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#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,

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.

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• 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.

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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

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Maintaining PhD Productivity: Tips for Mindset and Organisation

By Britt Berning

A PhD is a big, daunting challenge to undertake. The list of things to tick off is seemingly never ending: reading in your field (and out of your field), experimenting, writing and communicating your research, and much more. As I work my way through my PhD in neurobiology, I keep a lookout for strategies to get my work done properly and in a timely manner. The following are a few key tactics for productivity that I have picked up along the way.

See the big picture

PhD students wear a lot of different hats: scientist, writer, programmer, graphic designer. The list goes on. One of the most important aspects of a PhD is the ability to think like a project manager. Having an overview of the major milestones that comprise your project, and the smaller steps required to fulfill those milestones, will act as a compass to keep you moving along on the right track. It’s important to revisit this big picture regularly as your project grows and changes over time – sometimes the data closes certain avenues, and new and interesting leads open up. There are a range of great project management apps available (I love Asana) but you could equally plan things out in a word document or brainstorm on your whiteboard.

Set realistic goals and take it easy on yourself

It’s better to overestimate the amount of time necessary to complete an experiment than push yourself towards an unattainable goal. Repeatedly falling short of your goals will only dampen your momentum and enthusiasm. Being reasonable with your expectations of yourself gives you some positive feedback and gets you ticking things off faster. It can be helpful to set two deadlines for a task: a hopeful deadline to strive for, and a more realistic deadline that factors in time for optimisation, potential delays in the lab, or periods in your personal life where you may feel the need to slow down at work. That way, if you happen to go over time in reaching your goal, you won’t feel too bad about it and your motivation won’t take a hit.

Spreadsheet everything

Excel and Google Sheets are your best friend. Beyond data analysis and storing important logins such as your ORCID ID, spreadsheets can be used for keeping track of micrographs for publication, or making notes on the literature. A spreadsheet enables you to see everything at a glance and makes it easy to pick up on emerging patterns.

Carry a small notebook in your bag and make use of note taking apps on your phone. Use them to record ideas for experiments or papers as they pop into your head, or plan out the structure of a paper, or design of a conference poster when small pockets of time present themselves to you (perhaps during an incubation period or while waiting for a particularly fickle piece of lab equipment to decide to function).

If in doubt, Pomodoro

For smaller, pesky tasks that I’m prone to putting off, or a paragraph where I’m struggling to clarify my point, I’ll use the Pomodoro technique . Set a timer to 25 minutes and focus solely on that task for the whole time. Break for 5 minutes, and then move onto the next task.

Find an accountability partner

Particularly one who will stare you down when you start checking Twitter in the middle of a writing session. Share your goals for the week, keep each other in the loop regarding upcoming opportunities, bounce ideas off each other and schedule writing sessions together in your calendar.

Do not underestimate the serenity of flight mode

As a researcher, your ability to focus becomes your currency. Guard it with your life. Jumping from task to task and being bombarded by distractions will leave you drained and frazzled. I already keep email notifications switched off at all times and generally check once in the morning and again in the afternoon. When I really need to focus and think, I’ll switch my phone to flight mode and remove all but the essentials from the immediate space around me on my desk so that it’s just me and The Task That Needs Completing.

Done is better than perfect

After a while you have to take a step back, be proud of what you’ve done, and release it so that you can move onto the next exciting thing. The author Liz Gilbert once described perfectionism as “fear in fancy shoes and a mink coat, pretending to be elegant when it’s actually just terrified.” I couldn’t agree more. Perfectionism can be crippling and it really shouldn’t be the badge of honour it’s made out to be. A clear and meaningful result generally means that it’s time to move forward to the next interesting experiment, not time to plug away at the same assay only to make tiny incremental improvements that don’t actually add any value to your paper.

I hope that these tips help you reclaim some of your time so that you can focus on the more complex aspects of your work, think deeply, and take care of yourself.

_________________________________________

Britt Berning is a PhD student in the Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory at the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, where she investigates amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Her research is focused on changes that occur to the protein trafficking system in the motor neurons of the cortex, brainstem and spinal cord. She believes a picture is worth a thousand words; when she's not playing with a microscope, she is fiddling with her camera. You can follow her on Twitter to learn more about ALS and cool new findings in neuroscience research or visit her Instagram for insights into PhD life (@NeuroBritt).

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What I lost when I got my PhD

Kristen burton had achieved her goals, yet had to grasp how  profound the transition out of grad school could be.

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The months following graduation proved more challenging than expected. Not because of my first attempt to take on the bewildering, crushing academic job market. And not because of the loss of purpose I once had while writing and editing my PhD dissertation , although those experiences were certainly part of the challenges that awaited me after my mentor placed the doctoral hood around my neck and after my official degree arrived in the mail.

I felt lost. Time passed, and the sense of feeling suspended between worlds persisted. It followed me as I took on the role of adjunct and lined up classes to teach at my (now) alma mater. It remained stuck at the edge of my mind as I scrolled through posts on social media. Spaces once filled with familiar topics about academia and teaching, carried on by familiar names and faces, became alien. My usual retorts or curious enquiries fell silent. I had no words to offer.

This shift confounded me. I felt a persistent sense of dread that I no longer knew who I was.

But that didn’t make sense. I had accomplished so much (or so I told myself). Friends and family passed along their congratulations and well wishes. Their kind words and excitement sat heavy like a rock deep in my core. I felt ashamed that I didn’t share in that sense of pride for what I did. I had earned a doctorate, and that alone is a challenging feat. Less than 2 per cent of the population in the US has done the same; and being a woman, I was part of the less than 1 per cent. Or so I was told.

I struggled to understand this sense of loss – to understand why, after finally achieving success, my world seemed so out of sorts. Nothing seemed clear until, months after the fact, I understood.

For seven and a half years, I was in two graduate programmes, in two different schools, in two different states. Goal-oriented and motivated by some undefined source of willpower, I devoted a portion of my life to earning two graduate degrees. For what purpose, I still struggle to know, but graduate school was more than what I did – it became who I was. It got under my skin. It changed the way I spoke. It changed the way I dressed and how I carried myself. It utterly redefined my very being.

And then it ended.

Why else would graduation and achieving the one goal I’d worked towards for the past several years have such a disconcerting effect? I didn’t simply graduate from a PhD programme, I lost an essential part of my identity.

It took me three months to realise that.

For years I’ve introduced myself as a graduate student. Doing so can carry so many different meanings, which I found to be a convenient means of explaining or excusing myself (why I didn’t have a full-time job, why I often bemoaned my economic standing, why I never had time to do ______ or to go to _____). I never completely understood how doing so, year after year, reshaped the way I thought of myself, or how I perceived of myself.

On social media outlets, especially Twitter, where I grew accustomed to conversing with an array of scholars – food and drink aficionados and other intriguing, sharp-witted people – it was as though I forgot what to say. I followed conversations but seemed to lack the ability to join. Even in day-to-day conversations and encounters, I felt like part of my personality was gone, evaporated into the ether, and I was little more than a spiritless automaton.

I suppose that is the danger of making a temporary identity such a fundamental part of your being. It is now clear to me why the lack of success on the academic market is so emotionally destructive to so many. It isn’t about the job that didn’t pan out. I wonder now if it is ever about the job. People can research, write and teach in many capacities outside the academy. No – it is about coming to terms with the fact that you have to separate yourself from an all-encompassing identity. You have to acknowledge that your hope of turning your graduate student identity into the different but still familiar assistant professor identity won’t happen. It is the realisation that you have to separate yourself from all that is recognisable and comfortable.

The realisation that it is time not just to do something else, but also to become someone else.

It took me three months to come to terms with this transition, and while there remains some creasing for the iron, I finally feel a sense of peace. I have new tasks and objectives now, offered in the form of full-time “alternative-academic” employment. I see new ways to apply the knowledge and skills gained over the past decade. I also recognise that I am more than a grad student. I am more than my PhD. I am not my degree, and neither are you. Knowledge and education can shape us in powerful ways, but in the end it is up to us to chart our own paths and remain our own advocates.

Only time will tell what challenges come next.

Kristen D. Burton holds a doctorate in transatlantic history from the University of Texas at Arlington and works as the student development specialist in the UTA Office of Graduate Studies. This post originally appeared on her blog .

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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.

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What to Do When You Have No Motivation

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

Verywell / Laura Porter

Whether you can’t get motivated to clean your house or you just aren’t feeling motivated to lose weight, a lack of motivation can be the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals.

When you have no motivation to complete a task (or even start one), consider the possible reasons why you’re struggling. Then, develop a plan to help motivate yourself to get going.

Keep in mind that not every strategy works for everyone—or in every situation. Perform some behavioral experiments to see which strategies best help you reach your goals.

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares strategies to motivate yourself to get healthy, featuring fitness trainer Jillian Michaels.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Act as If You Feel Motivated

You may be able to trick yourself into feeling motivated by changing your behavior. Act as if you felt motivated, and your actions may change your emotions.

For example, rather than sit on the couch in your pajamas all day waiting for motivation to strike, get dressed and get moving. You might find that taking action will increase your motivation, which makes it easier to keep going. 

So ask yourself, “What would I be doing right now if I felt motivated?” Consider what you’d be wearing, how you’d be thinking, and what actions you’d be taking. Then, do these things, and see if your motivation level increases.

Everything You Need to Know About Motivation

Argue the opposite.

When you’re struggling with motivation, you’ll likely come up with a long list of reasons why you shouldn’t take any action. You might think, “It’ll be too hard,” or, “I’ll never get it done anyway.” These types of thoughts will keep you stuck.

Try arguing the opposite. When you think you’re going to fail, argue all the reasons why you might succeed. Or when you think you can’t finish a job, list all the evidence that shows you’ll be able to complete the task.

Arguing the opposite can help you see both ends of the spectrum. It can also remind you that an overly pessimistic outcome isn’t completely accurate.

There’s a chance that things might work out better than you expect. And you might find that developing a more balanced outlook will help you feel more motivated to try.

Practice Self-Compassion

You might think being hard on yourself is the key to getting motivated. But harsh self-criticism doesn’t work.

Research shows that self-compassion is actually much more motivating, especially when you are struggling with adversity.

A 2011 study conducted by researchers at the University of California found that self-compassion increases the motivation to recover from failure. After failing a test, students spent more time studying when they spoke to themselves kindly. Additionally, they reported greater motivation to change their weaknesses when they practiced self-acceptance (a key component of self-compassion).

Self-compassion may also improve mental health (which can increase motivation). A 2012 study published in Clinical Psychology Review discovered that self-compassion decreases psychological distress, reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduces the harmful effects of stress.

So rather than beat yourself up for mistakes or call yourself names, create a kinder inner dialogue. This doesn’t mean you need to repeat exaggeratedly positive affirmations like, “I’m the best person in the world,” however.

Instead, healthy self-compassion balances self-acceptance with self-improvement. Acknowledge your flaws, mistakes, and failures with honesty. But don’t indulge in a pity party.

Speak to yourself like a trusted friend. Ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend who had this problem?” You’d likely be much kinder to someone else than you are toward yourself. So start treating yourself like a good friend.

Additionally, coach yourself in a helpful manner. Practice using self-talk that encourages you and helps you recover from setbacks.

Use the 10-Minute Rule

When you dread doing something—like walking on the treadmill for three miles—you’ll lack motivation to do it. You can reduce your feelings of dread, however, by proving to yourself that the task isn’t as bad as you think or that you have the strength to tolerate it better than you envision.

The 10-minute rule can help you get started. Give yourself permission to quit a task after 10 minutes. When you reach the 10-minute mark, ask yourself if you want to keep going or quit. You’ll likely find that you have enough motivation to keep going.

So whether you lack motivation to start working on a boring report, or you can’t seem to get yourself off the couch to start a to-do list, use the 10-minute rule to motivate yourself to take action.

Getting started on a task is usually the hardest part. Once you get going, however, it’s much easier to keep going.

Go For a Walk in Nature

Fresh air, a change of scenery, and a little exercise can do wonders for your motivation. Walking in nature—as opposed to a busy urban street—can be especially beneficial.

A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that walking half a mile through a park reduces brain fatigue.   Being in nature offers a calming effect that rejuvenates the brain—which can help motivate you to tackle a tough task.

So rather than walk down a crowded street, go to the park or a botanical garden instead. Being surrounded by nature can provide the mental escape you need to return to your project feeling more motivated than before.

Pair a Dreaded Task With Something You Enjoy

Your emotions play a major role in your motivation level. If you’re sad, bored, lonely, or anxious, your desire to tackle a tough challenge or complete a tedious task will suffer.

Boost your mood by adding a little fun to something you’re not motivated to do. You’ll feel happier and you might even look forward to doing the task when it’s regularly paired with something fun.

Here are some examples:

• Listen to music while you run.
• Call a friend, and talk while you’re cleaning the house.
• Light a scented candle while you’re working on your computer.
• Rent a luxury vehicle when you travel for business.
• Invite a friend to run errands with you.
• Turn on your favorite show while you’re folding laundry.

Just make sure that your fun doesn’t impair your performance. For example, watching TV while writing a paper might distract you and slow you down even more. Or talking to a friend while you’re cleaning the house might be so distracting that you can’t pay attention to what you’re doing.

Manage Your To-Do List

It’s tough to feel motivated when your to-do list is overwhelming . If you feel like there’s no hope in getting everything done, you might not try to do anything.

Keep in mind that most people underestimate how long something will take them. And when they don’t get it done on time, they might view themselves as lazy or inefficient. This can backfire by causing them to lose motivation—which makes it even harder to get more things done.

Take a look at your to-do list, and determine if it’s too long. If so, get rid of tasks that aren’t essential .

See if other tasks can be moved to a different day. Prioritize the most important things on the list, and move those to the top.

You might find a slight change in your to-do list—or the way you view your to-do list—will help you to see your tasks as more manageable. As a result, you might feel more motivated to get to work.

Mental Health in the Workplace Webinar

On May 19, 2022, Verywell Mind hosted a virtual Mental Health in the Workplace webinar, hosted by Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW. If you missed it, check out  this recap  to learn ways to foster supportive work environments and helpful strategies to improve your well-being on the job.

Practice Self-Care

You’ll struggle with motivation as long as you aren’t caring for yourself. Sleep-deprivation, a poor diet, and lack of leisure time are just a few things that can make trudging through the day more difficult than ever.

Create a healthy self-care plan that allows you to take care of your mind and body:

• Exercise regularly.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Drink water, and eat a healthy diet.
• Make time for leisure and fun.
• Use healthy coping skills to deal with stress.
• Avoid unhealthy habits, like binge eating and drinking too much alcohol.

Reward Yourself for Working

Create a small reward for yourself that you can earn for your hard work. You might find focusing on the reward helps you stay motivated to reach your goals.

For example, if you have a long paper to write for class, you might tackle it in several different ways:

• Write 500 words, and then take a 10-minute break.
• Eat one piece of chocolate after 30 minutes of work.
• Write one page a day, and then remind yourself that when you’re done, you’ll have free time to do whatever you want.
• Work for 20 minutes, and then spend 5 minutes checking social media.
• When you complete the paper, allow yourself to go out with friends.

Consider whether you are likely to be more motivated by smaller, more frequent rewards or a bigger reward for a complete job. You may want to experiment with a few different strategies until you discover an approach that works best for you.

Make sure your rewards don’t sabotage your efforts, however. Rewarding your hard work at the gym with a sugary treat might be counterproductive. And counterproductive bad habits will decrease your motivation in the long term.

Seek Professional Help

If your motivation remains low for two or more weeks, seek professional help. You may also want to seek help if your lack of motivation is affecting your daily functioning. For example, if you aren’t able to go to work, your performance at work is suffering, or if you can’t get motivated to leave the house, this could be a sign of something more serious.

Schedule an appointment with your physician. Your doctor may want to rule out physical health conditions that may be affecting your energy or mood.

Your doctor may also refer you to a mental health professional to determine if your lack of motivation might be related to a mental illness, like depression. If so, treatment may include therapy, medication, or a combination of both. You may also want to consider an online therapy program to address any underlying issues and tackle your lack of motivation.

Get Help Now

We've tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain. Find out which option is the best for you.

Causes of Having No Motivation

Sometimes, no motivation can be the problem. At other times, it’s merely the symptom of a bigger problem.

For example, if you’re a perfectionist , your lack of motivation may stem from the fear that you won’t complete a task flawlessly. Until you address this need to be perfect, your motivation isn’t likely to increase.

At other times, your lack of motivation may cause you to procrastinate . And the more you procrastinate, the less motivated you feel. In this case, improving your motivation to get work done can help you feel better and perform better.

So it’s important to take a few minutes to consider why you might have trouble motivating yourself. Here are some common reasons for a lack of motivation:

• Avoidance of discomfort. Whether you don’t want to feel bored when doing a mundane task, or you are trying to avoid feelings of frustration by dodging a tough challenge, sometimes a lack of motivation stems from a desire to avoid uncomfortable feelings .
• Self-doubt. When you think you can’t do something—or are convinced you can’t tolerate the distress associated with a certain task—you’ll likely struggle to get started.
• Being over-extended. When you have a lot going on in life, you’ll likely feel overwhelmed. And this feeling can zap your motivation.
• Lack of commitment to a goal. Agreeing to a task simply because you felt obligated, or declaring a resolution out of peer pressure, may mean your heart really isn’t in it. And you likely won’t take action when you aren’t committed to your goal.
• Mental health issues. A lack of motivation is a common symptom of depression . It can also be linked to other mental illnesses , like anxiety . So it’s important to consider whether your mental health may be affecting your motivation level.

These are just a few common reasons why people sometimes lack motivation. You might find that your lack of motivation stems from other issues, like the fear of what people think or a desire to please everyone. So carefully consider the underlying thoughts and feelings that are affecting your drive.

A Word From Verywell

Everyone struggles with motivation issues at one time or another. The way you respond to your lack of motivation is what matters, however. Be kind to yourself, experiment with strategies that increase your motivation, and ask for help if you need it.

Breines JG, Chen S. Self-compassion increases self-improvement motivation .  Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin . 2012;38(9):1133-1143. doi:10.1177/0146167212445599

Macbeth A, Gumley A. Exploring compassion: A meta-analysis of the association between self-compassion and psychopathology .  Clinical Psychology Review . 2012;32(6):545-552. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2012.06.003

Aspinall P, Mavros P, Coyne R, Roe J. The urban brain: Analysing outdoor physical activity with mobile EEG .  British Journal of Sports Medicine . 2013;49(4):272-276. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2012-091877

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

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

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When the PhD path leads to career struggles

A doctoral degree is a major commitment. Think carefully.

I appreciated reading Kara Miller’s The Big Idea column “PhD: Pretty heavily disappointed” (Business, May 22), about people with doctoral degrees struggling to build careers in academia. It made me think back to a conversation I had when I was about to graduate from high school.

I happened to run into a former track coach of mine, and as we were reminiscing he asked me what I planned as a major in college. “History,” I responded. He said, “Why don’t you take some computer classes also? It never hurts to be able to do something useful.”

I did not reflect on his motivation at the time, but my track coach was a young guy, and he was probably giving me advice straight from his own life, as a parent trying to raise his own young children. I did take computer classes in college and ultimately received a PhD in chemical engineering. I always remember that conversation as being a kind of turning point.

Earning a doctoral degree is a life commitment of great proportion. It can take, as Miller notes, between four and seven years. If we think of working life as roughly between the ages of 22 and 65, then a PhD requires more than 10 percent of a person’s working life. People need to think carefully about that investment.

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Two powerful arguments in favor of the path of science, technology, engineering, and math are that there tend to be more STEM jobs for PhDs, and many universities’ STEM departments are generous in covering their PhD students’ tuition and cost of studies, including a stipend toward food, rent, and other expenses.

Stuart Gallant

Not much has changed in 30 years

As I prepared to graduate in 1995 with a doctor of education degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, my mother memorably said to me, “Of my four children, you are the one with the most education and the smallest salary.” Apparently not much has changed in 30 years.

I must congratulate these students, however, on following their passion rather than following the money. I can’t help but think that their lives, though stressful, may contain greater happiness.

Peggy Clark

Lawyers & electricians & philosophers, oh my!

Kara Miller’s column on the career challenges for people with doctoral degrees generated more than 260 comments on Boston.Globe.com. The following is an edited sample of readers’ reactions:

Lots of law school grads are underemployed as well. (PL)

So true, PL. The market in Massachusetts is flooded with talented lawyers seeking work. (Roforma)

Supply and demand, the market at work. (guk)

Investing in education and research in all fields is the hallmark of a society with staying power. Disinvesting from these endeavors signals decline and decay. (Massachusetts citizen)

Electricians, plumbers, mechanics, and other skilled technical professions have no problems getting $100k jobs with great benefits. (ramsen)

Not enough turnover from tenured professors, leaving little space for new faculty. Although the tenured, well-established professors are needed, it’s the junior faculty who are hungry and with new ideas that help build new programs. The whole graduate program model is a bad model. I worked two jobs, had my tuition and some type of minimal student health insurance and could barely cover the rent with my stipend, and the second job paid for everything else. Though I was working on many faculty projects, it was the faculty who said this would be good for me. Never did they say it was also good for them. (TravelerofNJ2)

I just retired from a tenured faculty position in science. I’m in my early 70s. I have colleagues who are still doing what they do well into their 70s, a couple approaching 80. There is no active incentive from the university to move the older faculty on, to make way for a new generation. (Lola-lola)

The next step is for adjuncts to go on strike across the nation and hold colleges and universities accountable. The current system is completely absurd. (Wordsmith2358)

Universities should be required to release disclosure data about the fate of their PhD graduates. (davidman820)

I knew an attorney who managed a Cheesecake Factory. She had worked in food services through school. As an attorney, she really did not make that much money and was not doing the field of law of her choice. How many real estate closings can you do without dying of boredom? She went into management in the food industry and makes the same salary. (Antietem)

It was always a question and puzzling to me why people study philosophy. (Blazer27)

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• 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!!

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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!

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Deion's son Shilo Sanders facing legal mess after filing for bankruptcy

Colorado football safety Shilo Sanders has been facing questions in court about his personal income and wealth after filing for bankruptcy last October with more than $11 million in debt, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

The debt stems primarily from what a court in Texas says he owes to a security guard at his former school − a man who claimed Sanders assaulted him in 2015 and gave him severe and permanent injuries, including "neurological injuries and damage to his cervical spine." The security guard, John Darjean, sued Sanders for damages from this incident and won a $12 million judgment against him after Sanders failed to show up for trial in 2022.

Sanders, son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders , filed for bankruptcy as a result in an effort to discharge this debt. But Darjean is still trying to collect on his judgment against Sanders and has raised questions in court about Shilo Sanders’ earnings from name, image and likeness (NIL) deals in college.

“Shilo is the honest but unfortunate debtor looking to get his fresh start in life, free from the oppressive burden of his debts, including the default judgement to the Plaintiff,” Shilo Sanders’ attorney wrote in a court filing in February.

The University of Colorado declined comment and said that Shilo and Deion Sanders declined comment as well.

What happened in 2015?

The incident in question also was the subject of a report Friday by Westword in Denver. It happened when Sanders was 15 and attending Triple A Academy in Dallas where Darjean was employed as a security guard, according to court records. Darjean said in his lawsuit that Sanders was using a cell phone on school property during school hours when he was told not to do so. Darjean said Sanders physically assaulted him after Sanders refused his requests to turn over the phone.

"Suddenly and without warning, Shilo Sanders physically assaulted John Darjean by elbowing Mr. Darjean in the chest and neck and striking Mr. Darjean several times in the chest area and neck area," Darjean's lawsuit stated.

A court in Dallas County then basically accepted Darjean’s version of events without Shilo Sanders there to contest it.

“The Court finds that Shilo Sanders’ actions were the proximate cause of John Darjean’s injuries/damages,” said the final judgment signed by a Dallas County judge in May 2022. “The Court further finds that Shio Sanders actions were a substantial factor in bringing about the physical and mental injuries sustained by John Darjean, without which such injuries and damages would not have occurred.”

But Sanders has disputed Darjean’s version in subsequent court records. He said Darjean “cornered” him when he was talking to his mother on the phone. His attorney included witness statements in support of Sanders in a court filing.

“What I seen was the student didn’t want to give (Darjean) his phone so (Darjean) kept on asking for it,” one of those witness statements said. “Then (Darjean) reached for it and (Shilo) pushed the adult and (Darjean) began to push him and choked him. (Shilo) was yelling,`I can’t breathe,’ and was crying and yelling; and that’s when adults came over and pulled (Darjean) off of (Shilo).”

Why did Shilo Sanders lose his court case then?

He didn’t show up for trial, leading to a default judgment against him. His attorney said in court filings he wasn’t aware of the proceedings and didn't know about the judgment until 2023. Notices for it didn’t reach him or were sent to the wrong address, according to the court filings. He also didn't have an attorney representing him in the case at the time the trial notices were sent.

“In March 2022, a trial was convened in the State Court Case without Shilo’s knowledge or involvement,: his attorney explained in court filings. “Following the State Court convening the trial, a form of judgment was submitted by the Plaintiff and his workers’ compensation insurer and was entered by the state Court without any further notice, knowledge, or opportunity to present a defense by Shilo, including the existence of pre-existing substantial injuries resulting from the Plaintiff’s prior career as a (pro) baseball player. The total amount of the judgment was in excess of $11.8 million.”

What is going on in the case now?

Darjean is contesting the bankruptcy case filed by Shilo Sanders. He wants to get paid what the court says he is owed and has raised questions about where Sanders’ NIL money is going.

The bankruptcy filing in October said Sanders had $11.3 million in liabilities, including the court judgment against him. It also said Sanders had $478,000 in assets, including a 2023 Mercedes valued at $75,900 and necklaces valued at $75,000. His attorney then amended the value of his assets in December to about $320,000 and removed the necklaces from the list, saying they were on loan pursuant to an NIL deal with Saki Diamonds.

Darjean has alleged Sanders transferred NIL deals to his company, Big 21, LLC, as a way to keep it out of his reach. But Sanders' attorney said he didn't do anything wrong with that.

Sanders testified at a meeting of creditors that “all of the NIL agreements were with his company, Big 21, LLC, and all funds from those agreements went through the Big 21, LLC accounts,” Sanders’ attorney said in a court filing. “As the owner of the company, the Debtor (Sanders) received funds from the company, but the mere fact of receiving funds from the company does not create a transfer.”

Sanders’ attorney also stated Sanders “has taken no action to hide, transfer, destroy, or mutilate assets, either on a pre- or post-Petition Date basis, and even went so far as to voluntarily turnover over $210,000 to the (bankruptcy) Trustee without waiting for further order of the Bankruptcy Court, or even a stipulation for turnover.”

Shilo Sanders seeks a fresh start

Sanders, now 24, is entering his final college season at Colorado and was the team’s leading tackler in 2023. HIs bankruptcy filing said he had gross income of $193,713 in 2023 at the time of the filing in October. In 2022, when he played at Jackson State, it said he had gross income of $216,950.

"Given the size of the judgment and the fact that Shilo was an undergraduate college student looking towards graduate programs, the creation of a post-judgment receivership would have a permanent effect on his ability to start his life after graduation, and would likely result in the Debtor (Sanders) remaining subject to collection efforts from the Plaintiff for the rest of his life," his attorney wrote in the court filing from February. "As a result, the Debtor filed his voluntary petition for relief pursuant to Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to allow him to get a fresh start, free from the oppressive burden of his debts."

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer . Email: [email protected]