Dealing with slumps

Source: Toolbox Columnist: Dr Dave Filipović-Carter, Added By:

The mid-way slump. Half-way horrors. Middle year blues. These are all just myths, right? Probably not actually. Problems are inherent in any form of prolonged original research, and many of these will occur 'in the middle'. Whilst these might not be any worse than problems nearer to the start or the end, they may seem so. Hence, those names.

So what's going on? To state the obvious: almost any doctorate can be roughly divided into three stages - the beginning, the middle and the end - with recognisable characteristics of each stage. Do any of these sound familiar from the beginning: excitement, enthusiasm, desire to 'get on with proper research', impatience, anxiety ('I'm not good enough to do this', 'everyone knows more than me' - aka the academic fraud syndrome), freedom, confusion ('what exactly am I supposed to be doing'), wallowing in information..? Similarly, the final stage can encompass elements like: excitement, desire to get to the end, impatience for what's next, anxiety ('I cannot possibly be good enough to pass' - AFS again!), panic, comfort and control, cruising, plus issues around writing-up and preparation for the viva (more of which in future columns).

What then of the middle stage? The length of this stage can vary greatly - from a few months to literally years. And, it tends to equate to the time after the initial feelings have worn off, and while the end is still not in sight, which is exactly why it can be so challenging, and why problems can so easily seem bigger than they are. Other aspects of it include:

• Fear of becoming independent: A doctorate is about independence, but that means responsibility and lack of a safety net. Are you ready?


• The curtain of ignorance: By definition, at some stage you have to push through to somewhere no one else has been - that is what original contribution means. You can't know what's on the other side. And that has to be scary. It may also be exhilarating, exciting, and many other things, but it is still a big deal.


• Betwixt and between: The problem with the middle is it's hardest to see how far you've come, and how far you have to go. It can feel like the being in a boat with neither shore in sight - you've probably come too far to go back, but aren't sure you can make it across...

Is there anything then to do about this?
Well, of course, simply recognising what is going on is a big part of the battle. But after that, think of how you can combat specific aspects of what's bothering you:

1. Have close at hand your reasons for studying 'this' topic (Enthusiasm? Passion? Desire to 'know'?)


2. Recall why you're doing a doctorate (Job? Status? To teach? To advance knowledge?)


3. Try to mix-up what you're doing, i.e. intersperse the tough / nasty / boring bits with the fun / stimulating / easy(?) bits.


4. Talk to others. That means other PhD students (sometimes they are the only people who understand, and a good cathartic whinge can do wonders - occasionally!). But also, supervisors, friends and family away from study, etc.


5. Try to see the funny side. Hence the cartoons in this newsletter, and also PhDComics.com for example.


6. Try to keep a balance (remember what we said previously...)

Also, try to create a view to the end - however far away it seems. What does finishing look like? If you can, try to watch someone emerging from a viva after passing - it really is a glorious, inspiring, uplifting sight. Just make sure you pick someone who is very likely to pass, and with minor corrections at worst - because the opposite is even more so...

Identifying it and naming it can be half the battle. Dealing with it then needs only to be a smallish task. Stick at it - it passes. And just keep a focus on that end point.

Tags: Motivation

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