@OUGradSch PGRs! This is your periodic reminder that it is *incredibly hard* to get anything done at the moment.

No concentration, can't sleep, anxiety dreams etc etc? It's not just you, I promise.

Your amygdala is busy dealing with an imminent existential threat. You probably have little or no headspace for higher order thinking skills atm, because that's how being an animal works. You don't get to self-actualise when you're in survival mode.

Lean on your peers, talk to your supervisors, fill in the covid study tracker so we can help you make up lost time.

Met w a Prof I admire yesterday, asked about their research. 'Are you kidding? My first priority is to stay alive, survive my next trip to Tesco without getting or transmitting Covid. After that, keep my kid alive. Third, make them do schoolwork... Work can have what's left.'

We're not magic. It's not a case of just giving ourselves a Talk and getting on.

I don't know if you guys are talking to each other, but lots of you are talking to me. And I'm talking to colleagues at all levels. And the 'it's all a bit much, I'm losing whole days to just hiding in bed freaking out' conversation is not one I'm just having with PGRs.

Everybody is having a really shit time atm. The smartest, hardest-working, best-supported, most financially-secure people, those in absolutely optimal circumstances, are struggling massively.

If that's you, try not to beat yourself up that 'my life isn't even that hard, why am I struggling?' This season of Grand Thesis PGR *sucks*, even for those playing on Easy Mode.

If that's not you, cut yourself a million miles more slack for every marginalisation, dependent relative, financial worry etc etc that you're dealing with.

Seriously PGRs, if we've spoken lately and you weren't crying at any point during our conversation, then let me assure you, you are very much in the minority.