PhD Planning for 2025 - ready to have your best PhD year yet?! YES, you are!
It’s January - a fresh start, a blank page, and a perfect time to reflect on where you’ve been and where you’re headed. Whether you’re feeling like Hermione Granger after acing her Time-Turner schedule or like Bridget Jones surrounded by empty notebooks and existential dread, I’ve got you covered.
This post will guide you through reflecting on 2024 and making a solid PhD plan for 2025. Whether you're drafting your literature review, collecting data, or (gulp) writing up your findings, I’ll help you create a plan that keeps you on track - and maybe even keeps your sanity intact.
Oh, and if you haven’t got your hands on the 2025 Power Planner for PhD Students yet, grab it here! It’s full of reflection pages, goal-setting templates, and monthly, weekly, and daily planners tailored for your research journey. Click here to learn more!
2025 Power Planner - CLICK HERE to get yours!
Now grab a drink (mine’s a caramel latte, thanks!) a pen and paper, and let’s get started.
Step 1: Reflect on your 2024 research wins (and wobbles)
Before we dive headfirst into the new year, new thesis energy, let’s look back at 2024. Reflection isn’t just a buzzword - it’s an essential part of your academic growth. As the wise Confucius once said, "Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall."
(a) Celebrate your wins
Whether you finally nailed your research questions, overcame data collection nightmares, or just managed to open your thesis without crying—write it all down. Big or small, every achievement counts.
(b) Identify what worked…
Did 3-hour co-working sessions with friends help you hit your word count? Or was it a “no emails until noon” rule? Note down your winning habits—these are the things you’ll want to keep for 2025.
(c) … and what didn’t!
We all have those moments. Maybe you underestimated how long data analysis would take (spoiler: it always takes longer), or you spent too much time doom-scrolling Instagram. No judgment - just make a note of the habits and distractions you want to ditch this year.
Step 2: Dream big for your PhD in 2025
Now that you’ve reflected on 2024, it’s time to decide what success will look like for you this year. Whether you’re aiming to finish your methodology chapter, submit your first draft, or prep for your viva - having a vision is key.
Ask Yourself:
What do I want to achieve by the end of 2025?
What progress do I want to make each quarter?
How do I want to feel during my PhD journey? (If "calm, confident, and caffeinated" is the vibe, I’m with you!)
Write it all down. Imagine it’s the end of the year - what would make you proud to say, "I did that!"?
Step 3: Prioritise your PhD goals (because you’re not a superhuman)
A PhD is a marathon, not a sprint (though it might feel like both some days). Wait—who else is sick of hearing that analogy? Let’s try something different:
It’s like binge-watching a 12-season TV show where some episodes are absolute bangers (you’re writing thousands of words, feeling invincible - like Line of Duty Season 3, episode 6 - OMG, Dot!), and others are filler episodes where the WiFi cuts out and your favorite character dies (hello, imposter syndrome and formatting meltdowns).
The key? You stick with it because you’re invested in the ending - and when the credits finally roll, it’s so worth it.
To avoid burnout and overwhelm, focus on a few key goals for the year.
(a) Choose your top 3 PhD priorities
Pick the three main things that will move your PhD forward in 2025. Whether it’s finishing data collection, writing three chapters, or presenting at a conference—choose goals that matter.
(b) Break them into quarterly goals
Divide your goals across the four quarters of the year. Trying to write an entire findings chapter in one week? Nope. But spreading it across Q2 and Q3? That’s doable. Break your goals into chunks that feel manageable.
Step 4: Monthly, weekly, and daily PhD game plans
This is where the magic happens—turning your big goals into realistic, actionable steps.
Monthly goals
At the start of each month, decide what part of your quarterly goals you’ll focus on. Maybe January is all about organising your data, while February is for drafting your discussion chapter. Use a monthly planner to track your goals, reflect on your progress, and adjust as needed.
Weekly priorities
Each week, use a weekly planner to break down your monthly goals into smaller tasks. Be realistic—think quality over quantity. No more "I’ll write 20,000 words this week" unless you’re secretly a writing robot. No? Me neither!
Daily actions
Finally, focus on what needs to be done today. And keep it manageable! Maybe choose one substantial chunky thing that will take a couple of hours and a few smaller things that will take 10-20 minutes each.
Step 5: Stay flexible (and be kind to yourself)
Remember, no plan is set in stone. Life will throw curveballs - unexpected meetings, sick days, existential crises at 2 AM. Yep, been there, haven’t we?! If something isn’t working, tweak your approach, not your goal.
And don’t forget to include rest and joy in your schedule. Regular breaks make you more productive (and let’s be honest, no one’s brain can survive on coffee alone).
Step 6: End-of-month and quarterly reviews
This is a PhD power move! At the end of each month and quarter, review your progress:
What went well?
What needs adjusting?
What will I focus on next?
Reflecting helps you stay grounded and keeps you moving forward - because a PhD is as much about mindset as it is about milestones.
Let’s make 2025 your PhD power year!
This is the year you make serious progress on your thesis, feel in control of your workload, and maybe even enjoy the process. Whether you’re aiming for submission or just trying to make writing-up a little less soul-crushing, go smash it!
If you haven’t snagged a Power Planner yet, click here and let’s get started! Your future self (the one holding their completed thesis) will thank you.
Go get ‘em—you’ve got this!
2025 Power Planner - CLICK HERE to get yours!