So often people talk about ‘boundaries’ like they are unfortunate, negative, limitations. ‘Having boundaries’ is all about saying ‘no’ and … More
Category: Taking a break
The 5 stretches that kept me going during my recent final book edit
This year was the year of so much editing for me. Having two books coming out a few months apart meant that I had barely submitted responses to one set of edits than the edits for the other book would arrive in my inbox (sometimes I could count the breathing space in hours). It was tough for my brain to stay focussed, but it was also tough on my body.
We build resilience through healing AND challenge
You don’t get knocked down and bounce back stronger. At least not immediately.
When ‘not doing’ is the most work
If you are like me, you are used to having a to-do list and deadlines and plans, and really more … More
Working over Christmas?
Longtime readers of the blog will know Research Degree Insiders is a big fan of time off — there’s a … More
The critical distance break
Sometimes I realise that an important idea I’ve been talking about, almost since the beginning of the blog, has never … More
Self care for everyone
When Audre Lorde wrote ‘self-care is warfare’, she declared that when an African-American woman takes care of herself, she fights back … More
Getting your head in the game: the pause before you start work
When I started going to the gym (see Exercising Like a Girl parts 1 and 2), one of the things … More
Ten things I’ve learned about learning a new skill (especially if you are rubbish at it to start with)
When you start a PhD, you are doing something you’ve been practicing for a long time, studying, and you’ve … More
Getting back into writing after a break
Often candidates and researchers come to talk to me when they are trying to get back into academic writing after … More
