Protecting Your Mental Health in Your Final PhD Year

#1 Prioritise healthy habits

The final year of your PhD can be draining and can take a lot of energy. You’ll give yourself the best chance when you establish healthy habits like cooking healthy meals, getting enough sleep and having a regular exercise routine. When you’re busy or stressed these can often be the first things to slip. However, making sure these principles are in place will increase your focus, work efficiency and boost your immune system, reducing your risk of getting sick.

If you find it hard to make time for cooking daily meals then batch cooking at the weekends can set-you up well for the week.

Short bursts of activity like a walk at lunchtime or parking further away from your office, can be a good way to add some movement to your day and make exercise accessible. Try to find something you enjoy as this will make you more likely to stick to it.

#2 Rediscover hobbies or try something new

Hobbies are your escape. They are a time to switch your brain off from anything academic or career-related and I think that’s vital to surviving final year. I aim to have one activity a day that is purely for fun: some days that’s going to my local running club, others it’s meeting a friend for coffee or just fitting in a few pages of my book before going to bed. This doesn’t need to be all-encompassing but having a moment to yourself every day is an important reset for your brain.

Now can also be a good time to try something new. Learning something new means focussing on it completely so your inner monologue and whirring thesis thoughts have to quieten down. I learnt to knit during my PhD as something challenging, but not too stressful, and that really forced me to be engaged and stop doom scrolling!

#3 Maintain your community

Don’t isolate yourself in your final year. Whilst writing up it can be tempting to work from your bed and rarely leave your house, but your community is your tether to sanity. Whether that’s fellow PhD students who understand your pain or friends in the real world who can give you some perspective and an outside opinion. Both groups serve to get you out of your own bubble and back into reality. Keep that community and be as honest as you can with them. Feeling stressed? Chances are someone else is right there with you!

#4 Schedule regular time off

There is a real risk of burnout in your final year but remember that long hours do not always equate to quality work. Try to work in a highly focused and intentional manner for a few hours before having a break. This will allow you to focus on one task or section and then have a rest. Some people use the Pomodoro method for this.

I also try to have a day off scheduled every few weeks to have a proper break. It can be tempting to skip your holidays until you have submitted but try to use that time to rest and recharge so you can keep going — remember it is a marathon, not a sprint!

Healthy habits will look different for everyone. For me, it’s about prioritising friendships, good food, movement and sleep. I know if these things are in place, then I am in the strongest position to write my thesis and reach the submission date in one piece! Look after yourself final years!!

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