How I Plan my Week as a PhD Student using Deep Work and Time Blocking | Goodnotes5 iPad
Based on Ciara Feely's video on YouTube. If you like this content, support the original creators by watching, liking and subscribing to their content.
Protect deep work with uninterrupted time blocks to reduce the impact of attention residue from frequent context switching.
Briefing
A PhD student’s weekly plan is built around deep work time blocks—protected stretches of uninterrupted focus—so high-value research tasks don’t get chipped away by constant email and meetings. The core idea is that multitasking fails in practice: switching attention between focused work and quick distractions leaves “attention residue,” meaning part of the mind remains stuck on the previous task. By grouping similar activities into scheduled blocks and explicitly separating deep work from shallow work (meetings, admin, and other necessary but lower-creation tasks), the week becomes more realistic and more productive.
The planning starts with fixed commitments that can’t be moved, then layers in the rest. Demonstrator hours—teaching-assistant style duties—anchor multiple days (Mondays 10–12; Wednesdays and Fridays 10–12; plus Wednesdays 2–4). A supervisor meeting is set for Thursday 5–6, with an hour beforehand reserved to prepare. Research-group meetings also take up time on Friday (including a 1–2 meeting tied to a second supervisor’s group). Teaching responsibilities for the drama school are treated as another immovable block, filling large portions of the week, especially Wednesday and Saturday.
Next comes the deep work architecture. The schedule reserves two-hour to four-hour windows for deep work, aiming for at least a couple of undivided hours to reach a flow state—work such as programming, understanding new concepts, problem-solving, and writing papers. To prevent the deep work from being constantly interrupted, the plan intentionally includes admin time so email and coordination don’t spill into the focus blocks. Lunch and breaks are also scheduled rather than left to chance, with an hour typically allocated for lunch and walking; the student notes they often need more time in practice and adjusts by planning meal prep and a walk (e.g., a 45-minute walk plus a 15-minute lunch).
After color-coding and categorizing tasks, the week ends up fully mapped. Mondays combine morning routine, two hours of deep work, demonstrator hours, lunch/walk, additional deep work, drama-school calls/admin, and social time. Tuesdays include a workout, deep work, admin, more deep work, then drama teaching through the evening. Wednesday is described as the week’s hardest stretch: deep work and demonstrator hours are followed by a long six-hour drama block, leaving limited room to wind down. Thursday and Friday alternate between deep work, admin, meetings, and drama calls/admin. Saturday is largely drama all day, with admin front-loaded so it doesn’t carry anxiety into the next week.
Finally, Sunday is kept intentionally flexible as a “personal development day.” Instead of over-scheduling filming, meal prep, and self-improvement tasks, the student leaves the day open to reduce anxiety and increase follow-through—while still allowing self-care or urgent admin if needed. The takeaway is practical: time blocking works best when deep work is protected, shallow work is batched, and recovery time is scheduled as seriously as research time.
Cornell Notes
The weekly plan centers on deep work time blocks—uninterrupted stretches reserved for PhD tasks like programming, concept-building, problem-solving, and writing. It separates deep work from shallow work (meetings, admin, teaching duties) to avoid constant context switching, which can trigger “attention residue” and reduce focus quality. Fixed obligations such as demonstrator hours, supervisor meetings, and drama school classes are scheduled first, then deep work windows (typically 2–4 hours) are inserted around them. Admin and email are intentionally batched into specific periods so they don’t intrude on focus time. Sunday is left flexible as a personal development day to reduce anxiety and allow self-care, filming, and meal prep as needed.
Why does the plan insist on protecting deep work from distractions like email?
How does the schedule distinguish deep work from shallow work in a PhD context?
What role do fixed commitments play in building the weekly template?
How are deep work periods and admin time balanced across the week?
Why keep Sunday flexible instead of time-blocking it tightly?
Review Questions
- How does the attention residue effect justify separating deep work from email and other interruptions?
- What steps in the planning process come first, and why does that order matter (fixed commitments vs. deep work blocks)?
- How does the schedule handle recovery time (lunch/walk/breaks) so it doesn’t undermine deep work?
Key Points
- 1
Protect deep work with uninterrupted time blocks to reduce the impact of attention residue from frequent context switching.
- 2
Batch shallow work (meetings, admin, email) into scheduled periods so it doesn’t intrude on focus windows.
- 3
Start weekly planning by entering fixed commitments first, including teaching duties and recurring demonstrator hours.
- 4
Reserve deep work for knowledge-creation tasks such as programming, concept learning, problem-solving, and writing.
- 5
Schedule breaks and meals explicitly (including walking time) to prevent real-life needs from breaking the plan.
- 6
Use flexible days (like Sunday) for personal development and self-care to reduce anxiety and improve follow-through.
- 7
Front-load admin when possible (e.g., on Saturday) to lower end-of-week carryover stress.