NB: These are entirely subjective so please ignore them all if you want.

1.     Write everything down in a searchable place 

Maybe you are gifted with a brilliant memory but, for the rest of us, write everything down (either in a notebook, or better yet, some kind of searchable typed document). This includes notes from supervisor meetings, industry meetings, clever suggestions over coffee, group meetings, etc… 

In our experience, writing things on paper is risky unless you have a decent filing system (see our desks for examples of how not to file notes). It also requires writing legibly. Typed notes are also particularly useful for saving common error messages/bug fixes/useful installation instructions/functions etc in one place so that you can easily search for them again! This can be just a word document, o rGemma showed me “Notion” which has so far been really useful (and you get to put emojis next to your notes).

This also leads to the second tip…

2.     Type up notes on papers you’ve read or use a reference manager 

Having spent a few years printing out papers, scribbling on them, putting them in a desk drawer and then recycling them a year later, instead type up paper notes/summaries. Again, this means you can search for topics and authors easily.  This can be done in a word document or with a reference manager such as Zotero in which you can add notes to references which are then ready to be cited. Really recommend the Zotero Chrome plug-in.

3.    Don’t compare yourself to other people

Potentially the most important tip. Comparing yourself to other people and how well their research appears to be going/how many papers they’ve published/how many poster prizes they’ve won is a surefire way to make yourself miserable. Comparison is the thief of joy – and also doesn’t really make sense here, as no two research projects are the same (hopefully).

4. Ask questions

While it can be embarrassing sometimes to admit a particular hole in your knowledge, we all have them, particularly in interdisciplinary research environments. What you lose in face by admitting to this is often outweighed by the benefits of asking someone more experienced than you for help – this can save you hours of reading or even months of research going down the wrong track. Ask!

5. Lean on your network of peers

The definition of your “network of peers” will be highly dependent on your research environment. Perhaps you are in a research group surrounded by lots of other students who you get along with. Ideally, institutions have formal peer networks that span research groups so that you have a better chance of finding a support network even if your immediate environment makes this impossible. In the absence of any such “ready made” networks, Twitter can be a surprisingly good space for finding support as can forums or even Facebook groups.

6.  Go to conferences

If you can, go to conferences – and if you can muster the courage, speak to people there. And as per point 4, ask them things – it’s a good way to start conversations. Conferences can be such a good way to rapidly learn about how people are thinking about things and we have found that they can really refresh the way you are thinking about your research. If you win a cool t-shirt you can tie dye that’s a bonus.

7. Find fun hobbies. 

It is important to do fun things. We recommend:

• Walking a dog (if you don’t own one, find a friend who owns a dog or try BorrowMyDoggy)
• Going to the pub
• Kayaking
• Baking a cake
• Tie dying
• Crocheting

Optional extras to spark joy:

·      Create a wall of cute pet photos in your office

·      Start a weekly social event with your research group, such as G&T Fridays