The player is loading ...
July 22, 2024
PhD and Full-Time Work: Navigating the Challenges
In this episode of "Leap with Japa," we explore the complexities of pursuing a PhD while working full-time. Drawing from my journey, I discuss the importance of ensuring your PhD program waives unnecessary master's courses, mastering time management, securing employer approval, and synchronizing between work and academic advisors. We also delve into self-care, mental health, and maintaining motivation. I share my current crossroads decision, contemplating withdrawing from my PhD program due to the lack of course waivers. I emphasize that it's okay to reassess and prioritize your well-being.
For more insights and to support our podcast, check out our affiliate link at the end of the description. Your engagement helps us continue to bring compelling stories and valuable lessons from around the globe.
For more insights and to support our podcast, check out our affiliate link below. This link offers you access to SkillShare Using this link, you gain access to valuable resources and help support "The Leap with Japa" in bringing you more compelling stories and valuable lessons from around the globe.
https://skillshare.eqcm.net/R5dnK7
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TG15z8
(Medical Solar Eclipse Glasses)
- Please note that using this affiliate link may provide us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support in making "The Leap with Japa" a continued success.
Transcript
PhD and Full time work
Welcome to the leap with Joppa, the podcast that bridges continents and connects stories. Join us as we dive into the vibrant world of international education, explore diverse cultures, and share the extraordinary journeys of students far from home. Whether you're dreaming of studying abroad or already unpacking on this adventure through other means. Literature is your companion in navigating the exciting, challenging, and transformative world of global education. Let's leap into today's episode. Welcome to leap with Joshua, the podcast dedicated to helping international professionals navigate life and work in the US. Today's episode is very personal. Um, I want to explore the challenging but yet rewarding journey of pursuing the PhD while working full time. I want to draw from my experience. I'll share some insights, um, based on managing this demanding path. First, I'll discuss the importance of ensuring your PhD program, uh, waives the necessary master's courses if you have a master's to streamline your journey. Um, this would typically help you in time and effort, um, allowing you to focus on your research. Then I'm going to talk about, um, the importance of effective time management. And also securing approval from your workplace. And balancing work and study requires a meticulous planning and prioritization technique. Um, one of the things that I'm going to talk about is gaining your employer support, uh, which can provide you with flexibility and understanding needed to succeed. Then I'm going to highlight the need for synchronization between your work manager and your PhD advisor. Keeping both parties in sync can help you avoid conflicts and ensure mutual support, making your journey smoother and more manageable. So this is also going to cover in this episode. So let's get into the details. The first thing you need to understand about embarking on doing a full time PhD while you're working is to ensure that your work authorization allows you to do so. So let me explain. Um, when I carried out the research and wanted to do this, I was on the H-1b visa. I got my H-1b issued October of 2018 was when it kicked in. That's when I started my H-1b. So the first thing I want you to understand, even though I had mentioned the time management, the most important thing is to find out if your current work authorization authorization will allow you to go to school while you're studying. The H-1b allows you to study full time, but you also have to keep the did you have to keep your H1-b in status, meaning you have to keep working for the employer. Um, and you can't do anything else. You have to make sure you're getting paychecks every, every month, and you're keeping the requirements of your visa. If not, if you're out of status, you get in trouble. So the university would ask you definitely if what is your work authorization. So that was the first thing. So when I got my admission I was on the H-1b. However, um, the school started. Uh, end of September or first week of October. Uh, and I was lucky enough to get my green card the first week of class. So what that helped me to do was it freed me up from the, you know, tough requirement of having to remain on H-1b. The moment I got my green card, I submitted it to the school registrar, and they immediately changed my status that I was a resident and I didn't need to have I didn't need to do anything with the international office. So that's the first thing. Um, it allows you to you have to make sure that your work authorization allows you to do school in full time. So I put it out there so you understand that, um, my situation might not be your situation. You might be currently on opt, and you feel a need that. Hey, I'm an opt. Uh, I can go back to school and do it at the same time. No you cannot. I know someone, uh, a friend of mine who kind of picked up on my experience. And what he did was he finished all his work and use this template to work while he completed his PhD. All he had to do was so many theses. So it is possible to do this. So jumping into the initial, uh, thing after discussing the, um, the issue of, uh, of, uh, visas and status. It's time management. Um, so it's very critical. Doing the PhD full time is hard work. Doing a PhD and working full time. I don't know, I don't know if there's any much bigger word than hard work is intense. Hard work. So you must be able to have a structured and disciplined approach to ensure that you are successful. So first of all, you need to have a detailed plan. You need to break down your day into blocks dedicated to work, study and personal time. Use a lot of digital tools like Google Calendar and project management tools. You need to have a consistent routine. Um, so let me give you an example of what happened to me. Uh, for you to get a taste of how this works. So when I started, um, my PhD program, I, we just had my wife and I just had our second baby or baby boy. And so they had to come up with a routine. Now, the funny thing about UC Santa Cruz, which is where I was doing my PhD, is you. The classes are scheduled in the mornings. You have you have classes scheduled across different times of the day. Uh, it was unlike my master's program, where my classes were shuttered at 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening. So I assumed that was the same thing. But for UC Santa Cruz, it wasn't the same thing. So what did I do? Well, I simply had to walk around that. So this is what I did. I my first of all, I told my, uh, manager at uh, at, uh, Intel at the time that I had gotten enrolled into a PhD, and initially they thought, are you going to resign? I'm like, no, I want to do it together. I'm like, so what do you need? Do you need funding? I go, no, I actually have funding from the school. And what I need to get from the from my job is can I get time to take my classes? You don't have to give me any money. So I exchanged time for money and they said that was fine. However, I did not let them know what the time is. So back then 2019, there was nothing like work from home. Everybody had to be in the office. So what I did was my first quarter. I did not need to take up a teaching assistant, uh, to teach on campus. Uh, they gave me about 7 or $8000 for accepting the offer of the PhD offer. And they paid my fees. So the first quarter, which was from September to December, I didn't need to pay any fees. I just need to show up for class. So what do I do? Um. The class. The first class was, I think it was 9:00 in the morning. So what I, what I, what I did was. No. So. So my first year, um, I asked my office to give me Tuesdays and Thursdays off and Monday, Wednesday, Friday I would be in the office. However, my classes were scattered around. My classes were around from Monday to Friday. So what did I do? So Tuesdays and Thursdays I could work remotely, but Monday, Wednesday, Fridays I had classes. So what do I do? I would get up in the morning very early at 5:00. I would give my kids a shower, feed them. Then I would drive over to the train station. I would get on the highway 17 bus to Santa Cruz. At about. I think it was about 6:00 in the morning or 7:00 in the morning, 7:00 bus, 7:00, 655. And then it's an hour, uh, bus ride, and then I'll be in class before 9:00. I will take the class that I need to take, and I'll take the 11:00 or 12:00 bus back to the train station, uh, to the bus station, and then I'll drive to work, and I would walk into the office with my laptop. So it made it. I made it look like I was coming from another part of the building. So to go. How have you been? Yeah, yeah, I just come in from the other part of the building, but I was just coming from Santa Cruz. And then Tuesdays, Thursdays I'll be off. I'm like, I'm working remotely. So I did that for the whole quarter. So time management is very, very, very important. So I had to prioritize. You have to prioritize your tasks as well. So you have to be able to be available to take Intel meeting. I had to be able to take Intel meetings. I had to still deliver on my tasks. I had to attend meetings where I would, you know, have to give feedback, and I had to do assignments and I had to be in class at the same time. That was my first quarter. My second quarter was even much worse because then I had to be a teaching assistant. So I did the same routine all over again. I knew what my days of the class that I had to be in class was. I would request that from my manager. I would be off those days, but on the other days I would have to go take classes and then come back to work. And I did that for a whole year. So you have to also set realistic goals. So most of the things that I had to do, you know, revolved around, um, just trying to get through my master's classes. So that was to go get through the classes as much as possible. Um, it was very stressful. This was 2019, and by the time we got to 2020, when the Covid hit, everything became upside down. So now it was different. Now I had to take two classes online. I had to be a teaching assistant. They have office hours and also do my job all from within a single position. So I was multi juggling different things. So you have to learn to do what they call time blocking. So you have to have a calendar, allocate specific time blocks for different activities you know. So you have to reserve times for PhD work afternoons for job related tasks. You have to be able to multitask. Things also limit distractions during this blocks. You know turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, turn off your phone, um, and let your colleagues know that you want to schedule. You want to follow strictly your calendar routines to minimize interruptions. Um, also, you need to spend, you know, you need to spend time to do weekly regular reviews on adjustments. So spend some time at the end of each week reviewing your progress and adjusting your schedule for the upcoming week. This helps you to stay on track and make necessary changes. Be prepared to adapt your schedule as needed. Unexpected work demands or academic challenges may require adjustments. It didn't come easy. I can guarantee you, um, I failed analysis of algorithms twice, and I had to pass it on my Ted three. So, um, one of the unique frustrations with, um, this program is with my program is I wasn't able to transfer the classes that I had earned from my masters. It was very difficult to do that. So, um, be aware that you are going to face a horrendous amount of pressure that, um, that you cannot quantify, you know, during this process. So the second segment, I want to talk about self-care and mental health. Um, so you have to learn to take breaks. You are going to spend an enormous amount of time in front of a screen. So you have to incorporate short breaks throughout your day to rest and recharge, you know, so there's a technique, uh, called uh, pomodoro where you work for 25 minutes and take a five minute break. So for every 25 minutes, you take a five minutes break. If you're going to do one hour, you take 15 minutes break and things like that. Schedule downtime always planned longer breaks during the week to relax and unwind. Use this time for hobbies, social activities or simply to just rest from the screen. Then you need to manage stress stress management. That's one of the things in this period. So combined with the work that I was doing and combined with Covid that did not allow us to leave the house. Uh, some medical issues developed for me. So that's when, you know, I gained a lot of weight and a lot of weight gain typically leads to, uh, not sleeping well and not sleeping well typically leads to things like, uh, sleep apnea, uh, where you snore. And sleep apnea has a direct correlation with type two diabetes. Type two diabetes has a direct correlation with high blood pressure. High blood pressure has a direct correlation with kidney failure. And you get the picture. So stress management engage in mindful practices such as exercises. Increasing your focus. Burning energy. Burning stress on the on the cardio machine. Like the step master or the treadmill. Those were the things that I was doing. Uh, regular physical activities, you know, working, uh, taking a walk, gym sessions, sports. It helps you to regulate your stress level and to reduce your stress because you have to have an out. So sleeping well? For me, it didn't take a hit until much later when I realized that, um, I wasn't doing well physically and mentally. And part of the problem was not doing enough to take care of my mental health while I was doing this PhD. Um, also, at this time, food matters because you're spending so much time in front of a screen, you would end up eating junk food. So you would take chips, you would take soda drinks. You would take, um, drinks that have caffeine. And what this thing is doing for you is you remember, all these foods that you're combining have never been tested under the microscope by any nutritionist or by any biological company. So they don't know how this food interact with themselves. So if you take pizza soda, you're taking meds for something at the chemical level. You don't know what this is producing in your body. So if you do not sort it out or try and fix it, your body will become a chemistry set and you will not understand how that is affecting you. So you need to make sure that the kind of foods you eat, you know a lot of greens. Avoid fast food if you can, um, avoid eating out as well. So, um, I'm married, you know, thank God for my wife that produces very good meal. And she had been an advent supporter for me to get on the exercise, you know, trail and get myself back in shape. So having those kind of support systems while you're going through this really, really matters, you know, so you need to make sure that you maintain a balanced diet to for your body and mind. Avoid excess caffeine if you can and opt for nutritious meals. Um for sleep. Prioritize sleep and aim for 7 to 9 hours. Typically, I do like five six hours. Uh, quality sleep is crucial for mental clarity and overall health. And when I say quality sleep, I mean sleep. That is, you wake up and you feel refreshed. If you're waking up every day waking up with headaches. Waking up feeling tired. You haven't had a very good night's sleep, so you have to prioritize sleeping very, very well so you are able to keep your mind and body going because of the amount of stress that you are. You're pushing on yourself, you know? So you have to make sure that you can manage that. I now want to talk about the workplace expectations. So you're working full time, and you need to be able to learn how to effectively navigate your workplace expectations while you're pushing your PhD. Being able to balance your professional responsibilities with academic goals requires very clear communication and strategic planning. I'll tell you how. First of all, you have to communicate with your employer. Have an open discussion with your employer about your PhD plans. Explain carefully how it can benefit your professional development and contribute to the work you're doing. Another thing you need to do is you have to carefully seek your employer's formal approval to pursue the PhD. It's even more paramount if you're on a visa because you do not want to break the rules of your visa. So make sure you get that formal approval for your PhD. Also, talk to immigration if you are on a green card. You don't have to worry yourself about, you know, dealing with immigration. However, if you are on a visa, the optics stamp or whatever. Remember to seek the approval from or clarity rather from the immigration guys. Also, be aware that if you go speak to immigration first without getting formal approval. Be aware that anything you discuss with immigration in your organization, or an external lawyer that is paid for by your organization, that lawyer is bound to let your employer know about what you discussed with them. So don't go behind the back of your employer. Talk with a lawyer as it can. I do this? And they said, yes you can. They will let your employer know. However, if you have sought prior approval from them, it's not going to surprise them because you're just trying to clear the hurdle. However, again, like I said, if you have a green card, you don't have to ask anybody anything. It's nobody's business. However, it is, it is, it is in your good. It's going to be. It's going to pay you if you ask the employer if you can do this. So make sure you seek approval. Next you have to set clear priorities. Clearly prioritize your work tasks to ensure you meet your job expectations while managing your academic workload. So you need to know every week when you meet with your manager and your one on one, you have to itemize. This is what I'm doing. This is the problems I'm having. This is where I am so that you are able, clearly able to get your work done. Because if you don't get your work done, you're not going to get promoted. If you don't get promoted, you get in trouble. So make sure you you do that. Next, you need to leverage your support systems. So take advantage of any support systems your workplace offers, such as the professional development programs, mentorship, flexible scheduling, and things like that. Also, um, request accommodations. So things like, you know, can I adjust my work hours or the ability to work from home on certain days? I was able to get that prior to Covid, I was able to do twice a week remotely, and they accepted. There were, you know, Intel had a very, very nice policy about that. So it was it was very lovely. Um, so like I said, request accommodations such as adjuster work. So if that is possible, please seek that. Now keep your manager and PhD advisor in sync. So this is where this is where I say I started to mess things up when I switched jobs. I switched jobs from Intel to Nvidia and that's when it started going out of sync. Because I changed jobs in between the PhD. That synchronization between manager and PhD advisor disappeared while I was at Intel. I had PhD guys that truly, truly were able to encourage me to do the PhD. Switching over to a new company. They didn't care, they just wanted me to do the work. So my advice keep both your manager and PhD advisor informed about your progress and any potential conflicts in your schedule. The moment that sync disappears, you are going to be in big trouble, which is what happened to me. Also, ensure you meet all your work deadlines and maintain your high performance in your job. So make sure you pass all your tests. Pass your classes. For me, I failed algorithms, which was a core class. I failed it twice. Or was it three times and passed on the fourth. Crazy. I failed it twice or three times, but I eventually passed it. And um, for my work at Intel, I was doing fine. But the moment that switch happened, it started affecting, um, some kind of performance thing back at, um, at Nvidia. So be aware of that and be ready to. Take time off. So let's go on to the next segment academic challenges and strategies. So one of the things that I want to talk about is, you know, organizing yourself. So you need to be able to have uh, again, project management skills that really go a long way. So being able to, um, ensure that, you know, your deadlines, you know, things you're supposed to be doing things you're not supposed to be doing. Make sure you keep it in sync. So develop a detailed timeline for PhD milestones, including your coursework, your research phases, and dissertation deadlines. So you need to have a plan. Um, for UC Santa Cruz, you need to advance at a certain period. So you need to have passed all your core classes, your breath classes, and your depth classes. As you pass those, you are fine. Um. Choose your advisor carefully. I think the word is not just carefully. Choose wisely. Not all Academic Advisor is a fan of you working in industry while trying to get a PhD, and not every manager at your job wants you to do a PhD. Being able to marry these two is critical for your success because at the end of the day, PhD is a personal decision. It doesn't help you with your job if you're if you already have one. If you didn't have a job and you were doing a PhD, it would help you get a very great job and vice versa. If you're already in industry, doesn't really help you to get into a PhD program. However, now that you were in it, which is what I was into, I had to figure it out. So get a supportive academic advisor. I had a fantastic, um, uh, academic, uh, PhD advisor. Carlos. Doctor. Carlos. Brilliant man. Brilliant man. Empathic. Impressive empathy. Great insights. Very, very high level of wisdom. He knows a lot and, you know, so very important. I always have regular check ins, regular check ins with your advisor to discuss progress, challenges and receive guidance. I would say that typically when you go into a PhD program, your advisor has an idea for what he wants you to do. Follow his advice or her her advice. They have. They are the ones with the PhD. They know what to expect if you do not. Um. It's problematic. So I would say, yeah, your regular check ins. If he says, I think you should do this, he knows what he's talking about. For me, I felt I went on a tangent a bit, trying to figure out what I think a PhD research should look like. I do not know what that looks like. They do. So someone tells you do it this way, please do it. Make use of the libraries and your databases to find research to find what you're supposed to do. So make use of universities, library resources, online database and research tools. Join study groups. With fellow PhD, I had great study groups with um students. I had a terrible time understanding computer architecture. I think it's a course that is almost at the level of wizardry. Um, it's crazy, you know? So I had study groups for that, and it was very, very useful. So always helpful to meet with students that are currently doing their PhD. I take advantage of your university counseling services? If you need any mental health support or academic counseling. If you're already doing a lot of exercise, that should help, um, dedicate specific blocks of time for uninterrupted research and show they are high. These are high energy periods of your day, so you can see if you have to be blocking time to do uninterrupted research. Where are you going to get the time to do your full time work? So, you know, it's a very evolving problem and involving, uh, involving, uh, a very involving process. I meant to say, um, and then you have to learn how to balance coursework and research. So for me, I've completed. Well, except one class, all my coursework for PhD. Uh, what is left is for me to do, uh, an advancement. So make sure you have that balance. So I think this is the last segment I'm going to talk about, which is maintaining motivation. So you already you know I started 2019. This is 2024. This is what six years later. Five years later, I think. Yeah. Five years. How do you maintain motivation? Celebrate the small wins, small achievements. When you pass a class, it's huge to celebrate small achievements along the way, such as completing a chapter of your dissertation or passing an exam. Getting an A in that class. It gives you some form of positivity, some form of movement. Uh, also implement a reward system when you do, you know, take yourself to watch a movie, eat your favorite food. I don't know, something. Something that would make you be grateful that things are moving. Also, build a support network. Connect with other fellow fellow PhD students and colleagues who are also working on studying. Sharing experiences and challenges can provide encouragement and solidarity. What else? Seek mentors who can offer guidance, support and inspiration. This could be a senior colleague, a former professor or a professional in your field. So I had that. I didn't know because I had all the people around me with PhDs like, you can do this, you can get this done. So make sure that is useful. Long term goals. Create a vision board that visually represents your long term goals. What do you want to do with the PhD and the reasons why you embarked on this journey? Place it somewhere so you can see daily so you can get inspired. Always reflect regularly on your progress and remind yourself of the bigger picture. Journaling your thoughts and achievements can help you stay focused and motivated. Also, be willing to adjust your plans and goals as needed. I had a goal to finish it in five years. I'm still in the fifth year. I have an advanced so life circumstances can change. I had a third baby in my PhD in year 2021. What happens? So then that changed a lot of things. Um. Staying flexible allows us to navigate this challenges without losing sight of your ultimate objectives. Embrace a growth mindset viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. This positive outlook can help you stay resilient and motivated. Continuously seek opportunities for professional developments that align with your career and academic growth. This can be workshops, conferences, or online courses to keep your mind sharp and then most importantly, find ways. This is key. Find a way to integrate your PhD research with your professional work, making both more relevant and engaging. It is very paramount if you are able to do this. Maintaining motivation is essential for successfully balancing the demands of a full time job and a PhD studies. And in conclusion, I'd like to recap. So this is my mini story. And this story of this part of my journey is still ongoing, and I've covered essential strategies for time management self-care. Mental health. Navigating workplace expectations. Overcoming academic challenges. Maintaining motivation. Each of these areas is crucial for managing your dual commitments effectively and achieving success. On a personal note, I'm at a crossroads and considering a withdrawal right now from the PhD program. Uh, one of the reasons is because the school did not waive my master's classes. I do not know why. Uh, but it's fine. It's the school. It's the school law. I cannot change them. Uh, like I said, it's okay to reassess your situation and make changes to something isn't working for you. Prioritizing your well-being and professional goals is essential. So for me now, I'm at a crossroads. I could do a master's project and earn another master's in computer science from the school. Um. I'm tilting towards this position to see if I can just get that and do not waste the last five years. Uh, and then try again. Probably apply to another PhD program at UC Berkeley. I'm not sure. Uh, but I don't know if my PhD journey is over yet. I wanted to share that with you. I hope this episode has been very rewarding for you as much as it has been for me, because this is what I've been through. Um, thank you for tuning in to this episode. If you have any questions or you'd like to share your experience list, please reach out until then. Keep striving for personal and professional growth. Peace out. Thank you for tuning into this episode of Lip Drama. I hope it brought you valuable insights and stories that resonate with your journey. If you have any thoughts to share, questions or want to send a voice note with your feedback, please visit our website at Lip jackpot IO. You will find the contact form there. I would love to hear from you and feature your voice in a future episode. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform, some of which are Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or Player FM. Your subscriptions and reviews help us grow and reach more listeners, and I truly appreciate each one of them. Also, check out our merch store on lip with Jacquard IO website for some cool t shirts and hoodies, perfect for showing your support for the show. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we'll dive even deeper into the experiences and challenges of international education and careers. Until then, keep leaping forward. And thanks again for being part of the Leopard Jaguar community.
Welcome to the leap with Joppa, the podcast that bridges continents and connects stories. Join us as we dive into the vibrant world of international education, explore diverse cultures, and share the extraordinary journeys of students far from home. Whether you're dreaming of studying abroad or already unpacking on this adventure through other means. Literature is your companion in navigating the exciting, challenging, and transformative world of global education. Let's leap into today's episode. Welcome to leap with Joshua, the podcast dedicated to helping international professionals navigate life and work in the US. Today's episode is very personal. Um, I want to explore the challenging but yet rewarding journey of pursuing the PhD while working full time. I want to draw from my experience. I'll share some insights, um, based on managing this demanding path. First, I'll discuss the importance of ensuring your PhD program, uh, waives the necessary master's courses if you have a master's to streamline your journey. Um, this would typically help you in time and effort, um, allowing you to focus on your research. Then I'm going to talk about, um, the importance of effective time management. And also securing approval from your workplace. And balancing work and study requires a meticulous planning and prioritization technique. Um, one of the things that I'm going to talk about is gaining your employer support, uh, which can provide you with flexibility and understanding needed to succeed. Then I'm going to highlight the need for synchronization between your work manager and your PhD advisor. Keeping both parties in sync can help you avoid conflicts and ensure mutual support, making your journey smoother and more manageable. So this is also going to cover in this episode. So let's get into the details. The first thing you need to understand about embarking on doing a full time PhD while you're working is to ensure that your work authorization allows you to do so. So let me explain. Um, when I carried out the research and wanted to do this, I was on the H-1b visa. I got my H-1b issued October of 2018 was when it kicked in. That's when I started my H-1b. So the first thing I want you to understand, even though I had mentioned the time management, the most important thing is to find out if your current work authorization authorization will allow you to go to school while you're studying. The H-1b allows you to study full time, but you also have to keep the did you have to keep your H1-b in status, meaning you have to keep working for the employer. Um, and you can't do anything else. You have to make sure you're getting paychecks every, every month, and you're keeping the requirements of your visa. If not, if you're out of status, you get in trouble. So the university would ask you definitely if what is your work authorization. So that was the first thing. So when I got my admission I was on the H-1b. However, um, the school started. Uh, end of September or first week of October. Uh, and I was lucky enough to get my green card the first week of class. So what that helped me to do was it freed me up from the, you know, tough requirement of having to remain on H-1b. The moment I got my green card, I submitted it to the school registrar, and they immediately changed my status that I was a resident and I didn't need to have I didn't need to do anything with the international office. So that's the first thing. Um, it allows you to you have to make sure that your work authorization allows you to do school in full time. So I put it out there so you understand that, um, my situation might not be your situation. You might be currently on opt, and you feel a need that. Hey, I'm an opt. Uh, I can go back to school and do it at the same time. No you cannot. I know someone, uh, a friend of mine who kind of picked up on my experience. And what he did was he finished all his work and use this template to work while he completed his PhD. All he had to do was so many theses. So it is possible to do this. So jumping into the initial, uh, thing after discussing the, um, the issue of, uh, of, uh, visas and status. It's time management. Um, so it's very critical. Doing the PhD full time is hard work. Doing a PhD and working full time. I don't know, I don't know if there's any much bigger word than hard work is intense. Hard work. So you must be able to have a structured and disciplined approach to ensure that you are successful. So first of all, you need to have a detailed plan. You need to break down your day into blocks dedicated to work, study and personal time. Use a lot of digital tools like Google Calendar and project management tools. You need to have a consistent routine. Um, so let me give you an example of what happened to me. Uh, for you to get a taste of how this works. So when I started, um, my PhD program, I, we just had my wife and I just had our second baby or baby boy. And so they had to come up with a routine. Now, the funny thing about UC Santa Cruz, which is where I was doing my PhD, is you. The classes are scheduled in the mornings. You have you have classes scheduled across different times of the day. Uh, it was unlike my master's program, where my classes were shuttered at 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening. So I assumed that was the same thing. But for UC Santa Cruz, it wasn't the same thing. So what did I do? Well, I simply had to walk around that. So this is what I did. I my first of all, I told my, uh, manager at uh, at, uh, Intel at the time that I had gotten enrolled into a PhD, and initially they thought, are you going to resign? I'm like, no, I want to do it together. I'm like, so what do you need? Do you need funding? I go, no, I actually have funding from the school. And what I need to get from the from my job is can I get time to take my classes? You don't have to give me any money. So I exchanged time for money and they said that was fine. However, I did not let them know what the time is. So back then 2019, there was nothing like work from home. Everybody had to be in the office. So what I did was my first quarter. I did not need to take up a teaching assistant, uh, to teach on campus. Uh, they gave me about 7 or $8000 for accepting the offer of the PhD offer. And they paid my fees. So the first quarter, which was from September to December, I didn't need to pay any fees. I just need to show up for class. So what do I do? Um. The class. The first class was, I think it was 9:00 in the morning. So what I, what I, what I did was. No. So. So my first year, um, I asked my office to give me Tuesdays and Thursdays off and Monday, Wednesday, Friday I would be in the office. However, my classes were scattered around. My classes were around from Monday to Friday. So what did I do? So Tuesdays and Thursdays I could work remotely, but Monday, Wednesday, Fridays I had classes. So what do I do? I would get up in the morning very early at 5:00. I would give my kids a shower, feed them. Then I would drive over to the train station. I would get on the highway 17 bus to Santa Cruz. At about. I think it was about 6:00 in the morning or 7:00 in the morning, 7:00 bus, 7:00, 655. And then it's an hour, uh, bus ride, and then I'll be in class before 9:00. I will take the class that I need to take, and I'll take the 11:00 or 12:00 bus back to the train station, uh, to the bus station, and then I'll drive to work, and I would walk into the office with my laptop. So it made it. I made it look like I was coming from another part of the building. So to go. How have you been? Yeah, yeah, I just come in from the other part of the building, but I was just coming from Santa Cruz. And then Tuesdays, Thursdays I'll be off. I'm like, I'm working remotely. So I did that for the whole quarter. So time management is very, very, very important. So I had to prioritize. You have to prioritize your tasks as well. So you have to be able to be available to take Intel meeting. I had to be able to take Intel meetings. I had to still deliver on my tasks. I had to attend meetings where I would, you know, have to give feedback, and I had to do assignments and I had to be in class at the same time. That was my first quarter. My second quarter was even much worse because then I had to be a teaching assistant. So I did the same routine all over again. I knew what my days of the class that I had to be in class was. I would request that from my manager. I would be off those days, but on the other days I would have to go take classes and then come back to work. And I did that for a whole year. So you have to also set realistic goals. So most of the things that I had to do, you know, revolved around, um, just trying to get through my master's classes. So that was to go get through the classes as much as possible. Um, it was very stressful. This was 2019, and by the time we got to 2020, when the Covid hit, everything became upside down. So now it was different. Now I had to take two classes online. I had to be a teaching assistant. They have office hours and also do my job all from within a single position. So I was multi juggling different things. So you have to learn to do what they call time blocking. So you have to have a calendar, allocate specific time blocks for different activities you know. So you have to reserve times for PhD work afternoons for job related tasks. You have to be able to multitask. Things also limit distractions during this blocks. You know turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, turn off your phone, um, and let your colleagues know that you want to schedule. You want to follow strictly your calendar routines to minimize interruptions. Um, also, you need to spend, you know, you need to spend time to do weekly regular reviews on adjustments. So spend some time at the end of each week reviewing your progress and adjusting your schedule for the upcoming week. This helps you to stay on track and make necessary changes. Be prepared to adapt your schedule as needed. Unexpected work demands or academic challenges may require adjustments. It didn't come easy. I can guarantee you, um, I failed analysis of algorithms twice, and I had to pass it on my Ted three. So, um, one of the unique frustrations with, um, this program is with my program is I wasn't able to transfer the classes that I had earned from my masters. It was very difficult to do that. So, um, be aware that you are going to face a horrendous amount of pressure that, um, that you cannot quantify, you know, during this process. So the second segment, I want to talk about self-care and mental health. Um, so you have to learn to take breaks. You are going to spend an enormous amount of time in front of a screen. So you have to incorporate short breaks throughout your day to rest and recharge, you know, so there's a technique, uh, called uh, pomodoro where you work for 25 minutes and take a five minute break. So for every 25 minutes, you take a five minutes break. If you're going to do one hour, you take 15 minutes break and things like that. Schedule downtime always planned longer breaks during the week to relax and unwind. Use this time for hobbies, social activities or simply to just rest from the screen. Then you need to manage stress stress management. That's one of the things in this period. So combined with the work that I was doing and combined with Covid that did not allow us to leave the house. Uh, some medical issues developed for me. So that's when, you know, I gained a lot of weight and a lot of weight gain typically leads to, uh, not sleeping well and not sleeping well typically leads to things like, uh, sleep apnea, uh, where you snore. And sleep apnea has a direct correlation with type two diabetes. Type two diabetes has a direct correlation with high blood pressure. High blood pressure has a direct correlation with kidney failure. And you get the picture. So stress management engage in mindful practices such as exercises. Increasing your focus. Burning energy. Burning stress on the on the cardio machine. Like the step master or the treadmill. Those were the things that I was doing. Uh, regular physical activities, you know, working, uh, taking a walk, gym sessions, sports. It helps you to regulate your stress level and to reduce your stress because you have to have an out. So sleeping well? For me, it didn't take a hit until much later when I realized that, um, I wasn't doing well physically and mentally. And part of the problem was not doing enough to take care of my mental health while I was doing this PhD. Um, also, at this time, food matters because you're spending so much time in front of a screen, you would end up eating junk food. So you would take chips, you would take soda drinks. You would take, um, drinks that have caffeine. And what this thing is doing for you is you remember, all these foods that you're combining have never been tested under the microscope by any nutritionist or by any biological company. So they don't know how this food interact with themselves. So if you take pizza soda, you're taking meds for something at the chemical level. You don't know what this is producing in your body. So if you do not sort it out or try and fix it, your body will become a chemistry set and you will not understand how that is affecting you. So you need to make sure that the kind of foods you eat, you know a lot of greens. Avoid fast food if you can, um, avoid eating out as well. So, um, I'm married, you know, thank God for my wife that produces very good meal. And she had been an advent supporter for me to get on the exercise, you know, trail and get myself back in shape. So having those kind of support systems while you're going through this really, really matters, you know, so you need to make sure that you maintain a balanced diet to for your body and mind. Avoid excess caffeine if you can and opt for nutritious meals. Um for sleep. Prioritize sleep and aim for 7 to 9 hours. Typically, I do like five six hours. Uh, quality sleep is crucial for mental clarity and overall health. And when I say quality sleep, I mean sleep. That is, you wake up and you feel refreshed. If you're waking up every day waking up with headaches. Waking up feeling tired. You haven't had a very good night's sleep, so you have to prioritize sleeping very, very well so you are able to keep your mind and body going because of the amount of stress that you are. You're pushing on yourself, you know? So you have to make sure that you can manage that. I now want to talk about the workplace expectations. So you're working full time, and you need to be able to learn how to effectively navigate your workplace expectations while you're pushing your PhD. Being able to balance your professional responsibilities with academic goals requires very clear communication and strategic planning. I'll tell you how. First of all, you have to communicate with your employer. Have an open discussion with your employer about your PhD plans. Explain carefully how it can benefit your professional development and contribute to the work you're doing. Another thing you need to do is you have to carefully seek your employer's formal approval to pursue the PhD. It's even more paramount if you're on a visa because you do not want to break the rules of your visa. So make sure you get that formal approval for your PhD. Also, talk to immigration if you are on a green card. You don't have to worry yourself about, you know, dealing with immigration. However, if you are on a visa, the optics stamp or whatever. Remember to seek the approval from or clarity rather from the immigration guys. Also, be aware that if you go speak to immigration first without getting formal approval. Be aware that anything you discuss with immigration in your organization, or an external lawyer that is paid for by your organization, that lawyer is bound to let your employer know about what you discussed with them. So don't go behind the back of your employer. Talk with a lawyer as it can. I do this? And they said, yes you can. They will let your employer know. However, if you have sought prior approval from them, it's not going to surprise them because you're just trying to clear the hurdle. However, again, like I said, if you have a green card, you don't have to ask anybody anything. It's nobody's business. However, it is, it is, it is in your good. It's going to be. It's going to pay you if you ask the employer if you can do this. So make sure you seek approval. Next you have to set clear priorities. Clearly prioritize your work tasks to ensure you meet your job expectations while managing your academic workload. So you need to know every week when you meet with your manager and your one on one, you have to itemize. This is what I'm doing. This is the problems I'm having. This is where I am so that you are able, clearly able to get your work done. Because if you don't get your work done, you're not going to get promoted. If you don't get promoted, you get in trouble. So make sure you you do that. Next, you need to leverage your support systems. So take advantage of any support systems your workplace offers, such as the professional development programs, mentorship, flexible scheduling, and things like that. Also, um, request accommodations. So things like, you know, can I adjust my work hours or the ability to work from home on certain days? I was able to get that prior to Covid, I was able to do twice a week remotely, and they accepted. There were, you know, Intel had a very, very nice policy about that. So it was it was very lovely. Um, so like I said, request accommodations such as adjuster work. So if that is possible, please seek that. Now keep your manager and PhD advisor in sync. So this is where this is where I say I started to mess things up when I switched jobs. I switched jobs from Intel to Nvidia and that's when it started going out of sync. Because I changed jobs in between the PhD. That synchronization between manager and PhD advisor disappeared while I was at Intel. I had PhD guys that truly, truly were able to encourage me to do the PhD. Switching over to a new company. They didn't care, they just wanted me to do the work. So my advice keep both your manager and PhD advisor informed about your progress and any potential conflicts in your schedule. The moment that sync disappears, you are going to be in big trouble, which is what happened to me. Also, ensure you meet all your work deadlines and maintain your high performance in your job. So make sure you pass all your tests. Pass your classes. For me, I failed algorithms, which was a core class. I failed it twice. Or was it three times and passed on the fourth. Crazy. I failed it twice or three times, but I eventually passed it. And um, for my work at Intel, I was doing fine. But the moment that switch happened, it started affecting, um, some kind of performance thing back at, um, at Nvidia. So be aware of that and be ready to. Take time off. So let's go on to the next segment academic challenges and strategies. So one of the things that I want to talk about is, you know, organizing yourself. So you need to be able to have uh, again, project management skills that really go a long way. So being able to, um, ensure that, you know, your deadlines, you know, things you're supposed to be doing things you're not supposed to be doing. Make sure you keep it in sync. So develop a detailed timeline for PhD milestones, including your coursework, your research phases, and dissertation deadlines. So you need to have a plan. Um, for UC Santa Cruz, you need to advance at a certain period. So you need to have passed all your core classes, your breath classes, and your depth classes. As you pass those, you are fine. Um. Choose your advisor carefully. I think the word is not just carefully. Choose wisely. Not all Academic Advisor is a fan of you working in industry while trying to get a PhD, and not every manager at your job wants you to do a PhD. Being able to marry these two is critical for your success because at the end of the day, PhD is a personal decision. It doesn't help you with your job if you're if you already have one. If you didn't have a job and you were doing a PhD, it would help you get a very great job and vice versa. If you're already in industry, doesn't really help you to get into a PhD program. However, now that you were in it, which is what I was into, I had to figure it out. So get a supportive academic advisor. I had a fantastic, um, uh, academic, uh, PhD advisor. Carlos. Doctor. Carlos. Brilliant man. Brilliant man. Empathic. Impressive empathy. Great insights. Very, very high level of wisdom. He knows a lot and, you know, so very important. I always have regular check ins, regular check ins with your advisor to discuss progress, challenges and receive guidance. I would say that typically when you go into a PhD program, your advisor has an idea for what he wants you to do. Follow his advice or her her advice. They have. They are the ones with the PhD. They know what to expect if you do not. Um. It's problematic. So I would say, yeah, your regular check ins. If he says, I think you should do this, he knows what he's talking about. For me, I felt I went on a tangent a bit, trying to figure out what I think a PhD research should look like. I do not know what that looks like. They do. So someone tells you do it this way, please do it. Make use of the libraries and your databases to find research to find what you're supposed to do. So make use of universities, library resources, online database and research tools. Join study groups. With fellow PhD, I had great study groups with um students. I had a terrible time understanding computer architecture. I think it's a course that is almost at the level of wizardry. Um, it's crazy, you know? So I had study groups for that, and it was very, very useful. So always helpful to meet with students that are currently doing their PhD. I take advantage of your university counseling services? If you need any mental health support or academic counseling. If you're already doing a lot of exercise, that should help, um, dedicate specific blocks of time for uninterrupted research and show they are high. These are high energy periods of your day, so you can see if you have to be blocking time to do uninterrupted research. Where are you going to get the time to do your full time work? So, you know, it's a very evolving problem and involving, uh, involving, uh, a very involving process. I meant to say, um, and then you have to learn how to balance coursework and research. So for me, I've completed. Well, except one class, all my coursework for PhD. Uh, what is left is for me to do, uh, an advancement. So make sure you have that balance. So I think this is the last segment I'm going to talk about, which is maintaining motivation. So you already you know I started 2019. This is 2024. This is what six years later. Five years later, I think. Yeah. Five years. How do you maintain motivation? Celebrate the small wins, small achievements. When you pass a class, it's huge to celebrate small achievements along the way, such as completing a chapter of your dissertation or passing an exam. Getting an A in that class. It gives you some form of positivity, some form of movement. Uh, also implement a reward system when you do, you know, take yourself to watch a movie, eat your favorite food. I don't know, something. Something that would make you be grateful that things are moving. Also, build a support network. Connect with other fellow fellow PhD students and colleagues who are also working on studying. Sharing experiences and challenges can provide encouragement and solidarity. What else? Seek mentors who can offer guidance, support and inspiration. This could be a senior colleague, a former professor or a professional in your field. So I had that. I didn't know because I had all the people around me with PhDs like, you can do this, you can get this done. So make sure that is useful. Long term goals. Create a vision board that visually represents your long term goals. What do you want to do with the PhD and the reasons why you embarked on this journey? Place it somewhere so you can see daily so you can get inspired. Always reflect regularly on your progress and remind yourself of the bigger picture. Journaling your thoughts and achievements can help you stay focused and motivated. Also, be willing to adjust your plans and goals as needed. I had a goal to finish it in five years. I'm still in the fifth year. I have an advanced so life circumstances can change. I had a third baby in my PhD in year 2021. What happens? So then that changed a lot of things. Um. Staying flexible allows us to navigate this challenges without losing sight of your ultimate objectives. Embrace a growth mindset viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. This positive outlook can help you stay resilient and motivated. Continuously seek opportunities for professional developments that align with your career and academic growth. This can be workshops, conferences, or online courses to keep your mind sharp and then most importantly, find ways. This is key. Find a way to integrate your PhD research with your professional work, making both more relevant and engaging. It is very paramount if you are able to do this. Maintaining motivation is essential for successfully balancing the demands of a full time job and a PhD studies. And in conclusion, I'd like to recap. So this is my mini story. And this story of this part of my journey is still ongoing, and I've covered essential strategies for time management self-care. Mental health. Navigating workplace expectations. Overcoming academic challenges. Maintaining motivation. Each of these areas is crucial for managing your dual commitments effectively and achieving success. On a personal note, I'm at a crossroads and considering a withdrawal right now from the PhD program. Uh, one of the reasons is because the school did not waive my master's classes. I do not know why. Uh, but it's fine. It's the school. It's the school law. I cannot change them. Uh, like I said, it's okay to reassess your situation and make changes to something isn't working for you. Prioritizing your well-being and professional goals is essential. So for me now, I'm at a crossroads. I could do a master's project and earn another master's in computer science from the school. Um. I'm tilting towards this position to see if I can just get that and do not waste the last five years. Uh, and then try again. Probably apply to another PhD program at UC Berkeley. I'm not sure. Uh, but I don't know if my PhD journey is over yet. I wanted to share that with you. I hope this episode has been very rewarding for you as much as it has been for me, because this is what I've been through. Um, thank you for tuning in to this episode. If you have any questions or you'd like to share your experience list, please reach out until then. Keep striving for personal and professional growth. Peace out. Thank you for tuning into this episode of Lip Drama. I hope it brought you valuable insights and stories that resonate with your journey. If you have any thoughts to share, questions or want to send a voice note with your feedback, please visit our website at Lip jackpot IO. You will find the contact form there. I would love to hear from you and feature your voice in a future episode. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform, some of which are Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or Player FM. Your subscriptions and reviews help us grow and reach more listeners, and I truly appreciate each one of them. Also, check out our merch store on lip with Jacquard IO website for some cool t shirts and hoodies, perfect for showing your support for the show. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we'll dive even deeper into the experiences and challenges of international education and careers. Until then, keep leaping forward. And thanks again for being part of the Leopard Jaguar community.
Listen On
Support On
