One of the best ways to relax during your PhD is repurposing or multi-purposing your work experiences. The truth is that you can make even work fun, and by doing so you can get your heart, mind and body to relax. One way to do this is taking a break from your conference either at night or right after your own presentation and schmoozing in celebration of a job well done.
Conferences can be quite busy and hectic, waking you up early in the morning with a crazy schedule all day until the evening, but do take those evenings to explore the city or town that the conference is held in. There are always little gems you can find in these areas. And you do not have to spend a ton of money. If you are a wanderlust like me, just walking around the city or taking the train back and forth is enough to give me a feel of the city and make my heart happy. This sets my heart at ease.
For others maybe a walk in the park or reading in the bookstore or even going to an event, meeting up with colleagues, or joining a meetup group for the night may spark your interest.
If you really want to treat it like a mini-vacay, go sightseeing, shopping, visit a museum or landmarks, go to a spa or pool. The options are endless, Find hidden gems in the city or learn the culture of the new town.
Even if you can not find a super fun activity to do in west bubble, for example, you can find a mini-vacay in mandating yourself to do something other than work right in your hotel room that will boost your mood and energy. Excessive sleep is FREE and wonderful. I like to read a novel and would definitely bring one if the city was not so interesting.
It is critical to psychologically turn everything that you are doing into fun, whether that be finding fun things to do in or around the area, right where you are or just having fun while you are working. Your brain needs that release. Take this is a public health announcement for PhDs.
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