PhD Tips: When It All Gets Too Much – Tips For Going on a Leave of Absence

Failed experiments, inconclusive results, reports and papers that demand to be written, thesis deadlines – no one expects a PhD to be an easy ride. In fact, they are a perfect cocktail for testing our pressure points and underlying weaknesses. Very suddenly or over several months, the mental and physical stress can become too much to bear, especially if we already have insecurities. Taking a leave of absence (LOA) is not a decision anyone considers lightly but in such circumstances it may be the best option. Even so, it can be daunting to find yourself suddenly cut adrift from your work – often with no advice about what to do in the meantime. So take the benefit from my own experiences, with my best pieces of advice.

Don’t blame yourself

Just because you are officially classed as a “student” doesn’t mean that a PhD is an easy ride. It is a long, hard slog and the more you care about it, the more frustrating and wearing it will be at times. You may feel that if only you had managed yourself better, you could somehow have carried on. But perhaps the most important thing to realise about a PhD is that it is principally a training ground to learn how to cope in the research environment. Perhaps there were things that you could have done to avoid this situation, but we are works in progress and still have to learn our lessons the hard way.  So don’t blame yourself – you are the only one who does. I felt that I would be judged by my colleagues for going on LOA, but instead I was surprised at just how many had also had to take some ‘time out’.  There is no shame in having a break from a highly pressured atmosphere which is far removed from how most of the world lives.

Safeguard your work

Depending on where you are in your project, being unable to work for a prolonged period could really set you back, particularly if it involves living organisms that need caring for. Does your institute offer the option to work part-time? This could give you the best of both worlds, allowing you time to access the support you need while still keeping some momentum on your research. Otherwise, is there anyone – maybe a Masters student doing a research project in your lab – who can keep your experiments going until you return? If you can, make sure your equipment and data is in reasonable order before you go, especially if you’ve asked someone to keep an eye on things. It will also make it easier when you come to pick it all up again.

Practicalities – look after the details

If going part-time isn’t an option, make sure you cover all the official bases. Do you need a letter from your doctor to approve the LOA? If so, what medical evidence is required? How will the LOA affect your funding – will it be temporarily suspended? Will your living arrangements be affected? You should still be registered as a student whilst on LOA, but you may need a confirmatory statement from the University to avoid paying council tax. You also need to check your institute’s rules and regulations for students on LOA; it may be that you are strictly forbidden to use any University services and facilities during this time. This could include the library, IT facilities, seminars/workshops or even going in to your department without an invitation. Make sure you know where you stand. These may be uncomfortable questions, but they will be a lot harder to ask at a later stage.

Don’t close the door on your friends

Leaving your busy lab can be incredibly isolating and you may try to convince yourself that your colleagues are too busy to want anything to do with you. Don’t get sucked in to these negative thought patterns – they only lead to depression. Very often, your friends will want to do what they can to support you but may not be sure how to broach the subject. Make it easier for them – keep in touch and try to socialise occasionally if you can. This both reassures them and helps you to still feel connected to your lab. Keeping the channels of communication open during your time away will make it a lot easier to start conversations when you return to work.

The same goes for your supervisor. They may always have a million things to do, but a conscientious supervisor will be wondering about how you are getting on; they may be afraid, however, to directly ask you. Drop them an email every now and then – even if it is only a few lines to say how you are getting on and that you are looking forward to coming back. This shows a commitment to those who are supporting your work and it will make the transition smoother when you re-join the lab.

Look beyond the pain

Taking (or being put on) LOA can seem like a “failure”, but turn this idea on its head. You have been given a most precious gift – time to build resilience, develop yourself and to let your interests fly. Read books that have nothing to do with your research; watch those films that you have been meaning to see for years; reconnect your mind and soul; explore tools that can help you to cope in the future – mindfulness, meditation, CBT, etc. For me, painting became my great release because I could spend time in my favourite places as I tried to capture them on canvas. Don’t be left regretting the chances you didn’t take. I always say that I simply decided to have my “mid-life crisis” now, so that I could discover who I really was and then just get on with enjoying life! You are going to come out the other side, so why not take something beautiful with you?

Caroline Wood is midway through a PhD studying parasitic weeds at the University of Sheffield. When she’s not agonising over her experiments, she loves to write and will cover most scientific topics if they stay still long enough. In her spare time, she enjoys helping at public outreach events, hill walking and escapism at the cinema. She blogs at http://scienceasadestiny.blogspot.co.uk/