Avoiding Crunch

Sometimes in a PhD you might have to work an extra hour, stay a little longer, try again or keep going even if you don’t want to.

Viva prep shouldn’t be one of those times. Whatever your daily circumstances, bringing viva prep into the mix could create some pressure. It doesn’t take much to get ready for the viva, but if you’re already busy it might feel like one thing too many.

Before you get to crunch time, stop and look at your routine: how could you make space? How could you start as pressure-free as possible? When do you need to start to make it as simple as possible? Who could help you do what you need to do?

Simple questions can’t help magic the work away. They can help you to see that a little planning before you get to prep can make it work out well.