1. Imposter Syndrome and dealing with pressure

The pressures and stresses of undertaking PGR research can make it harder to achieve a work/life balance. However, it is important to still try and maintain a work/life balance – as doing so will be better for both your wellbeing and your work. There are a number of strategies that PGR students can find helpful:

Purposely managing your time; prioritising tasks; responsibilities and different roles to ensure that you have a good balance.
Creating and protecting personal time. This can help to maintain mental and physical health and has been shown to help manage stress.
Seeking out support from the university; friends; and family.

The pressures that PGR students experience may come internally or externally. Internal pressure can arise from pushing yourself too hard, having unrealistic or over-demanding expectations of yourself and worrying that you will not meet the expectations of others. These feelings may be linked to imposter syndrome.

Clance and Imes (1978) coined the phenomenon imposter syndrome and found many successful individuals ascribe their success to external factors. Imposter syndrome fosters feelings of being a fraud and unworthy of promotions or rewards. The feeling of success and feeling capable of doing well are inhibited, even if they have external praise. The individual may discount or attribute their success to pure luck. Individual’s experiencing imposter syndrome may place enormous pressure on themselves and display high levels of perfectionism and workaholic behaviours. Imposter syndrome has been found among many students doing a postgraduate research degree, and different emotional and intellectual challenges that PGR students face can result in feelings of intellectual inferiority.

However, trying to be perfect and feeling you need to ‘known it all’ is unrealistic and can be costly to your mental health. Perfectionists typically believe anything short of flawlessness is unacceptable. Those with imposter syndrome hold themselves to impossible high standards and feel shame; insecurity; and low self-esteem when they don’t meet their own expectations – progress, not perfection, is what really matters.

External pressure may come from the people around you or the circumstances in which you find yourself – e.g., an approaching deadline, a meeting that you need to feel prepared for, or financial difficulties. Not only does our performance suffer but our mental health can also decrease, and we may become stressed, anxious and unhappy. Furthermore, this could lead to burnout – which is a chronic response to emotional and interpersonal stress within a job. It is caused by excessive and prolonged stress, and produces emotional, physical and mental exhaustion. Burnout may occur when there is a constant demand, and you feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained.

2. Spoon Theory and Mental Health (Including Imposter Syndrome)

Spoon theory, created by Christine Miserandino, is a useful way to discuss how PGR-related pressures (both internal and external) can drain your energy reserves. In simplified terms, spoons equal units of energy. People living with mental or physical health conditions (including imposter syndrome) only start each day with a certain amount of energy – or spoons. It varies person to person, and only you know how many spoons you have. Different tasks require different amounts of spoons.

In an average day, a PGR student might want to:

Wake up
Brush your teeth and wash your face
Get dressed and eat breakfast.
Travel to the University.
Attend meeting with PGR supervisor.
Make notes on academic texts.
Travel home.
Make and eat dinner.
Change into pyjamas.

Some of these tasks – like 'brushing your teeth' – may only use one spoon, while ‘making notes on academic texts’ could use up 6 spoons. If you have 12 spoons on an average day, you only have 6 spoons remaining for other tasks – you don’t have enough spoons to complete all of your tasks. It’s easy to get trapped in a cycle of overdoing it and exhausting yourself due to not managing your spoons well enough.

Read more about Spoon Theory here!

3. Strategies for Managing Imposter Syndrome and Pressure

There are a number of strategies that PGR students can find helpful:

Coping with pressure and improving your wellbeing can be supported by eating healthy, regular exercise, and getting enough sleep.
Work on being as organised as you can. Use structure, routine and planning to help you. Establishing a daily structured routine will go a long way in helping you to be productive and stay on track.
- Devise a work method and stick to it. Work a certain number of hours each day, then stop. Complete X-many tasks, then stop.
- Know your peak productivity hours. If you know that you can think best in the morning, do your work then. Free up time later in the evening.
Discussing your feelings and insecurities with your PGR supervisor. Your PGR supervisor can help you by providing guidance about specific areas for additional growth and training, and how to best go about this.
Take the time to make a written list of your strengths and what you contribute – ask others for input and refer to this list during times of self-doubt. People with imposter syndrome often underestimate their abilities.
Set aside one day a week where you don't do any work. Most people pick Saturday, but it's up to you.
Keep all your research materials at your office/home-workspace. This will help you literally separate work and life. Go to your workspace and work. Leave your workspace and don't work. Simple as that.

Get a hobby! Play an instrument. Take up painting or sewing. Build model ships out of toothpicks. Whatever works for you.

Get a practical hobby, one that doesn't require too much heavy or expensive gear. Odds are, you will be moving several times during your PhD years or shortly thereafter. Try not to weigh yourself down too much.
Get a hobby that is wholly unrelated to your work.

If it helps, think of your hobby as a kind of work, one that just happens to be unrelated to your PhD. You can feel productive cultivating your hobby and building a new skills set for several hours each week, but in a way that gives you a break from your program and PhD project.

Source

Summarised from 'The Wellbeing Thesis' - An online resource for postgraduate research students to support your wellbeing, learning and research - https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/

4. Useful resources on Imposter Syndrome

How To Beat ‘Imposter Syndrome’

How do you know that you have the imposter syndrome?

The imposter syndrome is a state of mind, a sort of psychological phenomenon. It is when you have accomplished something huge but don’t permit yourself to recognise it. Remember you are not alone. The highest achievers often feel it too. Some even say it’s only the real imposters that do not feel this way. We attribute our success to luck and we feel like a fraud, always worrying about being found out. Often we can feel that we have been mistakenly accepted on to the programme. Acknowledge that the feeling is just imposter syndrome and it becomes slightly easier.

Here are 5 ways to beat that feeling…

1.Change your thinking: “Never give up your right to be wrong” (Dr David. M. Burns)

A lot of the ‘imposter’ phoney fake feelings are in the mind. Train yourself to think differently. Mastery comes from several failed attempts. Embrace life-long learning. A new mind set is key to beat the imposter syndrome. Do not buy into the idea that you are either intelligent or the opposite. Rather, you must see yourself as developing over the course of your PhD and even after. The PhD is just the start of your career.

2. Don’t let your own expectations let you down ‘Everything is a learning curve’

A common tendency is to expect too much of yourself. This can create unnecessary pressure and bring you down. Concentrate on daily tasks and make long-

3. Read and write often – ‘Make the most of what is available’

term goals that you can plan ahead for. Set realistic goals and stay well balanced. Focus on what’s right and not what’s wrong. If you do not know something, enjoy it as it is often the not knowing that takes us to new breakthroughs. Let go of that self-importance so you feel less fake. Try to finish for the day and then relax. Training is essential and you are not expected to know it all in your first few months. So make time for conferences and workshops and learn from them.

The scholarly culture drives uncertainty, therefore, stay informed, and don’t let yourself feel isolated. Stay updated and keep reading new articles eventually you will understand what is written and feel as though you can write in a similar way. Read blogs, view vlogs, and check out articles on the things that are concerning you. Be open to commenting on other people’s work and let peers read and comment on your work. Keeping in mind that the criticisms are going to be on the work and not on you personally.

4. Support others ‘Teaching is the best way to learn’

Mentor others in similar situations to you. Even at early stages see what you know that can help others, pass on articles and talk about new researcher. Proof read some undergraduate or master’s theses if you can get a chance. This can help you learn in a way no other technique can. That is new ideas, new perspectives and new styles but it also gives you a sense of confidence and security about your own skills and knowledge.

5. Stand up for yourself ‘Fake it till you make it’

Understand that you can get rid of imposter syndrome. PhD is not only about training and learning your field but also about taking a stand for your views and ideas. So be brave. You should be mindful of your physical self and stay calm and relaxed but also try the power poses. Applying the ‘fake it til you make it’ to your body language makes a huge difference to how you feel and portray yourself. Grant yourself permission to accept your part in your victory. Take pride in your self and keep a note (a diary, journal or album) of your achievements to remind yourself – but be grateful at the same time remember your struggles and your efforts. This opportunity did not come for free. You worked hard, stayed up at nights, applied endlessly and so recall your hard work. Don’t compare yourself to others; instead build relationships and explore differences.

And just remember…

There is not a straightforward simple solution and different tricks will work for different people at different stages. Enjoy your PhD, it will only come once and you will be so glad you did it at then end. You are exactly where you belong and where you should be. All types of research are important and original in their own way.

Sana Rahim

Sana Rahim is a PhD candidate in International Relations and Politics at the University of Leicester. Her thesis focuses on the impact of Orientalist underpinnings in the Western security discourse in relation to Pakistan’s nuclear program. Prior to this she has completed a Law degree and masters in International relations and World Order. She is married and has two young boys who accompany her on her journey. She strongly believes in balancing her responsibilities as a writer, researcher and mother.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Support and Resources for Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs): Imposter Syndrome and Dealing with Pressure