The Joyful Scholar: Surviving and Thriving in Academic Life

Summary Almost everyone has experienced some form of rejection or failure in their lives. It hurts to be rejected or to fail at any time. But when a lifelong dream is crushed, we are left wondering what to do and how to move on. In this episode of The Joyful Scholar Podcast , Dr. Rebecca Malhi interviews Valeria Rusnak, a passionate mental health advocate and speaker with a degree in Neuroscience....

Have you ever planned out your entire week with important tasks, but within a day or two, you are already behind on your work? We often find it easy to MAKE a schedule. The problem is STICKING to it. In this episode of the Joyful Scholar podcast, your host Dr. Rebecca Malhi focuses on why scheduling matters, what gets in the way, and—most importantly—some practical strategies you can use to actual...

Do you feel like you are always busy, but somehow you don’t have the time for the REALLY important tasks on your to-do list? You are not the only one! In this episode of the Joyful Scholar podcast, your host Dr. Rebecca Malhi discusses the importance of prioritization in time management. She shares personal anecdotes and research findings to illustrate the difference between being busy and being p...

In this episode of the Joyful Scholar podcast, your host Dr. Rebecca Malhi continues her series about time management, with a special focus on the creation of a master task list. Dr. Malhi discusses the benefits and challenges of to-do lists, offering strategies to enhance their effectiveness. The episode emphasizes the need for actionable tasks, the significance of aligning tasks with long-term g...

Goals provide the roadmap for the things we want to achieve, both in the short-term and long-term. They are based on our values, priorities and dreams. Goals help to motivate us and give us a sense of purpose. In this episode of the Joyful Scholar podcast, your host Dr. Rebecca Malhi explores the topic of setting goals. Dr. Malhi lists some of the benefits of setting goals and then introduces a pr...

Do you feel that you have too much to do and not enough time? All the things on our to-do list can leave us feeling stressed and frustrated, which reduces the joy in our lives. In this episode of the Joyful Scholar podcast, your host Dr. Rebecca Malhi explores the concept of time management. In the first of a series of episodes on this topic, Dr. Malhi emphasizes the importance of self-management...

In the inaugural episode of the Joyful Scholar podcast, Dr. Rebecca Malhi describes some of the challenges faced by graduate students and early career academics. Many common issues such as overwhelm, procrastination, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome detract from the joy of academic life. In this episode, I highlight various 'joy sinks' or 'joy black holes' that often lead to stress, tiredness,...

In this episode of the Joyful Scholar Podcast, your host Dr. Rebecca Malhi delves into the complexities of perfectionism, particularly within the academic realm. The discussion begins with a personal reflection on the origins of perfectionism and highlights its prevalence in academia and its negative effects on mental health. Dr. Malhi explores the definition of perfectionism, its pros and cons, a...

The Joyful Scholar Podcast is your essential guide to graduate school success and early academic career development. Survive and thrive in your academic journey and in life!