10 Ways to Recharge during your PhD

The life of a PhD student can be hard! With long hours working in the lab or behind a laptop screen, constant information overload, pressure to write and meet deadlines etc., you can often feel pretty burnt out by the time the weekend rolls around. And let’s not talk about the times you feel it’s necessary to work over the weekends too!  

We’ve put together a list of ways to help you get the most out of your downtime and fully recharge your battery. Social plans are a great way to decompress, but if your time off is constantly full of appointments and social commitments, you might still feel burnt out by the time Monday comes. Whilst it might not always be possible to do everything on this list, it’s probably possible you can do at least 1-2 things on your days off!  

Have some more suggestions, please let us and the rest of the community know!  

 

1. Unplug the Electronics  

You will have likely been glued to a screen for the best part of your week. Although throwing your phone in a drawer for a full day or weekend is not possible for everyone, try being without it for a couple of hours. Also try not to swap a phone screen for a laptop or TV screen! Get out for a walk, read, paint, exercise – whatever you want to do that doesn’t involve your electronics! 

 

2. Plan the Week Ahead  

We aren’t talking about going into full work mode here, but instead simply giving yourself a bit of time on a Sunday to review your upcoming week. Maybe writing your meetings into a diary, making a to-do list of non-negotiable tasks, slotting in when you might go to the gym or meet a friend. This can be a way of staving off the Sunday Scaries because you feel prepared for Monday and the week ahead.  

 

3. Do Some Cleaning 

Coming from someone who will avoid vacuuming like the plague, I know this isn’t a very nice thing to have on a weekend recharge list. However, we all know the peace that a clean space brings. It doesn’t need to be a full “oh my god my parents are coming to stay” clean, instead you might choose one task or one room to tackle. Set a 10-minute timer and see what you can get done. Plug in and listen to a play list while you scrub the shower. Whatever chore feels manageable to you, put it on your weekend to-do list.  

 

4. Have Some Good Food or Drink  

The weekends for lots of people are a time where you can break some habits and let your hair down a bit, and this can include indulging on some good food or drink. Why not go for a walk and pick up a croissant, or go out with friends for a drink, or binge watch Netflix with a takeaway. Instead, you might really enjoy cooking/baking but not have time during the week. Allow some delicious food and/or drink to help you recharge your batteries this weekend.   

 

5. Do Nothing 

As a PhD student we often don’t get time to do nothing. There is always something that can be done, to be written or analysed. It’s important though to give yourself time to do nothing. Remove expectations of what needs doing, and just relax. That could be doing one of the other things listed here (for example, getting outside, cooking good food, playing an instrument). But whatever it is, do nothing and don’t feel guilty about it.  

 

6. Get Outside 

Some of us live in places with more open natural spaces than others, but we can all find a park or seafront or mountain. Get outside, the fresh air will do you and your mind wonders. 

 

7. Do Some Form of Self-care 

Love a long shower or bath? Like going to the hairdressers? Looking after ourselves through acts of self-care can help up fil our cups back up. It doesn’t always need to be physical treatments (like getting your nails done), instead being outside for a walk could be the self-care most important to you. But whatever it is, spend some time looking after yourself this weekend. 

 

8. Some Form of Self-improvement 

With your free time, why not spend an hour or so working on yourself. This could be practicing your second language, learning a musical instrument, trying to follow a baking recipe. It will likely involve a little more effort than your act of self-care but isn’t improving yourself the ultimate act of self-love?! 

 

9. Spend Some Time Alone Connecting with Yourself  

There is a difference between being alone and being lonely. Having some time to yourself is important in helping us become more comfortable and familiar with being alone and enjoying our own company. Why not take yourself on a coffee date NOT with your laptop, go to the cinema, go to the park, take a class. Try to be present and not on your phone talking to other people.  

 

10. Spend Some Time With Your Loved Ones  

Not all of us have our family and friends with us while we are doing our PhDs, but spending time with loved ones doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be here in person. Call you family, facetime your international friends, go see if there are meet-ups in your local area where you can make new friends, spend quality time with your pets!! Whatever social interaction means to you, spend some time connecting over your weekend.