How to Stay Organised During Your PhD (Without Losing Your Sanity)

Starting a PhD is like stepping onto a treadmill that slowly speeds up over three or four years. At first, it feels manageable, maybe even exciting, but as the research, reading, writing, admin, and emotional load grow, staying organised can become one of the biggest challenges of the entire candidature.

The good news? You don’t need to be naturally organised. Organisation is a skill set you can build over time, and with the right structures in place, your PhD becomes far less chaotic and far more sustainable.

Here’s how to stay organised and protect your wellbeing during your PhD.

1. Create a system that you can maintain

Organisation only works if it fits your personality. Some people thrive with colour-coded calendars; others manage everything in one notebook. Don’t aim for perfect aim for workable.

Try experimenting with:

·      A digital calendar (Google Calendar or Outlook)

·      A weekly paper planner

·      A project-management tool like Notion, Trello, or Asana

·      A single “PhD hub” document that tracks your goals, deadlines, and progress

Whatever you choose, commit to using it consistently. Consistency is 80% of organisation.

2. Break your PhD into small, visible steps

“Write chapter two” is not a task. It’s an aspiration.

Replace big, overwhelming tasks with small, specific steps, like:

·      Read and summarise three articles

·      Draft 300 words of the methodology

·      Update participant recruitment spreadsheet

·      Meet supervisor about data collection plan

Small tasks reduce decision fatigue, lower stress, and make it easier to see progress, which is critical for staying motivated.

3. Use weekly planning to stay ahead of the chaos

Every Monday morning (or Sunday night), spend 15 minutes planning your week:

·      What are the 3–5 non-negotiable tasks?

·      What meetings or supervision sessions do you have?

·      What’s realistic based on your energy and other commitments?

Weekly planning stops you from ping-ponging between tasks and gives your week direction without overwhelming you with detail.

4. Keep your files and notes organised from the start

A messy laptop = a stressed PhD candidate.

Set up clear folders:

·      01_Literature Review

·      02_Methodology

·      03_Data

·      04_Analysis

·      05_Writing

·      06_Admin

And subfolders for articles, drafts, ethics documents, data files, supervisor feedback, and presentation slides.

Use consistent naming conventions, e.g.:

2025-03-InterviewNotes-Participant07.docx

Your future self will thank you.

5. Protect your writing time

Writing is the engine of the PhD but it’s also the easiest thing to put off.

Try:

·      Blocking a 2-hour writing session three times per week

·      Writing before checking emails

·      Using tools like Pomodoro timers to stay focused

·      Treating writing time as a meeting with your future degree (because it is)

Small, regular writing sessions beat rare, heroic writing marathons every time.

6. Track your progress (especially when it feels slow)

PhD progress is often invisible. You are moving forward; you just can’t always feel it.

Try:

·      A monthly reflection page

·      A progress log for reading and writing

·      A “done list” instead of a to-do list

·      Tracking word count (only if it’s motivating, not stressful)

Seeing progress in writing helps rebuild confidence, especially during the mid-candidature slump.

7. Build in rest and boundaries

Organisation isn’t just about calendars and to-do lists, it’s about energy. Without rest, your brain stops functioning effectively and your research slows down.

Protect your energy by:

·      Taking weekends (or at least one full day off)

·      Setting email boundaries

·      Creating a finish-work ritual (closing laptop, quick tidy, short walk)

·      Having at least one non-PhD hobby or joy activity

A well-rested PhD candidate is a more productive one.

8. Don’t do it alone build support early

Organisation becomes easier when you have people around you cheering you on and helping you stay accountable.

This can include:

·      Supervisors

·      Accountability buddies

·      PhD writing groups

·      Coaches or mentors

·      Online PhD communities

Support is not a luxury it’s an academic survival strategy.

Final Thought

Organisation during a PhD isn’t about being perfect or productive all the time. It’s about creating gentle, sustainable structures that help you stay focused, reduce overwhelm, and keep moving steadily toward completion.

When you’re organised, you’re not just managing your PhD you’re reclaiming your time, energy, and peace of mind.