Create a well-being retreat for your PhD
Rong Zhang is a PGR student in the School of Education. Her research focuses on multilingual learners’ encounters with audio texts. Rong is looking for participants for creative focus groups. If you would love to experience the magic of sound, please feel free to contact her at 2947546Z@student.gla.ac.uk
I am a second year PGR in the School of Education. The first year of my PhD was like a race against an imaginary enemy. I rushed between reading articles, writing drafts, attending courses, and doing part-time jobs. I tried to put all my efforts into engaging with my PhD studies. I made my thesis longer, at the expense of my health. One day when my friends asked me to hang out, I was sick – a cold had kept me in bed for seven days.
My advice to PhD candidates is don’t push yourself to be productive at all costs. I’ve learnt the hard way that our wellbeing truly matters during our academic studies! In this blog, I’m going to share with you three ways that work for me to unwind, relax and take time for yourself.
Make time to enjoy nature
PGRs with many commitments might find it hard to travel to another city for a break. Going to a park is an alternative way to get out in nature. (when it’s not rainy). Luckily, the University is right next to Kelvingrove Park, which is a nice place for a short walk. I often pick a spot in the park and settle down alone to appreciate the colours of the sky and the shapes of the clouds. Walking around, I imagine myself as a nature explorer. I touch the bark of trees, feeling the textures left by time. I watch dogs running around playing and socialising with other dogs. I hear children’s laughter, giggles, and chuckles. I read plaques on memorial benches, imagining the stories, the grief and love behind the words. Spending 10-20 minutes taking in this sensory experience within natural surroundings brings me a lot of peace, and it’s completely free!
Listening to audio stories
Listening to stories has a magical power to reduce my stress and alleviate loneliness, and audiobooks or podcasts are possibly the most efficient way to do this. As PGRs, we often spend quite a lot of time sitting in front of a screen. When I feel anxious or have trouble focusing, I stop writing, stand up, and walk around a bit while playing an audio story on Audible or Spotify. Stories can help you get out of your head and add a bit of fun to your routine (reading too many scholarly articles can be a bit boring!). Listening to horror stories feels like riding a roller coaster. The suspense and sudden shocks created by music and sound effects provide an adrenaline rush. Listening to children’s books brings back happy childhood memories. Listening to travelogues about places I have never been to unfolds the culture and history of a new spot and helps me imagine my next trip. Listening to a storyteller protects our eyes, and the presence of another voice in the same space gives us a sense of companionship! Listening to stories, for me, is a way to connect with my own heart. It might work for you as well!
Below is a screenshots of my listening history on Audible.
Keeping a visual journal
Academic pressure can lead to burnout or fatigue. Sometimes it is hard to complain to someone, which is why keeping a visual journal is a great idea! Studies (e.g. Al-Rasheed & Al-Rasheed, 2023; Lyon & Scott, 2025) have shown that thinking visually is great for creativity and relaxation. When I find myself overthinking, I start doodling. Drawing helps my own thoughts become calmer and I begin to think with a more rational mind. This helps me to separate my ‘real self’ from my ‘anxious self’. With just a pen and a piece of paper, you can doodle in any shape and form you like. No need to worry about formatting or language errors, just playing around with shapes and colours is a carefree experience. When you try it, please don’t set high expectations on your artistic skills (as you do in academics) instead give yourself permission to create bad drawings. Drawing, in my experience, helps my thoughts become clearer and more organised.
Studies on the benefits of drawing:
Al-Rasheed, E. S., & Al-Rasheed, M. S. (2023). The value of painting as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of anxiety/depression mental disorders. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 32, 100636.
Lyon, P., & Scott, C. (Eds.). (2025). Drawing in Health and Wellbeing: Marks, Signs and Traces. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Rong Zhang is a PGR student in the School of Education.
