Cozy thoughts for when times are hard | PhD Vlog 4

I'm very privileged to be able to take time away from my PhD work when I need to. I know many PhD candidates are not on a flexible timeline like myself. So, how do you comfort yourself in times of stress?
✨AFFILIATE LINKS✨
A zettelkasten-compatible note-taking app I've featured on the channel: scrintal.com/?YT&u...
A book summary app to remember what you read: www.shortform.com/morganeua
🎵MUSIC🎵
Dreams Become Real by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@ankjhf]

I'm a master's student currently on sick leave because of burnout, and seeing this was very comforting. Knowing that even someone doing a PhD has to take a week off is reassuring. The thing you said about the beauty of seeing what thoughts people decided to put into books at the bookstore was also just beautiful and reminded me why I study literature. Thank you Morgan, hope you're doing well.

[@padmeasmr]

I've just finished writing my master thesis, 115 pages by the title " Diderot and Sartre: the theater and the paradox on the actor ". I remember watching your vids last year when I had just begun. Even though it turned out good and it was quite original + I loved writing it, now I feel like it sucks &I'm not good enough. In the end I just wanted to be done I believe I had some kind of burn out. I'm scared of doing the presentation, feel like I could make a fool of myself. I have so many negative thoughts about it all. Whyyyy I used to be so proud and fired up. Made me realize I could never do a PhD. But Id like to finish my novel lol (I might really need that comfort book)

[@morganeua]

Aw, what a cool master's thesis! I wrote a little bit about Diderot in my undergrad, but I don't know much about Sartre! I'm sure your thesis is excellent and in a year from now, you will re-read it and realize how great your writing was! It's totally normal to feel immediately bad about your work, I think. Or at least it happens to me ALL the time. Exactly those same thoughts go through my head, that I just want it to be over and I'm not good enough and people think I'm a fool. I'm trying to work on reminding myself that those voices are in my head and they're not real, then try replacing them with positive thoughts instead!

[@massaglia]

Hi Morgan. I so appreciate your sharing the human moments from your life-PhD adventures - the ups, downs, turns, and twists. I'm learning so much from you. You are the best. Thanks. Vic

[@cedargrace]

Morgan, thank you so much for this timely video. I am having a really rough mental health week also and I love that you are so open about the very human experience of needing a break. I echo what you shared about allowing yourself to enjoy TV and games. It’s not only OK to check out occasionally, I think it’s actually good for us. I really dislike when people shame lesiure & label it non-productive. There’s a lot of hyper productivity vibes on the Internet and I’m all for taking more naps, seeking more comfort, doing less and listening to our bodies. So thank you for speaking to all these things I feel like it’s quite a revolutionary act to rally behind, slowing down and not being productive 24/7. Makes me think of that Jenny Odell book “How to do Nothing” that you introduced me to.

[@blaiseutube]

You are not alone.

[@morganeua]

I agree with everything you said! I feel like February/March has been a tough time for a lot of us. I don't really know why... Yes, it's good to remember what Odell teaches - that even if it looks like you're "doing nothing" from the eyes of the attention economy or the academic institution or whatever - that nothing can be very productive for your own life!

[@nareepornvachananda7276]

In the last 4-5 months of my PhD, I didn't feel that I could afford much of a downtime. However, I took a morning or an evening off intermittently because I was so exhausted I couldn't go on (thanks to my partner who reminded me of this!) If you can, consciously taking downtimes is excellent way to manage your energy level and wellbeing. To manage my stress during this final stretch of the PhD, I did yoga everyday by following a friend who did yoga videos on KZbin. I did short sessions (20 - 30 minutes) a couple times a day. Short sessions for movement breaks (5-10 mins) were very helpful. Sleeplessness was a big issue for me during these last months, so I often did yin yoga for sleep. On the weekends, I treated myself wth Successions (HBO), The Crown or Dark (Netflix). I took Sunday off to do some house cleaning and washing clothes. I tried this without music on, just focusing on these simple tasks. I felt somewhat refreshed for Mondays. I find writing PhD is a highly creative activity, full of problem solving and critical thinking. I preferred breaks from the writing with mundane chores and following yoga instructions very soothing. Of course, eating well is very important.

[@rt0mar]

When I referenced an ebook for my dissertation I just provided the chapter number and indicated that I had used an ebook edition. A reference check would need to refer to the same edition anyway and an ebook can be searched without a specific location rather easily. This was fine in my case but it’s probably worth checking with your institution! ❤

[@douglasdrumond]

You mentioned Kobo, I don't have experience with them, but I use a Kindle. At least on Kindle, location is universal. Location is more granular than page numbers to conform with reflow. So, if I read on my phone, highlight a passage on location 1934, then get my Kindle device, select "go to location", type 1934 and navigate, I get the exactly same spot. Some e-books also have a mapping between location and pages in the physical book.

[@contoursofcrafting]

I think Ali's suggestion wouldn't be good for me either. And, tbh, i think its a terrible suggestion. I know it is for me because I gave up something I loved and held dear in high school in order to more aggressively pursue academics. That is, I gave up making art. To this day, giving up making art is one of my biggest regrets. I am now (over a decade later) trying to rekindle that creative fire within myself. I wish I could go back and tell myself to never give up art, even if I didn't engage with it as often. What a huge loss I suffer because of giving up what I loved. Please don't give up video games or films--they are precious to you for a reason.

[@contoursofcrafting]

and this is coming from a person pursuing graduate studies in philosophy. I love academics and I love learning. But damn do I wish I could go back.

[@angelaking9619]

I really like Ali Abdaal's work. Interestingly, in his book Feel Good Productivity, he writes about the importance of 'play' which is fulfilling and relaxing and personal to the person. His suggestion about TV I think comes from his use of it to mind numb. So it definitely won't apply to many people who find it more joyful. I have stopped watching pointless (to me) TV unless I mentally need it. But I definitely watch fulfilling and stimulating media because storytelling is important to me. All a long way of saying that the specific thing (TV) isn't as important as what we get out of it. I hope you're back doing art!! ❤

[@Sol-jp9yw]

I'm feeling really lonely this week ; thank you so much for this video - and yourself

[@morganeua]

I hope you're doing okay ♥ Loneliness is the worst. I'm glad I could help in some small way

[@All5Horizons]

And I immediately feel better

[@morganeua]

The highest compliment 😊

[@georgeeliot9440]

Hi Morgan! I love your channel. I'm so happy that you've taken the right decision. There are moments when we NEED to relax and take time for ourselves, and we must respect that need in order to have a good mental health. I love your videos!

[@arvendal]

Thanks for the good book recommendations, your openness, and a great example of a Zettelkasten use case. And regarding the citation of e-books, it's normally recommended to refer to chapters or paragraph numbers if you don't have stable page numbers.

[@walkingexercise5375]

New here! Thanks for the validating, empowering, relatable, and motivating words! Morgan Harper Nichols has a quote that says "be kind to yourself on this journey, you have already come so far." So thanks for this helpful message! Diane In Denmark on her channel is doing videos on Fridays where she gives four self-care missions/assignments you can choose from for the week like spend time in nature or listen to music, Mariane Cresp in her video boost your mood also mentioned music. I also find walking is helpful, this could be outdoor walking and some KZbin walking channels like Grow with Jo and Leslie Sansone!

[@morganeua]

Oh wow, I'll have to check out all those channels, thank you!

[@blaiseutube]

Hey, a new drop from dr Morgan! If I had videos like this in 1989, I might have turned in my dissertation.

[@feelswriter]

Still ABD?

[@blaiseutube]

@@feelswriter that ship has sailed. In 1990 I moved to the west coast, looking for a quiet little town where I could get an industrial job and nothing would ever change. That's how I ended up in mountain view. Then my friends got together and we invented the Internet by accident.

[@morganeua]

Really hoping that by creating videos like this I will turn in my dissertation... 😝

[@Anna-kj3js]

"I really love survival games".. doing a PhD - checks out ;) All jokes aside, thank you for this video! The burnout has been strong as I am trying to finish my dissertations which seems like it's never going to end. Doing a PhD is often a lonely road, at some point you just lead a different life than other people around you. Good to know it's not just me.

[@morganeua]

Ahahahaha, great joke 😂 (or not a joke 😓😅)

[@marcfruchtman9473]

Hopefully you will get back into the groove. I find one thing that helps me frequently: I just "read" the last chapter that I was working on. For me, it helps to re-engage the thought process that I had while creating it the first time. And then the ideas for one more sentence tend to arrive. I hope things get smoother for you. Another thing that helps me, is pressure. Like, you have to get this done... NOW. If I believe it strongly enough, I will finally get up and do it. heheh

[@feelswriter]

One day soon I am going to start obsidian.... I guess I need to schedule it, bc I never exactly feel like it. A little daunting. Morgan, when you get to a time that you use the meta structure in your Obsidian notes, I hope you take us along for that!

[@morganeua]

Sounds great! After my PhD I might spend some time doing some high level organizing as I restructure things for my future needs :P I hope that once you've STARTED with Obsidian, it'll feel less daunting to continue. Sometimes starting is the hardest part!

[@alexandracarr5503]

Thank you for this video, really needed it today.

[@praecorloth]

Omg, Don't Starve and Valheim!? How do we connect?! I'm ALL about the survival games right now. My rotation lately has been Valheim, Minecraft, and Astroneer which isn't exactly survival, but it scratches that building/crafting aspect.

[@FNTagle]

Hi! I had a similar issue with citations from ebooks. I looked up how to cite ebooks in MLA format and found a couple of guides from the University of Portland (I won't link it as to avoid the comment getting flagged as spam) and what they say is this: "When no page numbers are listed on an eBook, cite the chapter number instead in your in-text citation. Example: (Smith ch. 2)." I use the APA format and the solution is pretty much the same, but they ask you to add the paragraph number, like "year, chapter, Nº of paragraph". It's kind of annoying but it works. Hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

[@theoriginal4ever7]

I love the idea of "storytelling downtime" - thank you for sharing that formulation. It succinctly captures one of my core mental health needs (and wants).

[@morganeua]

That is wonderful :) What is your storytelling medium of choice??

[@danielle7138]

Hey Morgan! Thank you for making this video! I was actually already wondering when the next video would come up, because I find it really inspirational seeing how other people are working through the seemingly never-ending labour of writing a thesis. So sad to hear about your mental health struggles - I hope you'll find the time and power to keep a healthy balance between your PhD and your (mental) health. You're doing great! It's also great that you're being kind to yourself and granting yourself time to play video games (I do that too little, even though I'm writing about video games). Don't Starve is great too, and there's so much going on in it that I always find it to be a great distraction. Citing ebooks in MLA format is a pain indeed! I haven't found a perfect solution yet. If possible, I will try to find a hardcopy (in the library or so) and will look up the page numbers in there. I believe MLA guidelines state to leave out page numbers is none are given, but it just doesn't feel right.

[@morganeua]

Oh, grabbing a library copy is a great idea! What are you writing about in the topic of video games?? I'm finally now playing Zelda Tears of the Kingdom and it's been so great 😍

[@danielle7138]

@@morganeua Zelda is always a good time! My thesis is about how video games continue the cultural tradition of the quest! It's very interesting, but quite complex given the extensive history is quests.

[@ieltshongkong]

Sorry to hear you were struggling. I could really feel it in the video. I kind of didn't want to watch it but I was hoping it would end on an up swing. Up or down I think you are amazing.

[@morganeua]

Thanks 😊🤩 I've been way more productive this week, but today I am just hating everything I write! That's just the process I guess 🤦‍♀️

[@ieltshongkong]

@@morganeua I am glad to hear you are more productive. Sorry the quality is not up to your standards.

[@mypradasatthecleanerss]

Hope you’re doing ok. When do you need to finish the PhD by? It sounds like you’re in the final stretch! Good luck

[@morganeua]

There is no real "need to" at my university (some people still finish after 10+ years), but I'd really like to defend by the end of the summer cause I'm ready to move on! So, I'm working towards that :)

[@mrd6869]

PHD,research and deadlines aside. What are you doing for YOU? 🤔 As in self care. Im in sales and marketing,so i know all too well about pressure. But i also have a big fat off switch and i have no problem flipping it. Find something as a counterweight that makes u feel good. I combine 420 and yoga & its great...these people aint driving me crazy out here,FACTS!🤣

[@ArneTietz]

Quoting location in an eBook is either chapter/subheader/paragraph or you don't name any of that cause everone can easily just search in the text. It's an "e" book. How do YOU normaly look for a quote you had written or that someone else wrote?

[@user-cx9qs3sc5x]

Do you have a book budget? Where I live I don't have access to many English used books so I have to buy new and it's expensive. When it is time to move, I don't know what I'll do with all those physical books but I don't like kindle much. I do feel guilty buying new books though :/

[@morganeua]

My program doesn't exactly give me a book budget, but I am (or was) fully funded, so I also wasn't losing money by doing a PhD. I'm sure I could get more grants and things for stuff like conferences/research/books, but finding and applying to grants is so time consuming!

[@user-cx9qs3sc5x]

Oh I meant your novels. You have a lot…

[@morganeua]

@@user-cx9qs3sc5x Ooh! No, I don't budget for them, but maybe I should. A lot of them were free as gifts or hand-me-downs, though :) And a lot of them I get used for cheap!

[@nmcduff4891]

Undergrad; lose the nose-ring. Masters; get two kittens, PhD; Get two or more ferrets. They will structure your day and your mind. Best wishes.

[@jackjax7921]

Lmao you sound like the girl from Reedsy. You should do a collab.

[@morganeua]

Omg, Shaelyn? I would love that, I love her videos on writing.

[@bwalker4276]

*Promosm*

[@geemail369]

4:55 HUGE revelation: playing games _"to get myself into a _*_happy_*_ place"!_ ✨ Sadly often enough games become a grueling grind for me, even my favourite ones! So i've consciously taken a step back from opting to "just game a little", looking for a practice to up my mood. Which imo you managed to capture the essence for _any_ day taken off - to not be pressured to be productive or achieve, but do the things you know will elevate your mood. 🌱✌🏼🦦