The PhD Life Coach

Vikki Wright
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Aug 4, 2025 • 1h 2min

3.48 What to do when you don’t make time for yourself (special coaching episode with Gillian)

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!Today I’m coaching Gillian who is a member of The PhD Life Coach membership! She has been making great progress on her procrastination during Q2 of the membership, but asked for coaching around making time for herself. She lives with her parents and young son, and finds that she spends all her time in daughter mode, mum mode, and PhD student mode, and hasn’t been “just Gillian” for a while. She also finds the different roles blend together which can make her feel like she’s doing everything and nothing at the same time. Listen in as we work through her challenges and come up with a plan! If you found this episode useful, you might also like this one with Marie on How to plan your week. ****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.
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Jul 28, 2025 • 27min

3.47 What to do if you’re lonely in academia

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!Loneliness in academia is so common yet so rarely talked about. In this episode I’m going to get honest about some of my experiences of loneliness, share why I think academia can be a particularly lonely place, and give some tangible tips that you can use to make it all feel a bit better.If you enjoyed this episode, you might like this episode on the six types of social support you need and this one on how to build your academic community.****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.
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Jul 21, 2025 • 30min

3.46 How to prepare for a difficult meeting

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!If you put off having difficult conversations or get frazzled just thinking about it, then you need to bookmark this episode! I am going to give you my three step process for preparing for a difficult meeting. You’ll learn how to manage your own worries, strategize for success, and leave feeling proud of yourself. If you are preparing for a viva or oral defence, check out this episode for more specific advice. ****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.
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Jul 14, 2025 • 57min

3.45 How to write your discussion when you don’t know how (special coaching episode with Becci)

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!Today I’m coaching Becci who is writing her final thesis discussion chapter. She told me “I feel like I don't really know what I'm doing and I'm just flailing around in the dark spewing out thousands of words and wondering what my point even is. Up to now, I've found it quite easy to understand what I need to do and what chapters need to look like but this part just feels like a huge and important amorphous blob.” Hear how we worked through these thoughts and came to a plan (and listen to the end of the episode to hear where Becci is now!!)Links:If you want to hear other people getting coached, sign up here to get a full searchable archive of the podcast - you can filter by “coaching” and find all the episodes! ****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.
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Jul 7, 2025 • 28min

3.44 Understanding how power affects student-supervisor relationships

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!Today we’re thinking about the relationships we have with our supervisors/advisors. These are one of the most complex and important elements of your PhD experience yet we rarely consider the nature of the relationships. In this episode, we think about how power is distributed in these relationships and how this affects how we each behave. This episode is relevant for PhD students AND supervisors, even if you think you have a great relationship!Links:You might also find these episodes on managing your supervisory relationships useful. How to have a great relationship with your supervisorWhat to do if you have a toxic relationship with your supervisor****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.
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Jun 30, 2025 • 31min

3.43 Answering your questions – balancing different commitments, academic role models and surviving publish or perish culture

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!Today I’m answering listener questions! We hear from people who are feeling pulled in different directions for a variety of reasons, a student who feels she lacks academic role models, and another feeling pressured by a publish or perish culture. I give some words of advice and thoughts to consider to help navigate these challenges. Remember – if you have questions you want answered, join my newsletter and send them over and I’ll answer them in a future episode! Links:You can hear me answer other listener questions here and here. ****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.
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Jun 23, 2025 • 47min

3.42 What to do if you are considering leaving your PhD – a special coaching episode

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!Today you get to hear a real coaching session with a listener, Ruth, who is considering not finishing her PhD. We talk through the reasons and I take her through a process to help her make a decision that works for her. This is a great episode for you if you ever doubt your own abilities to finish your PhD or if you have any big decisions to make. ****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.
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Jun 16, 2025 • 52min

3.41 Thriving with autism in academia: Advice for students and universities

In this engaging conversation, Jess Dineen, a PhD student and neurodivergent consultant, shares her insights on thriving with autism in academia. She highlights the importance of clear communication and tailored support for neurodivergent students. Jess discusses the strengths of autistic individuals and the role of allies in creating inclusive environments. She emphasizes self-advocacy and the need for universities to implement effective policies that foster neurodiversity—transforming challenges into opportunities for success.
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9 snips
Jun 9, 2025 • 40min

3.40 How to read academic papers more quickly

Unlock the secrets to efficient reading in academia! Discover four key elements that can drastically shorten your reading time. Learn how to define your purpose and enhance comprehension through mindful note-taking. Gain insights into balancing immersive reading with structured goals, ensuring you stay on track. Plus, explore ways to maximize your academic experience with useful resources and connect with a community of fellow researchers. Get ready to transform your reading habits and thrive in your PhD journey!
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Jun 2, 2025 • 40min

3.39 How to get ahead when you’re feeling behind

Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!In this episode, best selling author Sophie Hannah shares her “Book Ahead” method for managing multiple projects when you already feel behind. Born in the midst of a particularly busy year of writing, the first iteration of the Book Ahead method not only got the job done, it also changed how Sophie felt about herself, her other projects, and one of her long-standing “bad habits”. If you feel like you’ll be behind forever and want a technique that doesn’t just involve simply working more, then this is the episode for you! Links:About Sophie Hannah and the Dream Author coaching programmePre-order Sophie’s new book, No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done– UK, North America; available at other good bookshops!****I'm Dr Vikki Wright, ex-Professor and certified life coach and I help everyone from PhD students to full Professors to get a bit less overwhelmed and thrive in academia. Please make sure you subscribe, and I would love it if you could find time to rate, review and tell your friends! You can send them this universal link that will work whatever the podcast app they use. http://pod.link/1650551306?i=1000695434464 I also host a free online community for academics at every level. You can sign up on my website, The PhD Life Coach. com - you'll receive regular emails with helpful tips and access to free online group coaching every single month! Come join and get the support you need.

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