Would you like to promote your academic career to the maximum level by earning a doctorate?

If the answer is «yes», congratulations! It´s a great decision. You are about to live a vital experience that will change not only your professional and academic life, but, in addition, it will make you grow as a person.

Before getting involved into such a task, we wish to help you with a top 7 tips to earn a doctorate. Take note of them and, above all, enjoy this opportunity to the full.

The best 7 pieces of advice to reach your doctorate 

To prepare a doctoral thesis is a long-distance race that culminates with the highest academic degree that the public and private universities can grant. We are going to give you 7 tips so that you do not decline your efforts and eventually reach your goal. These tips will make your way towards the doctoral thesis easier.

#1 Just take it as a job

To carry out a doctorate will consume several years of your life: from 3 to 5 years as asserted by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. You may be as fortunate as to be able to dedicate all of your time to elaborate the doctoral thesis. Nevertheless, most students combine training with labor life.

If it is your case, it is important that you take the thesis as a job and invest all the time required for it and devoting to it as many hours as necessary.

For this purpose, you must keep a minimum of hours in your calendar every week for studying. Likewise, you need to plan goals and define them in time. This will help you to overcome procrastination and reach your goals.

#2. Say goodbye to distractions

You are already conscious that the life of PhD students is not easy. For some years you are going to have to resign certain experiences so as to dedicate this time to being formed.

For this reason, it is vital that you do not waste even a second from the time you invest in studying. To achieve it you must keep yourself away from distractions.

When you prepare to study, disconnect all kinds of electronic devices that could monopolize your attention and to relax about your goal. Focus in what you are doing and surround yourself with an atmosphere that transmits tranquility and concentration.

To help yourself improve your productivity and manage your time as best as possible you can use tools as useful and effective as the Pomodoro Technology.

#3 Trust your capabilities

The career towards the doctorate may be full of obstacles and difficulties that can make you think about giving up. You should never desist your determination. Trust yourself. You can do it. Don´t turn into your greatest harm.

If you are going through a stage of comedown, looks for something that motivates you to go forward. Return to the beginnings and think of what led you to start your way towards the doctoral thesis. Imagine the doors that will open as soon as you have the Doctor’s title in hand.

These ideas will help you to continue progressing towards the highest point of your academic career.

#4 Nourish from the whole academic atmosphere

Doing a doctorate both in public and private universities will allow you to be in permanent contact with the academic environment, soak up it!

We assure you that you will miss your student life at some time in the future. Now that you have the opportunity to live it, you should take the best advantage out of it. Attend conferences, attend master classes, meet great academics, in short, do everything that this stage has for you.

On the other hand, it is very interesting for you to keep a close and fluid relationship with your tutor or doctoral thesis director. Counting on his help will easen your success.

#5 Ask for help if you need it

Sometimes one by itself cannot embrace all knowledge. If you are in this situation, do not be afraid to ask to help other colleagues and mates. You should not be ashamed of it. Think that even the great scientists in History needed collaborators. This happened to Einstein and you can see everything that he accomplished.

Collaborating with other colleagues will help to open up new opportunities and structures to support you whenever you need it. In addition, you will learn new skills. Do not choose a lonely trip. The doctoral thesis with the support of other colleagues is much more fun.

#6 Take good care of yourself

Do not forget that the center of your doctoral thesis is you. PhD students may be subject to a lot of pressure. Having time for relaxation and disconnection is essential to continue with the same strength as the first day.

Keep a space for having fun and pampering yourself. You can do it alone or with your friends, your family or your partner. Keep in mind that, if you do not take care of yourself, your doctorate may get out of your hands.

#7 Enjoy to the top: the best advice for earning a doctorate

In this list we have given you many tips to do a doctorate. Nevertheless, as it happens with good show, we have wanted to leave the better for the end. The secret to guarantee that the doctorate will be yours is that … you enjoy it!

In this respect, it is very important that you dedicate time to thinking about the topic that will centre your doctoral thesis. Choose a subject that inspires and stimulates you. This way, it will turn out easier to support motivation and to enjoy during all these years of study.

Here finishes our top 7 of tips to do the doctorate. Remember that, if you are going to study in Madrid, student flats for rent are to your disposal, the same as the comments section. Tell us what you think about these tips and what you would you like to add to the list!