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Tag: rest

Nathan

Room To Rest

Daily Post

It’s another public holiday in the UK.

I have the day off and I hope you do as well – and if you don’t I hope you can take a day off soon!

 

Remember that when it’s time to get ready for your viva too.

There’s work to do when you’re preparing for your viva but you can control the flow. Don’t make it too intense. Don’t leave yourself no room to rest. You can’t be at your best for the viva if you put yourself under enormous pressure while you’re preparing.

Make a plan. Take your time. Give yourself room to rest after the achievement of submission. Give yourself space to breathe while you get ready for your viva.

Nathan

Prep Feelings

Daily Post

Work past worry.

This is one of my most commonly shared pieces of advice about the viva. If something worries you, do something. If you have a problem that’s troubling you then work past it.

What do you do if you feel happy? Or tired? Or uncertain? Or nervous? Or confident?

You work.

If you’re happy then work to hold on to that feeling.

If you’re tired then work to find suitable rest.

If you’re uncertain then work to remove that uncertainty (ask questions or read regulations).

If you’re nervous then work to build confidence and if you feel confident then find a way to maintain it.

Work past worry might be a special case of more general viva advice: work to help your feelings.

Nathan

Resting Questions

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Rest is an essential component of the viva prep period.

Almost every kind of question that might help someone unpack practical prep they need to do for the viva could also help them rest:

  • What activities help you to feel prepared/rested?
  • Who can help you prepare/take some rest ahead of the viva?
  • When will you prepare/rest in the weeks between submission and your viva?
  • What will you do first to prepare/rest after submission?
  • What will preparation/rest help you to feel for your viva?

Good rest is a part of good viva prep.

Nathan

Prep Time Is Valuable

Daily Post

There’s not a lot of viva prep time compared to the rest of your PhD.

The work you do has an impact on how ready you feel for your viva.

Scarcity and impact make your prep time really valuable.

Refresh your memory, reflect on your work, rehearse for your viva and rest. The last point matters more than people tend to think.

Prep time is valuable.

Nathan

A Viva Prep Checklist

Daily Post

Make sure you tick off the following as you get ready for your viva!

  1. Read your thesis carefully.
  2. Mark the first page of each chapter.
  3. Read the most recent two or three papers by each examiner.
  4. Check the regulations.
  5. Annotate your thesis.
  6. Spend time creating summaries to help your thinking.
  7. Find opportunities to rehearse.
  8. Ask for support when you need it.
  9. Look back over your PhD to build your confidence.
  10. Take time to rest!

All of these help. Numbers 9 and 10 are particularly helpful and also the most liable to be missed.

 

PS: Looking for more viva prep ideas and information? Then check out my live 3-hour Viva Survivor webinar on Wednesday 25th March 2026. Attendees get four-week access to a recording of the session and follow-up materials too. There’s more information at the link but please get in touch if you have any questions or want to know more. Thanks for reading!

Nathan

A Spare Day

Daily Post

I’m fortunate enough to feel that today is a bit of a freebie.

It’s the end of the summer break. I have work to do but nothing pressing. Today feels like it could be all mine.

…well, if I wasn’t a parent and a small business owner. Alas, I do have things I have to do!

 

When you’re working towards your viva there is a lot you HAVE to do.

If you don’t, you’re leaving yourself open to the possibility of not being ready for your viva, stress and a lack of confidence.

Even so, find a spare day or two when you can rest and relax.

Maybe today! Maybe some time soon.

Viva prep requires reading, review and rehearsal. Don’t forget to rest.

Nathan

A Day Off

Daily Post

Rest is a part of viva preparation. There’s plenty of practical stuff you need to do to get ready – reading, making notes, rehearsing – but you have to rest as well.

You have to rest so that you can do the other stuff.

You have to rest so that you can have time to consider what you’ve done and what you still have to do. You have to rest to help you keep going.

I hope that you can find some rest today. I hope that you can take today off if possible! But if not today, then set some time aside soon. You need rest to be ready for the viva.

 

PS: if you have two minute spare today then check out Viva Survivor, my upcoming live webinar on Wednesday 25th June. Registration is open now for my 3-hour live session all about the viva, viva prep and getting ready – and there are follow-up materials, a catch-up recording and plenty of time for questions. Take a look and see if it might help you.

Nathan

Another Day Off

Daily Post

I know, I know, it was a public holiday in the UK just a few weeks ago!

And it may be that today is or isn’t a day off for you.

Maybe it’s hard to find a whole day where you can say “this is just for me” but at the very least if your viva is in the near future please make sure you have some time to rest.

Make time for prep and make time for rest. You need it.

Nathan

Get Away

Daily Post

It would be nice to down tools, kick back and relax when you submit your thesis. You did it.

Wait, I mean: YOU DID IT!!!

It’s worth the exclamation marks because submission is an incredible achievement. One wish I have for all PhD candidates is that they could take a little time to relax and enjoy that feeling. I wish that they could get away and take a real break after all that work.

I also know that might be out of reach for many. Day to day life, responsibilities and resources might not allow for a holiday after submission. What will you do to enjoy that time?

The world won’t stop turning but perhaps you can halt the wheels turning when it comes to your research. Take a little break from your thesis and research after submission. Press pause so that when you start your preparations you’re more rested and more able to engage with the work you still have to do.

Nathan

A Little Time For You

Daily Post

I remember being excited for public holidays when I was a child because it was an extra day off! A longer weekend! Woohoo!

As an adult I’ve realised that despite my own desire to do nothing on a bank holiday, typically there’s someone else in my life who wants me to do something.

  • “Why don’t we go to….?”
  • “Come round today since everyone is free!”
  • “Now would be a good time to….”

Ah well, that’s life! Still, if your viva is coming up then today might be a good to take a little time for you. An hour here or there to just rest.

Breathe. Don’t pick up your thesis. Don’t check those papers. Just rest.

There’s a day coming when you’ll have a very busy couple of hours. Use today to take a couple of hours just for you.

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