
The PhD Life Coach
Vikki Wright
Whether you're a PhD student or an experienced academic, life in a university can be tough. If you're feeling overwhelmed, undervalued, or out of your depth, the PhD Life Coach can help. We talk about issues that affect all academics and how we can feel better now, without having to be perfect productivity machines. We usually do this career because we love it, so let's remember what that feels like! I'm your host, Dr Vikki Wright. Join my newsletter at www.thephdlifecoach.com.

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Top 10 The PhD Life Coach Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The PhD Life Coach episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The PhD Life Coach for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The PhD Life Coach episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

14. How to tell your story and get the recognition you deserve (part 1)
The PhD Life Coach
01/16/23 • 23 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
This is the first of a three part series on how to tell your story. It's really common, at any career stage, to feel like you've lost track of where you're at and how to get where you want to be. If you're applying for jobs, trying to secure awards or recognitions, or going for promotion or tenure, then these episodes are for you! Even if you're not doing these things at the moment, figuring out "your story" can help reduce overwhelm, ease decision making and lower your cognitive, and actual, work. In this first episode I talk about what I mean by "telling your story" and the many ways it can make your life better.
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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.

1 Listener

12. How to set New Year's resolutions that stick with Dr Karin Nordin
The PhD Life Coach
01/02/23 • 38 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
n this episode, our guest Dr Karin Nordin shares with us evidence-based recommendations for how to set New Year's resolutions that stick. Instead of just talking about it though, she coaches me through my New Year's resolutions so you can see it in action. This is a great opportunity to hear some real life coaching and get tips for your own compassion-first behaviour change.
*please note this episode includes discussion of weight loss*
You can also find out more about my guest, Dr Karin Nordin in all these places:
https://www.youtube.com/@UCTn-HaKV8vju5G2j6wRTzwQ
https://bodybrainalliance.com/
https://www.instagram.com/karinnordinphd/
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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.

1 Listener

15. How to tell your story and get the recognition you deserve (part 2)
The PhD Life Coach
01/23/23 • 30 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
This is the second of a three part series (check out the first part here - https://www.thephdlifecoach.com/14-how-to-tell-your-story-and-get-the-recognition-you-deserve-part-1) about how to tell your academic story.
This time, I give you a step-by-step process to move from a busy, haphazard-feeling career to having a structured overview that you can use. From here, you can strategise and prioritise about what to focus on and use the document to apply for jobs, plan for promotion and apply for awards and recognitions.
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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.

1 Listener

BONUS: Ten lessons I learned about doing PhDs by playing Stardew Valley
The PhD Life Coach
12/26/22 • 21 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
Even if you've never played Stardew Valley before, you will still love this episode! I will take you through ten important lessons to succeed in your PhD, using tenuous Stardew metaphors to explain them! Enjoy!
(Please note you may prefer to watch this on YouTube here https://youtu.be/WZU6dXoxhLg so you can see gameplay too)
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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.

1 Listener

16. How to tell your story and get the recognition you deserve (part 3)
The PhD Life Coach
01/30/23 • 21 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
In the final part of this theory, we think about the story you tell about yourself. What story do you really believe about yourself? Perhaps you believe you're slow at writing. Perhaps you believe that you always get distracted. We'll work through why these stories can lead to some really negative consequences and how you can challenge them and build different stories about yourself. This isn't about "positive thinking", it's about focusing on the stories that make you feel good and help you build the life you want.
You can find out more about working with me at www.thephdlifecoach.com/work-with-me
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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.

1 Listener

2.23 What to do if academia feels unfair (special coaching episode)
The PhD Life Coach
02/19/24 • 52 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
This is the first in a series of episodes where I share a real life coaching session! In this episode, I talk with Ruth, a PhD student, who worries that succeeding in academia relies on having connections, rather than the quality of your work. She agreed to be coached for the podcast and we discuss why this bothers her, how it affects her work, and reach some conclusions that will help her move forwards.
When you're listening, make sure that you relate it to your own life and think about how you can apply her experience to your own concerns. The session is slightly edited for time but mostly runs like a full session, so it'll also give you an insight into what it's like to be coached and how insightful it can be to listen to other people getting coached. Hope you enjoy!
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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.

40. On Being Unreasonable in academia with guest Kirsty Sedgman
The PhD Life Coach
07/17/23 • 74 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
In this episode, I welcome Kirsty Sedgman, academic and author of On Being Unreasonable. We talk about Kirsty's fascinating route into her current academic role and what encouraged her to write a book about unreasonableness. We also discuss the tricky subject of what is considered "reasonable" within academia and how we can push boundaries to create our own meaningful paths.
In this episode, Kirsty Sedgman talks about her book On Being Unreasonable: Breaking the rules and making things better. She also briefly discusses her earlier works Locating the Audience and The Reasonable Audience.
She mentions several other scholars, including Eleanora Belfiore’s work on cultural policy practice, Jess Thom co-director of Touretteshero, Ellie Mackin Roberts and her TikTok work, Salamander Street Press, and Howard Zinn and his work on civil disobedience.
You can also find out more about working with me at www.thephdlifecoach.com and find a transcript at www.thephdlifecoach.com/podcast.
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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.

12/09/24 • 14 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
In this episode, we’re diving into a common trap many PhD students and academics fall into: setting word count goals like “500 words a day” or “6,000 words by next month.” While these goals sound productive, they often oversimplify the complex process of academic writing.
I’ll explain why relying on word count as a measure of progress can hinder your motivation and overlook crucial aspects of writing, such as revising, outlining, and refining ideas. Most importantly, I’ll share smarter, more effective ways to track your progress and keep your writing on track without feeling overwhelmed.
If you’re struggling to stay motivated with your thesis, dissertation, or academic papers, this episode is here to help you rethink how you approach writing. Tune in to make meaningful progress without getting stuck in the word count trap!
Perfect for PhD students, early career researchers, and anyone navigating academic writing challenges.
Links I refer to in this episode
Why you shouldn’t read when you’re writing
How to plan your academic writing (with special guest Dr Jo Van Every)
How to break your work down into chunks
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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.

BONUS - start your day!
The PhD Life Coach
07/13/23 • 9 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
Do you start your day not clear on what the priorities are and just feeling indecisive and unmotivated? We all do sometimes. What we often need in that moment is to be a bit reflective, think about what we need, get clarity on our tasks and remind ourselves why we do this.
But it's so hard! When you're already in a funk, it's so difficult to regulate yourself like that. I know! I try and fail often.
To support you, I've made a start the day video that can guide you through it instead! Watch this every day, or at least any day that you're struggling and let me help you start the day with clarity and intention.
Let me know what you think! I have a bunch more of these planned so let me know any comments.
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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.

3.13 Client Q&A - Motivating yourself in your final year, achieving post-PhD goals, and effective podcast listening
The PhD Life Coach
12/02/24 • 26 min
Send Vikki any questions you'd like answered on the show!
In this episode, I answer three thought-provoking questions from PhD students and graduates:
- Handling Final-Year Disappointment
A PhD student asks how to cope with the sense of disappointment that can arise in the final year when you realise your initial goals and ambitions have had to be scaled back. I explain why this is actually a good sign and how to use this understanding to motivate yourself to move forwards. - Staying Motivated Post-PhD
Charlotte, a member of my coaching programme, seeks advice on self-coaching as she works on writing papers post-PhD, with no pressing deadlines or external accountability. I explore ways to find intrinsic motivation and structure this next phase of her academic journey. - Making the Most of Podcasts
Sophie enjoys listening to podcasts while multitasking but struggles with taking notes or fully engaging with the content. I offer tips for integrating podcasts into her routine more effectively to maximise their value.
This episode is packed with practical advice for navigating common challenges in your academic journey and beyond.
Links I refer to in this episode
How to go from idea overload to clarity
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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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FAQ
How many episodes does The PhD Life Coach have?
The PhD Life Coach currently has 129 episodes available.
What topics does The PhD Life Coach cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Stress, Mental Health, Help, Study, Podcasts, Self-Improvement, Education, Phd and Academic.
What is the most popular episode on The PhD Life Coach?
The episode title '15. How to tell your story and get the recognition you deserve (part 2)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The PhD Life Coach?
The average episode length on The PhD Life Coach is 34 minutes.
How often are episodes of The PhD Life Coach released?
Episodes of The PhD Life Coach are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The PhD Life Coach?
The first episode of The PhD Life Coach was released on Oct 18, 2022.
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