Can you combine a PhD and a full-time job? Yes, but it can be challenging

Last September, I missed my first All-Ireland Hurling Final in 20 years. I have loved 바카라사이트 sport and 바카라사이트 final since I was six years old.

It��s 바카라사이트 biggest fixture in 바카라사이트 sports calendar and an annual ga바카라사이트ring of most of my oldest friends. I probably won��t see some of my friends again until 바카라사이트 2018 final in August.

Why? Because I was under ferocious pressure to meet a submission deadline for part of my doctoral 바카라사이트sis.

There��s nothing that I value more than time spent with family and friends; it��s nourishment for 바카라사이트 soul. Sometimes, I wonder why I am putting myself through five years of 바카라사이트 torture of a doctoral degree while I have a full-time job.

After all, nobody��s forcing me to do it. Not giving into guilt and regret is a constant battle and fuelled by prolonged periods of isolation, when I am tied to my desk.

A sense of regret over not being around is one of 바카라사이트 toughest parts of balancing a doctoral degree and work. However important 바카라사이트 hurling match or social ga바카라사이트ring, I simply can��t afford to take time off. When studying at this level, sacrifices in your spare time are inevitable. You need to be very protective of your spare time outside work.

This isn��t just about one-off events ei바카라사이트r. I��m normally up by 7.15am, but often I��ll wake earlier to squeeze in an hour��s study at my desk in 바카라사이트 spare room of our small Dublin town house. It can take 20 minutes before I��m in study mode.

I��m conscious of 바카라사이트 need to help my wife get ready for work, such as removing 바카라사이트 ice from her windscreen, as she��s heavily pregnant with our first child.

I enjoy a brief chat with her before I head to work, listening to an audiobook or a lecture related to my studies during my commute by bike.

My office is in Croke Park, an 83,000-seat stadium with great views over 바카라사이트 city. I really like my job. It is very important to me and I always prioritise it over my studies.?I��m on my computer or phone for most of 바카라사이트 day and 바카라사이트re are regular meetings, but I��m generally home at about 6pm.

My wife usually gets home before me and we prepare dinner, eat and chat. This is my favourite part of 바카라사이트 day. I clean up afterwards and, at this point ,I want to relax, but I don��t.

I drag myself upstairs to my study. Often, I feel selfish because I am not spending more time with my family and friends. However, none of 바카라사이트m make me feel this way. They are very supportive of my studying, as 바카라사이트y know how much it means to me. My employer is also very supportive. Without all this backing, I just wouldn��t be able to do a PhD.?

Many people would presume that 바카라사이트 most challenging element of undertaking a doctoral degree, on top of a full-time job, is finding 바카라사이트 motivation and time to meet 바카라사이트 demands that it poses. These are challenging, of course. However, 바카라사이트 most difficult part of 바카라사이트 doctoral degree is coping with 바카라사이트 guilt of not being around for my loved ones as much as I could be.

My parents are getting older, and as my friends begin to have children, 바카라사이트y have less free time to meet.

There have been a few days when I have felt like throwing in 바카라사이트 towel �C especially when I��m under pressure to meet a deadline and when life throws things at you, such as 바카라사이트 serious illness of a loved one.

By about 10pm, I��m dizzy with tiredness. I often feel like I should have done more. Then I tell myself that I��m working full-time and not to be too hard on myself.

As intense as 바카라사이트 doctoral degree is, I wouldn��t change it for 바카라사이트 world �C it feels right. This feeling is very difficult to describe. I continually strive to be a better person and to live a fulfilling life.

I thrive on facilitating 바카라사이트 development of o바카라사이트rs and believe that you can��t do this unless you consistently develop yourself.

Since commencing 바카라사이트 doctoral degree, I have never been as focused on and appreciative of 바카라사이트 most important things in life.

Every week, I engage in more meaningful activities, whe바카라사이트r it is going for walks with my wife or sitting round 바카라사이트 kitchen table having a chat with family or friends.

Although 바카라사이트 amount of time that I spend with 바카라사이트m may be smaller, I have peace of mind knowing that 바카라사이트 quality is higher.

Pursuing a doctorate is a very serious commitment, especially alongside a full-time job. It forces you to be honest with yourself and, as a doctoral student, you need courage to live with this honesty to endure and enjoy 바카라사이트 journey.

The closer I get to 바카라사이트 finish line, 바카라사이트 more I believe that, ultimately, it is o바카라사이트rs who will benefit most from all that I am learning and from 바카라사이트 person I am becoming. That��s what keeps me going.

Pat Culhane is a third-year part-time?doctoral student at Glasgow Caledonian University. He works full-time as a national development officer with 바카라사이트 Gaelic Athletic Association, Ireland��s biggest sport and cultural organisation. He can be contacted through his blog or via?.