You work hard. You deserve to play. I find that many PhDs forget to enjoy themselves. And I do not just mean taking a spring or winter break off (which many PhDs fail to take advantage of anyway). I mean throwing a mini-celebration for every little small or big thing you achieve.
By mini-celebration, I mean just something that is small that you enjoy doing as a small treat for reading your emails, meeting with your advisor, grading papers. These may seem like small tasks, but when you have to do them often and you have larger things on your plate, even these tasks can be a mountain.
Maybe riding your bike, skateboarding, trashy romance novels, youtubing, social media, a comic book store is your treat. Or it's possibly just checking your favorite website online, but whatever counts to you as a mini-celebration is worth partaking in.
As for each and every milestone--whether it's a defense, a qual or a publication--you absolutely must celebrate. Whether you take a large or small celebration for these milestones is completely up to you, but it's worthwhile to get you balanced and focused to do more. A weekend vacation or a trip to the beach...or a favorite, a weekend of sleep may be in order.
Just for taking the qual you should be celebrating. Regardless of the result, you took that mammoth exam, right? Pat yourself on the back buddy. Go to the bar tonight. Eat an ice cream cake. Dance all night. You deserve it.
In fact, I am so gung-ho about celebrating every little thing you do that I would congratulate yourself just for doing a PhD. Which is cause for celebration....everyday.
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