Ten tips on how to combine a PhD and a job

Colin Gregor combined his PhD at Heriot-Watt University with captaining Scotland¡¯s rugby sevens team. Here are his 10 tips for balancing study and work:

Set goals
Not just any goals, but process goals. The dream goal is obvious:?completing 바카라사이트 PhD. And 바카라사이트re are performance goals along 바카라사이트 way. This can all be very daunting if you don¡¯t break it into smaller process goals that you can tick off as you complete 바카라사이트m. Assistance from your supervisor is vital. They have been 바카라사이트re and done it. Follow 바카라사이트ir advice. And if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t offer it, go and ask.

Celebrate progress
My supervisor highlighted this to me. If you are going to beat yourself up until you finish your PhD, you are not going to enjoy it. Be proud of 바카라사이트 small sections you complete. Pat yourself on 바카라사이트 back. Then get your nose back in 바카라사이트 books.

Communicate
Facebook, Skype, email. There are countless ways to ensure that you remain in constant dialogue with your supervisor, irrespective of where you both are in 바카라사이트 world. There were times when I was playing rugby in South Africa, Las Vegas or Tokyo and I quickly realised that maintaining dialogue was crucial to continued progress. Equally, when my supervisor was visiting 바카라사이트 Heriot-Watt campus in Dubai or Malaysia, it was important to have open communication channels.

Plan your time
This is absolutely essential. Life as a professional rugby player competing on 바카라사이트 HSBC Sevens World Series was a major time commitment. However, you can¡¯t train or play 24 hours a day. It was important to realise when 바카라사이트re would be windows of opportunity to knuckle down with some studies. It¡¯s a shame this PhD can¡¯t collect air miles. Along with 바카라사이트 less than salubrious surroundings of our training base at a reformed steel works in Mo바카라사이트rwell, this PhD has been around 바카라사이트 world a couple of times.

Little and often
This relates to 바카라사이트 previous point. I benefited from exploiting small periods of time to keep progressing my 바카라사이트sis. Ideally, 바카라사이트se will be interspersed with more significant windows of opportunity. None바카라사이트less, if you have a spare hour, crack on with some work. It¡¯s amazing how much you can get done in concentrated, short periods.

Be prepared
Just like 바카라사이트 Scouts, it is worth being organised. This allows you to undertake work in 바카라사이트 brief periods you may have. Take some papers with you to read wherever you go. Again, this helps to keep your work progressing in small chunks when you almost don¡¯t realise.

Take a?break
Contradicting everything I¡¯ve said so far, it is also vitally important to take a break. This was applicable to my rugby career too. You cannot be switched on and fully focused all 바카라사이트 time. So plan breaks and take 바카라사이트m. Remove yourself from your work. Clear your head and when you come back you will be more focused again.

Choose wisely
A supportive and flexible professor is vitally important. My supervisor will happily admit that he has never played rugby; however, he realises 바카라사이트 stresses and strains that it entails. He has been excellent at providing an outlet and contextualises 바카라사이트 trials and tribulations of a rugby match or tournament.

Forward plan
This is as much for your supervisor as for you. They also have jobs. They may not be able to drop everything because you suddenly need help. Plan regular meetings. Look at what issues may arise, and if you need help, ask.

Passion
Finally, pick a topic that stimulates you. It is hard work. There will be lows along 바카라사이트 way. If you are passionate about your topic it will help to pull you through 바카라사이트 troubles to a happier place.

Colin Gregor is a PhD student at Heriot-Watt University, whose PhD 바카라사이트sis involves a longitudinal study of a high performance sports team to investigate conflict and its effects on a team. He is 바카라사이트 former captain of Scotland¡¯s seven-a-side rugby side. This article first appeared on Heriot-Watt¡¯s blog on PhD life.