Am I mad to consider doing a PhD when I have lots going on?

[newnameish]

Hi everyone.

I've been thinking about studying for a PhD for a while, but very reluctant to take the leap due to life currently not being quite ideal for it - I'm a solo parent to 6 year old DS. I work on campus 4 days a week and unfortunately I'm currently dealing with a couple of inconveniencies that I predict will take about a year or so to solve. So all around, I'm very busy. But, I'm at a stage where I'd really benefit from career progression and further job security.

In addition, one of my goals is to relocate when DS is 12/13. I'd need to have completed a PhD in order to be eligible to take up a lecturer position in the country we plan to move to.

I'm 30 and although I was very happy with getting married and having DS in my early 20's, but I now wish I had completed all my studies first - this would've probably been better for our present and future.

What would you advise me to do please?

Thank you.

Well, PhDs are mostly about grinding out the hours. Could you absolutely commit to say 20 hours a week? Week in week out? Using annual leave to work? If so, there’s no reason why not

OP do you mean do it alongside working 4 days a week in a busy job? I’d say no, not unless you give up all evenings weekends and holidays (unlikely as a solo parent) and even then you’d only be able to do it PT.

what field? a phd is like a full time job in terms of time commitment - can you manage that? and can you get funding or will you be paying course fees?

Don’t do it! It’s a hard enough slog as it is, if you’ve got too many other commitments it will cause a break down…I’ve seen it numerous times unfortunately.

It'd be a business-related topic.
It doesn't sound like I could manage the workload alongside everything else. If processes don't change, it should be funded by the university.

Thank you. I appreciate your advice.
My issues is, I don't think I'd have less commitments until DS is much older.
It's a tough position to be in.

I do sound man, don't I.😅
Not possible unless DS's dad reappears in the picture and would opt for a 50/50 child arrangement, which at the moment is looking to be very unlikely.

If you're on Facebook, you could join "PhD and early career parents" which is an extremely useful group, lots of experiences shared about this very question.

Thank you so much for sharing. I'll request to join this evening.

Apart from anything else, you would need to check what the University will allow you to do. Where I work, full-time PhD students are permitted to do no more than 12 hours paid work per week and part-time PhD students no more than 26 hours per week. I think this is averaged over the year. Since you work at your university, it would be difficult to hide how much work you are actually doing.

Very good point. Thank you.
Two of my colleagues who are studying for a PhD are doing no more than 9 hours of teaching per week, which is reasonable to them. Not sure it would be the case for me..
I haven't discussed this with anyone at work. I don't feel ready.
I also don't believe I have a good writing style so this will most likely fuel self-doubt and hinder the progress of study.

I did my PhD as a single parent with a child at primary school, but it was a fully-funded position so I didn't have another job. I found it incredibly hard and I think you would be taking on too much.

Most people who 'go back' to do a PhD years after getting their undergrad/masters will have other demands on their time - work, kids, caring, all very common - so it's really down to how much you want to do it, because that's what will motivate you to do it in the time you can make available. The most important thing is getting the right supervisors, and part of this needs to be finding a supervisor/s who will understand that you might not be able to work at a consistent rate, and who understand the demands of PhDing alongside other responsibilities.

Unless you have something to add to the field I wouldn’t recommend it.

Is there any scope to do a PhD by publication instead? Depends very much on your current role but could be an option.

Why?

I loved mine, would happily do another too.

Thank you for this - it's useful.
I'm currently weighing up my options and looking ahead. I have a lot going on but I do believe studying for a PhD is something I must do.
Just wondering if it's worth sacrificing hours at work for the next 4 years or wait until DS is a bit older and start it then.

There are lots of gaps in my field.
It's the demand on my time, that's stopping me from pursuing research really.

Thanks. I'll have to research this. I have very limited insight into the options available.
I was leaning more towards the traditional PhD route.

It's not necessarily a widely publicised option but one that allows you to remain in employment whilst undertaking this.

It may take a little longer than a 'conventional' PhD - you would need ~5 peer reviewed publications to link together.

I'm currently working on a PhD by publication so happy to help if it's useful

Thank you for offering to help. I really appreciate it. 💐
I will speak to my Associate Head of School and see what the available options are.

Don't do it. I'm on an interruption and I don't think I'll be able to go back, life got more complicated and I can't sacrifice my life to the PhD now.

I’m about to embark on one and while I don’t have the work stress (part-time evening work) I do have older teenage children. I came to studying late in life and wish I had done it when they were younger. It would have been easier to do it when they had set earlier bedtimes enabling me to study in the evenings and holiday clubs they could have gone to so I didn’t feel guilty about spending school breaks studying.

Also searching and competing for the scarce funding is hard so if your employer will fund it, do it!

Do it. There are so many with phds and publications desperate for academic work - including in more vocational subjects. So I think a PhD is important for job security, although i don't know your area too well.

I was juggling multiple jobs and toddler with mine. As long as you are motivated its doable.