for. I've spent 7-8 years studying psychology and learning how to be a researcher, I'm now put off going for any further long-term training because what if I end up deciding its not for me again?

How do people cope with that feeling of 'what now?' after deciding to leave everything you've been working towards? I've heard/read that most people who leave academia/research end up much happier in the long run, but how to cope with the here and now burn out, lack of motivation and the sense of losing one's identity (at least in terms of what you felt you thought you were 'meant' to do), as well as a sense of feeling like there is little reward at the end of the struggle. I guess i'm just feeling a bit lost and wondering what other people's experiences are. Thanks.

• 3 Burnout is pretty natural at your stage. So is Imposter Syndrome . I was "lucky" enough to go through my burnout stage earlier. Some other folks helped pull me through. –  Buffy Commented Aug 4, 2021 at 12:25
• 4 Oh Christ, not imposter syndrome again; can we have one thread where we don't bring that up. (It's not even the issue here.) –  Ben Commented Dec 23, 2021 at 23:29

2 Answers 2

How do people cope with that feeling of 'what now?' after deciding to leave everything you've been working towards?

Take some time off after graduation. Finishing a PhD is a lot like completing a marathon. You're drained, and need to rest - and that's ok. Things seem really bad right now, but you've still got really great options even if you don't continue researching.

but how to cope with the here and now burn out, lack of motivation and the sense of losing one's identity (at least in terms of what you felt you thought you were 'meant' to do)

You don't have to plan out the rest of your life now. In fact, you probably shouldn't. Use this time to explore hobbies you may have ignored during school. Many people who pursue PhDs are very goal oriented - I'm guessing this applies to you. You've got plenty of time to figure out your next goal.

I'm tired, confused, sad, struggling to come to terms with figuring out a new path and am dreading preparing for the viva etc as I am so done with it all (but of course i've come too far to give up now

You're right - stay the course. Do whatever it takes to cross the finish line which is VERY close. I've know other PhD students with your sentiment - they were done, but too close to the end not to see it through. They are all happy successful people now.

Finally, most universities offer some level of therapy for students. If nothing else, a therapist will be a neutral 3rd party, which I think would be beneficial.

While the question is specific to your pursuit of a PhD, if you just think a bit, it is no different from choices all people make. Someone took up medicine and it did not work out after eight years. Another built himself as a retail professional only to see covid and on-line retail killing any passion that could exist in a quota-focused role.

In essence it's all about learning (maybe) and moving on. The world has never been a place of greater opportunity, and making a decent living is not terribly hard.

As I've heard said - most of us are standing with one leg in the past (regret) and one leg on the future (anxiety) and pissing on the present.

Let the past go and embrace your choices you make now. And yes, these too can turn our 'wrong' - make other choices.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged phd motivation ..

• Featured on Meta
• Bringing clarity to status tag usage on meta sites
• Announcing a change to the data-dump process

Hot Network Questions

• Could a lawyer agree not to take any further cases against a company?
• Navola: Series or Standalone?
• I'm a little embarrassed by the research of one of my recommenders
• Hashable and ordered enums to describe states of a process
• Why didn't Air Force Ones have camouflage?
• Setting labels to be the "Blocking" type using PyQGIS
• Draw a topological puzzle using tikz
• Is the 2024 Ukrainian invasion of the Kursk region the first time since WW2 Russia was invaded?
• Does the average income in the US drop by $9,500 if you exclude the ten richest Americans?
• In a tabular with p-column, line spacing after multi-line cell too short with the array package
• What other crewed spacecraft returned uncrewed before Starliner Boe-CFT?
• Visual assessment of scatterplots acceptable?
• How to clean a female disconnect connector
• What was the first "Star Trek" style teleporter in SF?
• When can the cat and mouse meet?
• What's the benefit or drawback of being Small?
• Wien's displacement law
• What prevents random software installation popups from mis-interpreting our consents
• Pull up resistor question
• Is there a way to read lawyers arguments in various trials?
• Numbers, or are they?
• What does "dare not" mean in a literary context?
• Best approach to make lasagna fill pan
• Conjugate elements in an extension

Get the Reddit app

A subreddit dedicated to PhDs.

Lost motivation in working

Hi everyone,

I started my PhD this January. With the lockdown period, I think about reading loads of paper to prep my-self. I was quite stick to the working routine during the first month. However, in the past 3-4 weeks I slept more than usual and have lost motivation to work. I wondered if other first-year PhD students have struggle the same thing as me? Advices are welcome as well.

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue