Removing Obstacles To Being Ready
What’s getting in the way of you being prepared for your viva?
- Not being sure what to do;
- Not knowing something;
- Not having support from people;
- Feeling like there’s not enough time;
- Feeling like there’s not the right time;
- Feeling like there’s too much to do;
- Feeling nervous, worried, scared or unsure;
- Not feeling as confident as you want to.
What can you do about these sources of friction and irritation?
- Read viva regulations;
- Talk to your supervisor and your friends;
- Make a plan;
- Reflect on your PhD experience;
- Read a blog post or two;
- Explore what help is available from your university;
- Explore what help is available elsewhere (like daily blogs that also offer webinars sometimes!)
- Reflect to find the root cause of what’s in the way.
That last point is really helpful actually: if you know you feel something that’s getting in the way of being prepared and you know WHY you’re feeling it then there’s typically a lot you can do to help yourself.
Figure out why and you can remove any obstacles in your way.