Doing a PhD is a journey.
It’s exciting, but it’s also messy, slow, and sometimes very frustrating.
The secret to surviving (and thriving) is simple:
Focus on the 20% that gives you 80% of the results.
Here’s exactly how to do it!
Don’t forget to check the attached infographic — your quick cheat sheet!
Mastering the PhD Journey: The Smart Way
1. Literature Review
80% analyzing | 20% collecting
- Don’t just collect hundreds of papers.
- Pick the right ones and deeply understand them.
Example: Instead of downloading 100 PDFs, study 5 papers very carefully.
2. Supervision
80% listening | 20% asking
- Listen more than you speak in meetings.
- Your supervisor’s feedback is gold — use it wisely.
Example: When your supervisor says “expand on this,” take notes and fix it before the next meeting.
Do you want to find, analyze, and validate papers in one click?
Meet EvidenceHunt – Your AI powered research assistant.
EvidenceHunt helps you search, analyze, and rank papers instantly — making your literature review and validation process 10x faster!
What can you do with EvidenceHunt?
➟ Search across 37M+ studies from PubMed in seconds
➟ Use PICO filters for more precise and relevant results
➟ Apply smart filters like publication year, study type, impact factor, and more
➟ Get instant summaries and citation validations
➟ Export selected references easily and share with your peers
➟ Ask follow-up questions to refine your results even more
Check it out here: www.evidencehunt.com
3. Publication
80% revising | 20% submitting
- Good papers are not written, they are rewritten.
- Focus more on improving your draft than rushing to submit.
Example: Edit your paper 3 times before hitting “Submit.”
4. Research Progress
80% consistency | 20% breakthroughs
- Small daily efforts bring big results later.
- Don’t wait for “aha moments”; show up every day.
Example: Write 200 words a day even if you feel stuck.
5. Motivation
80% discipline | 20% inspiration
- Motivation fades. Discipline keeps you going.
- Build daily habits, not daily hopes.
Example: Set a fixed time every morning to work — no matter what.
6. Skill Development
80% practice | 20% theory
- Reading about a skill won’t make you good at it.
- You must practice it again and again.
Example: If you are learning data analysis, open Python and try real projects.
7. Reading Papers
80% relevance | 20% quantity
- Don’t try to read everything.
- Read only what directly connects to your research.
Example: Focus on papers that solve the same problem you’re working on.
8. Productivity
80% deep work | 20% multitasking
- Multitasking kills focus.
- Work deeply for short blocks of time.
Example: 2 hours of fully focused writing is better than 8 hours of distracted work.
Smart PhD Reminders
- Consistency beats motivation.
- One deep paper is better than 10 skimmed ones.
- Practice is the only way to master skills.
- Good writing = Good rewriting.
- It’s normal to feel slow. Keep pushing!
Final Words
Remember — a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint.
Be patient. Stay consistent.
Focus on the 20% that matters most — and your PhD life will become a lot easier.
You’ve got this!
Save the attached infographic for quick reminders!
Don’t forget to read: How to Get a PhD Scholarship?
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@DrFaheemUllah
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