My Final Year PhD Motto: "Do the Bare Minimum"
10/100 days of productivity • 03-11-23, Friday
I've got a radical motto to share with you all: "Do the Bare Minimum."
Bare Minimum Beyond Your PhD
Here's the deal: the final year of your PhD is like a marathon, and you've been sprinting for far too long. It's easy to burn out if you keep pushing yourself to the max in all aspects of life. So, consider doing the bare minimum when it comes to anything other than your research.
Your PhD is the star of the show. You need to conserve your energy for research, and ensure that you're giving it your best shot.
Instead of spreading yourself too thin, focus on the quality of your work, than quantity of things on your CV. Doing less elsewhere allows you to excel where it counts the most.
Overcommitting can lead to exhaustion and burnout. Doing the bare minimum in other areas helps protect your mental and physical well-being.
But how to do that without feeling guilty?
Remind yourself that your PhD is a major commitment and a unique opportunity. It's okay to prioritize it above other things right now.
Just for the next few months, please please, forget "if not me, then who?" when it comes to admin tasks or anything that doesn't directly contribute to your PhD.
Ask yourself "if no one else is doing it, why me?". It's okay to prioritize yourself, it's not selfish. "No" is your new friend. If you can't say no, then go ahead and do the barest of the bare minimums.
Let go of perfectionism. Do just what you are asked to do. don't do above and beyond to design a workshop flyer that you won't even be acknowledged for.
In the final year of your PhD, it's not about doing less because you're lazy; it's about strategically allocating your resources where they will have the greatest impact. So, I am embracing "Do the Bare Minimum"
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