'You're a PhD student; you're meant to be stressed out.'
Does this motto sound familiar to you? Have you simply accepted that obtaining a doctorate must be stress-inducing?
The process of completing a PhD is a huge investment of time, energy and money. Although it can feel like a long and bumpy road for many students, the truth is that it doesn't have to be a struggle.
Doctoral De-Stress: How to Thrive on Your PhD Journey features the top 40 challenges that doctoral students face and tips to overcome them. You will learn how to:
. Cultivate a better relationship with your academic supervisor.
. Work through writer's block, procrastination and perfectionism.
. Sustain your motivation throughout the PhD, and reconnect to what inspires you about your research.
. Overcome presentation anxiety and manage an academic Q&A session with greater confidence.
. Balance your competing commitments - from job applications and conferences to teaching and publishing.
. Navigate unexpected challenges that arise during your PhD journey and prepare for your viva.

Dr Serena K Sharma is an academic, coach and entrepreneur. She has held positions at several top universities including the London School of Economics, the University of Oxford and King's College London. Alongside her academic career, Serena has studied wellbeing for over a decade and is the founder of AcademEase - an organisation dedicated to improving wellness in higher education. With her experience in both of these fields, Serena has helped countless doctoral students overcome academic stress and thrive on their PhD journeys.