Moonlighting
Are you an early bird, or a night owl? Plus, the Music Highlight
Photo by C D-X on Unsplash
We all have to study a lot for our PhDs. Especially with families, jobs, life in general, it can be a challenge to fit in study time. Are you an early bird, or are you a moonlighter? Is it because you prefer that time of day, or is it the only time you can get things done?
I have two polls for you today:
Do you have set-out times when you study, or do you do it whenever? I am interested in seeing your study methods and planning!
I am a night owl generally, but with my full-time job and taking care of my dad, night time is when most things are done regarding my PhD. It is nice and quiet, everyone is asleep and I always play some lofi chill hop or soft jazz music on my airpods - except if I have to analyse audio files for my data. I can’t say I am always super-motivated, because sometimes I am tired, but if it does not work one day, it will work the next.
What happens though if we are tired but really have to get things done?
How do you motivate yourself in a healthy way?
What I am reading
I had this past week off from work, and it was a combination of family time at home, rest and the PhD. I started a book I had ordered called The 24-Hour Cafe by Libby Page - it is a very nice, feel-good book. Here is the blurb if you are interested:
Welcome to the café that never sleeps. Day and night, Stella’s Café opens its doors for the lonely and the lost, the morning people and the night owls. It is many things to many people but most of all it is a place where life can wait at the door. A place of small kindnesses. A place where anyone can be whoever they want, where everyone is always welcome.
I love cafes so much - and especially when I lived in Switzerland and could be out of the house a lot, I took my books to a cafe and studied or read there. I actually practically finished my Masters degree in a cafe that unfortunately does not exist anymore; it was called Albert Meier Cafe (people in Zug know which one I am talking about) and it was a British-style, Swiss-owned cafe, with the nicest ladies working there, the yummiest food and sweets (it was open all day until 8 pm and you could have all your meals there) - and the most unforgettable minestrone! You can see the outside of it here:
(Photo from zentralplus)
I used to live in a super tiny apartment near there, which was constantly very hot - the heating was broken so it was almost always on full blast in the winter (they fixed it a couple of years after I left) - and it was boiling in the summer. Which is why I spent so much time apart from my work in my second house, this cafe above!
And now I’ll stop, because I miss Switzerland : (
The Music Highlight
Some songs just touch you the same way as the first time you heard them - and this is one of them! And who can forget that it was also the theme song of the namesake show starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis?
Bonus video: the opening credits of the series!
(To my sister Gina: this one is for you! I know how much you love the song AND how much you liked the show!)
When I was doing my PhD, I worked all night into the next day. This was mostly because I studied as a distance learner in the UK. It meant that my Supers and colleagues in the UK and Europe did not have to wait until the next day for my replies and that I could attend online events while already wide awake. I also found that the late nights, when all was silent in the world was so conducive to my being able to concentrate and write. I studied by strings of Christmas lights, a dim lamp, and the glow of my laptop for years!
What a great topic!!! I used to be an early bird AND a night owl all at once when I first started my career and for quite a few years! I am currently a very early bird with a very rare occurrence of night owl behaviour.
Once again, fantastic choice of topic and music highlight! Another amazing Saturday evening with you, Vicky! Thanks!