Taking Care of Yourself During a PhD: My Personal Story

Going through a PhD is tough, not just for your brain but also for your feelings. I learned this the hard way. I used to do yoga and exercise to stay healthy, but being in a bad relationship messed things up. That person would say abusive things, making me sad every day. Trying to end it was hard because he wouldn’t let me and even threatened me.

During the pandemic, I also experienced the loss of my beloved neighbor aunt, which weighed heavily on my heart.

I wasn’t able to cope with all this. In that time, I had to say goodbye to my pets and move back home to feel better. This made me very sad and stressed. Also, problems with getting my scholarship on time made me feel sick a lot. I tried to be strong, but it was tough.

To cope, I exercised more, made a schedule for studying, and ate well. Moving to a new place helped too. Post pandemic, I traveled to different cities like Delhi, Mangalore, Udupi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Goa to do some field studies and analysis for my work. Visiting temples, connecting to nature gave me peace, and making new friends helped me handle the personal stress and balance the needs of PhD.

I have realised that during PhDs, you might undergo through a lot of stress, like relationship issues, marriage, pregnancy, and losing loved ones. If we take care of our mental health, we can handle the PhD work as well as personal problem better.

Remembering why you started and staying focused on your goals is important. Bad days don’t stick around forever. With this mindset, work towards your PhD for a better future.

PhD is a journey with a destination. Thinking about where you want to go keeps you active during the journey. So, take care of your mental health, keep your body and feelings steady, and make your well-being the top priority. Always feel good about your overall health and wellness. I hope this advice will work for you.

Kindly contact me if you are struggling with some or other personal reasons during your PhD time, and unable to cope well. May be a talk will help you to gather courage for moving towards your goal. All the best for your PhD!