Please help me make a decision!

[NigellaWannabe1]

Argh - I don't know what to do.

I'm 51 and work as a full-time academic at a post-92 university teaching a humanities subject. I haven't got a PhD but I'm working on one (have completed the taught modules - 2 years)... and this is my question - I don't know if I want to finish it.

I don't really need it and have no real pressure to get one. I've been working at my university for 20+ years, am well-respected and have no plans to move elsewhere. If I did want to leave, though, I would struggle to find a similar role without a PhD. That is one thing that makes me think I should finish it. Also, I do sometimes feel inadequate as most of my colleagues have one.

On the other hand, I have a very busy life. I work full-time and have three school-aged children, one with potential ADHD (awaiting assessment). I also like writing and have recently written a few short books on my subject. Then I opened a Tik Tok account on the same subject with the idea to promote my books. To my utter amazement, I've ended up with 250k followers in just over a year - and my book sales have quadrupled.

The writing and Tik Toking was a form of extreme procrastination from my doctoral study - but they have produced something of value, I think... and perhaps more value than a PhD, given my circumstances? It sounds like heresy to say such things in a university (as academic mumsnetters here will attest) but hopefully I can voice this here and not be judged.

I sit in front of my computer to work on my research most days and my brain just does not engage. I do put in the time in (I wake up at 5 or 6 every morning) but the progress is so, so slow. I'm probably just very tired. Logic says something has to give. Should it be the writing/Tik Tok or the PhD?

Oh, and my university is only funding part of my fees, so I have to find £1,700 every year to pay for the PhD. I anticipate it will take me another three or four years to finish it as I'm doing it part-time.

What do you think?

Any thoughts?

My first thought was to wonder how close you are to completing your PhD, as I think that makes a difference.

I'm a university lecturer without a PhD. Nearly all my colleagues have one, but I came from a different route (worked in industry first rather than a typical route through academia). I have no desire to get one! Like you I have a busy life (three kids, voluntary role, hobbies) and it wouldn't affect my working life at all.

From the sound of it, you've done really well in your career and don't really need it?

I have one, but to be honest I actually regret the years I put into it and feel like it held me back a bit.

Thanks. I've done well at work without it. A PhD wouldn't bring me a pay rise but I guess it'd make me feel a little inadequate. A couple of my colleagues have tried to undermine me for that reason but I feel respected by the rest of my colleagues.

At my age, Im starting to think more about what I do with the limited time I have on this planet. But equally. I don't want to feel like some failure for dropping out...

Don't do a PhD for the sake of the title. Do it only because you enjoy the research.

But how close are you to finishing? If only a few months, might be worth one last slog.

(From a university professor)

I've only done the taught stage (4 modules in my institution). The next stage is the RF2 and this is where I'm stalling.

If it were me, I'd concentrate on the writing.

Argh - it's so hard. I might consider taking a break in study and reassess... but I know that once you lose momentum, it's very hard to get it back.

Sorry to get back so late to this. To answer your questions, I have done 2 years of my PhD which means the taught stage is complete now. I need to do the RF2 and then move on to the write up.

Still pondering what to do. My supervisor, who is really good, knows I'm having a wobble but not the full extent of it. She completed her own PhD in under four years whilst working full-time, and she is very practical in terms of how to approach it. I think her attitude to it is great. She emailed me yesterday for an update and I'm not sure what to tell her.

I would drop the tiktok and complete your PHD so that you have something to be proud of achieving.