Nobody Tells New PhD Students These 6 Tricks (But They Work)

Links and Codes: Paperpal: https://paperpal.com/?linkId=lp_726731&sourceId=andy&tenantId=paperpal (PAP20 - 20% off) Thesify: https://thesify.ai?fpr=andy60 Thesis AI: https://thesisai.io, ANDY20 - 20% off Elicit: https://elicit.com/?via=andrew Elicit: https://elicit.com/?via=andrew UndetectableAI: https://undetectable.ai?fpr=andy Jenni AI: https://jenni.ai/?via=andy-stapleton (Use codes: andy30, ANDY20) Julius AI: https://julius.ai/?via=andrew-stapleton (ANDY20 — offers 20% off) AnswerThis: https://answerthis.io?deal=andy42 (STAPLETON10 - 10% off) Unriddle: https://www.unriddle.ai/?ref=andrew (ANDY20 - 20 % off) In this video, I share practical advice for incoming PhD students based on my own experience and the patterns I’ve seen in highly successful researchers. ▼ ▽ Sign up for my FREE newsletter Join 21,000+ email subscribers receiving the free tools and academic tips directly from me: https://academiainsider.com/newsletter/ ▼ ▽ MY TOP SELLING COURSE ▼ ▽ ▶ Become a Master Academic Writer With AI using my course: https://academy.academiainsider.com/courses/ai-writing-course This isn’t about working longer hours or sacrificing everything for your research—it’s about creating a sustainable, effective productivity system on a PhD student level that actually helps you finish. You’ll hear me talk through the real habits that separate high-performing PhD students from the rest—habits that might seem simple at first but can have a huge impact over time. When we talk about PhD advice, we often focus on external achievements, but the real success comes from what you do day to day. That’s why I focus on small, repeatable actions: building good routines, maintaining focus, and knowing how to filter what really matters in your academic work. I also share the kind of first year PhD advice I wish I had received—about setting boundaries, communicating effectively with supervisors, and protecting time for things that energize you. There’s often pressure to say yes to everything in grad school, but learning when (and how) to say no is one of the most valuable PhD tips for success. This video is grounded in realistic, human strategies that help you stay productive while also looking after your well-being. Whether you’re just starting or already partway through, I hope these PhD tips and reflections offer a fresh way to approach your work and help you thrive in the long term. If you’re looking for grad school advice that goes beyond clichés and actually reflects what it’s like to do a PhD today, this one’s for you. ................................................ ▼ ▽ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:23 6 Ways of High-Performing PhD Students 00:32 Ruthless Prioritisation 02:17 Consistent Habits 04:17 Your Mental Health Should Be... 06:25 Master The Supervisor Relationship 09:10 Why Often? 11:04 Have a Sense of Fun! 13:05 Outro