Overcoming Overwork and Overwhelm in the Final Months of Your PhD (a special coaching episode!)

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THIS VIDEO
In this video, I coach Swagata, a PhD student navigating the intense overwhelm and exhaustion of her final months of writing up. If you’ve ever felt the pressure of looming deadlines, struggled to balance rest with productivity, or found yourself trapped in guilt for taking a break, this episode is for you.

What’s inside this episode?
✨ The challenges of finishing a PhD – Swagata shares her honest experience of overwork, guilt around resting, and feeling like her energy isn’t enough to meet the demands of writing up.
✨ Practical time-management strategies – Together, we explore actionable ways to organise her time effectively, so she can focus on what truly matters without burning out.
✨ Reframing unhelpful thoughts – I help Swagata identify and challenge thought patterns that are making her PhD journey more painful than it needs to be, offering insights that can help you, too.
This episode is packed with relatable struggles and realistic solutions for any PhD student feeling overwhelmed. You’ll gain practical tips to ease your workload and mindset shifts to approach your final months with more clarity and confidence.
👉 Listen now to discover how to tackle overwork, embrace rest guilt-free, and finish your PhD without sacrificing your well-being.

WHO AM I?
I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach. I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. On YouTube and my podcast, I share actionable advice, compassionate reassurance, and the occasional reality check to help you achieve your goals. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes!

⌚️Timestamps:
1:00 The client explains her challenges and why she sometimes dreads working
6.55 I help Swagata separate the facts from the “story”
9.43 We discuss the challenge of work feeling like it’s going round in circles and what to do about it
13.58 How to manage uncertainty
18.07 Coping with unrealistic expectations
19.44 Why sometimes a break isn’t a break
25.45 The power of planning intentionally
27.27 Why we shouldn’t talk about work “spilling over”
37.02 What to do when work feels like just one more job
38.08 Why you shouldn’t plan when you’re overwhelmed and what you should do instead
40.37 How to look after ourselves like an athlete
45.19 The power of savouring the moment
48.49 The difference between accepting it’s difficult and accepting it’s horrible
56.32 How to focus on the now
1.01 Why we’ll always have to manage our thoughts

Видео Overcoming Overwork and Overwhelm in the Final Months of Your PhD (a special coaching episode!) канала The PhD Life Coach