My PhD: A healthy PhD?

So, I guess everyone is dying to hear how the Happy PhD online-course is going? Well, it is going ok! There have been some "obstacles" along the way due to illness, a conference, travelling etc. However, I decided to follow the normal course pace and read the daily texts, but allowing a slower pace in implementing and trying out the suggestions and methods. One can always go back and repeat (I think one should go back and repeat) and the course material will still be accessible after the six weeks, thanks Amber! 

The first weeks were mainly about focusing on one´s mental and physical health. A lot of obvious things; well-known  facts and good habits we  already know about, but need to be reminded of. Amber explains very well how exercise as well as rest and relaxation is connected to successful brain-work. (Anyone -especially any archaeologist- can probably relate to how one feels in mind and body after a day of field work compared to a day of desk work.)

Yes, we might already know it, but being reminded of HOW important these factors are, might actually make us allow ourselves to take better care of our brains instead of adding an evening shift (and a night shift) to our work day...  I will not go into details, but one result is that I seem to be getting better at taking short breaks regularly. I always go for walks, but during the past weeks I have implemented more "walking breaks" during the work day and if possible I have taken 2 instead of 1 walks per day. The fact that I spent half October in Rome (where one always walks a lot), living next to a nice park has of course facilitated taking "walking breaks" during the work day. I hope I will be able to keep it up somehow, despite dreadful "Gothenburgian" weather...  

Some of the faces in Villa Borghese

Coffee break,  Casa del Cinema, Villa Borghese