Welcome to the waiting list for
the S.M.A.R.T.P.H.D™
8-week Program
For PhD students who are feeling frustrated about not seeing results from their efforts, who want to be more focussed and productive, and who want to get through their PhD successfully without sacrificing sleep or time with friends and family.
Join the list to be the first one to know when is ready to start!
What is the S.M.A.R.T.P.H.D™?
S.M.A.R.T.P.H.D ™ is a coaching framework I have designed to help PhD students think about themselves, and act accordingly, as a naturally creative, resourceful and whole person by focusing on:
S – Self-care
M – Mindset
A – Attainable Goals
R – Reflection
T – Time Management
P – Planning + Priorities
H – Habits + Routines
D – Drive
Each letter in the framework serves as a ’gear’ in a researcher’s ‘PhD system’. Focusing on one ‘gear’ of the system at the time and learning to manage all these gears together, students can improve their time management and prioritisation, become more productive, feel more confident, enjoy their lives more both in and out of work, and reach their full potential.
The program includes 8 modules to cover each of these ”gears” to help you to create your own system, having a more holistic approach to your PhD.
Module 1: Self- care
Module 2: Mindset
Module 3: Attainable Goals
Module 4: Reflection,
Module5: Time Management,
Module 6: Planning + Priorities,
Module 7: Habits + Routines
Module 8: Drive
All these will give you the tools, and support to build the efficiency and resilience you need in your PhD and beyond.
What are the benefits of joining the program?
- Increased physical activity and mental health, avoiding burn-out and stress
- Increased energy and focus on your PhD
- Increased productivity in your PhD without compromising sleep time
- Less isolation and more accountability with our group support
- Switch from fixed to Growth mindset, more self-control and efficiency
- Manage Impostor Syndrome
- Increased confidence and self-belief, awareness of personal capabilities
- Development of self-awareness, finding what works for you
- Improved time management, eliminating procrastination
- Increased time in meaningful activities that will nurture your personal and professional life
- Improved habits and routine
- A stable and sustainable study system, with less up and downs
- Focus and clarity to sit and write without interruptions
- Improved planning and goal setting skills
- Increased sense of joy and well-being, finding the motivation to finish your dissertation
What’s included?
1:1 coaching sessions with me
Two 1:1 coaching sessions. In the first one, at the beginning of the programme, we set your personal goals and discuss a study strategy plan. I will then provide a planning bundle and SMART goals worksheets to establish clear and realistic goals for the following 8 weeks. At the end of the 8 weeks, in the second 1:1 session, we analyse what worked for you and write down the next steps for you.
8 Modules to cover your S.M.A.R.T.P.H.D
Self- care, Mindset, Attainable Goals, Reflection, Time Management, Planning + Priorities, Habits + Routines and Drive. These modules will help you discover your motivations, your real goals, and what is holding you back, workable goals and future plans to have a better PhD life and finish your dissertation on time - or earlier!
Weekly group coaching sessions
We run small group coaching sessions that offer a sense of community, peer support, additional coaching and a chance to check in with your weekly goals. Topics are flexible depending on the needs of the group. However, we generally work around weekly goals, procrastination, time management, impostor syndrome, motivation, routines, self-awareness, dealing with expectations, academic confidence and other topics that will help students to have a better PhD life. Sessions are recorded so you can catch up if you are unable to attend.
Ongoing Support
I will help you to go from where you are now to where you want to be. In the process, you will develop excellent time management skills, build resilience, nurture confidence, foster accountability and develop a growth mindset, while making sure you have a well-balanced life.
Hi, I am Lucia and I get it...
I am a certified life and academic coach. But before that I worked in Argentina, London, Barcelona and Oxford as a qualified architect.
I specialised, through a Master’s and PhD, in architectural history and industrial heritage. I was always a good student and knew that my studies were an essential part of the kind of person I wanted to be.
Following my academic path, I lived in different countries and learned new languages. I was a foreigner and an international student trying to find my place in the world. It was hard. I thought I knew all the struggles. Then I became a mum in the middle of my PhD. Now, I can tell you, I definitely know how difficult it can be balancing a career and family life. But I was not the only one having difficulties.
I still remember at the start of my PhD, a student who was finishing his dissertation told me: "I can tell that you are just starting because your eyes are still shining.”
I laughed, but I later understood what he meant.
My eyes may not have shined all the time, but I successfully finished my PhD and remained passionate about my subject till the end.
In 2020, I was working as a tutor at Edinburgh University, when it became clear that academic success is about more than just delivering that thesis, book, lecture, conference paper and so on. It is about successfully juggling research, work and friends and family to create a sustainable and enjoyable work/life balance.
So, I decided to combine my academic experience and personal skills and become a life and academic coach, helping students with the tools, strategy and support to make the most of their academic lives and keep their eyes shining.
Are you ready to make the first step towards a brighter academic life?
