Research
Navigating the PhD Journey: What Worked for Me
Tip 1: First Things First….
Working towards a PhD is not a race, and I didn’t start this journey aiming to finish in record time. My original plan was to complete it within the standard three-year period. Before I even applied, I spent a full year doing background research—looking into where I could study, the costs involved, available bursaries, entry requirements, submission processes, and both local and international options. I contacted several universities to get a feel for their approach, and honestly, to see whether their responses felt open and welcoming—or closed off and exclusionary.
At the time, I wasn’t coming from a traditional academic background. I was looking for a space that felt accessible, supportive, and aligned with my multidisciplinary interests—somewhere that could connect my work in business with the cultural and creative industries. That’s when I came across the Johannesburg Business School (JBS). One of the things I appreciated most was that they didn’t require a full, detailed proposal upfront. Instead, they asked for a brief explanation of the topic I was interested in exploring. That small shift made the process feel much more approachable.
The PhD was in Digital Transformation, which really excited me. From my Executive MBA experience at Henley Business School, I knew how valuable a diverse cohort could be—people from different industries, perspectives, and experiences learning alongside each other. JBS offered exactly that.
And they didn’t disappoint. My cohort included passionate researchers focused on real-world, African-led challenges—ranging from digital equity and rural healthcare to government reform, financial inclusion, educational systems and approaches, and energy issues. Among them was a former minister, a former Gauteng premier, and professionals working at the forefront of their industries. It was a cohort of people deeply invested in making a difference.
For me, it was essential to study in a space where academia wasn’t just about research for its own sake, but about engaging meaningfully with the biggest issues we face as a society.
So, if you’re considering a PhD, I really believe that choosing the right reason to study—and the right institution for your journey is an important first step.
Tip 2: Passion is Essential!
Before I even applied for a PhD, I spent a year researching what it would take to pursue one—but I spent many years before that immersed in my industry, trying to understand it more deeply. A PhD is demanding, and if you’re not genuinely interested in the field and the topic you’re choosing, staying focused becomes incredibly difficult.
One of the challenges I’ve noticed is that students who move straight from honours to masters to PhD often don’t yet have a grounded understanding of the industries they’re becoming “specialists” in. My advice – Step outside of academia for a while. Go and work in the field. Get your hands dirty. Really understand what’s happening on the ground—and where the gaps in knowledge are.
I only chose my exact research topic after registering at JBS. What I did know, without a doubt, was that I wanted to explore the cultural and creative industries, especially in the context of Johannesburg. That’s the space I had spent most of my career in—as a practitioner, lecturer, entrepreneur, government collaborator, and researcher. I knew the people, the issues, the opportunities—not from reading journal articles, but from years of living and working within the ecosystem. I’d had hundreds of conversations with colleagues over the years, always trying to understand more. The PhD became a way to align all that experience, those insights, and the complex, recurring questions I’d been grappling with.
Your topic should be something you care about deeply—something you’re genuinely curious to understand on a deeper level. A PhD requires serious intellectual commitment. Surface-level interest won’t carry you through. You need to be so drawn to the topic that you’re willing to sit with its complexity, keep asking questions, and keep coming back when things get tough.
If you’re doing a PhD just for the title or prestige, it’s going to be a long, uphill climb. But if you’re fuelled by purpose and passion, the process—while still hard—becomes meaningful and fulfilling.
Tip 3: Your PhD is Your Most Demanding Client
Most people pursuing a doctorate are doing so later in life—they’ve had jobs, managed clients, met tight deadlines, and worked under intense pressure from bosses or high-stakes projects. That experience can be incredibly useful. Treat your PhD not like a degree, but rather like a client. Not your supervisor, not the university—the research itself. Give it a persona. Make it your toughest client yet.
When you have a demanding client, deadlines aren’t optional. You don’t get to ignore a brief because you’re tired, stuck, or overwhelmed. You show up. You deliver. You push through confusion and self-doubt. That’s the mindset I adopted—and it helped me stay on track through the highs and lows of this massive undertaking.
If your supervisor asks for something, or the university has certain requirements, treat those like project deliverables. Don’t delay. Don’t overthink. Handle each task as if your professional reputation depended on it—because in many ways, it does.
For two years, my PhD was my biggest client. Even when juggling other work (which was always), I never dropped the ball. I visualised a research client waiting on my presentation before they released the next payment tranche. That imaginary pressure created a productive kind of tension—it kept me moving, even when I wasn’t feeling motivated.
There will be moments of doubt and disillusionment. The project will feel overwhelming. That’s normal. But you have to find ways to get out of your head and just keep going. Show up for the work like you would for any high-stakes client.
That also means setting your own deadlines. The overall completion date might feel far off and abstract, so break it down: chapter deadlines, qualitative fieldwork timelines, survey analysis deadlines, literature review goals. And hit them. No one should manage your progress but you.
Tip 4 – Find Your PhD Focus Zones
One of the biggest challenges with PhD-level research is the depth and complexity required. You’re constantly diving deep into a range of topics and trying to identify the golden thread that ties everything together. If there’s too much time between your study sessions, it’s easy to lose your train of thought—and getting back into that mental space can take hours.
That’s why I honestly believe it’s harder to complete a PhD over many years than it is to do it in a shorter, more focused timeframe. When you’re actively working on your research consistently, the ideas stay fresh. There’s less chance of forgetting key insights or losing track of how different parts of your work connect.
One of the most effective strategies I used to maintain this momentum was creating focus zones—specific spaces where I could work in different modes.
My Two Focus Zones
I had two distinct workspaces throughout my PhD:
- Home Zone – for admin and planning
At home, I carved out a small desk in a corner of my studio that was used only for my PhD. This space held books, sticky notes, markers, big sheets of paper, and printouts of key articles. It was purely for study-related admin: ethics applications, proposals, interview scheduling, survey design, planning for Vivo, PowerPoint presentations, research outlines—everything that required organisation but not deep thinking. With three kids and ongoing professional work, I knew that deep analytical work would be tough at home. There were just too many distractions. - Coffee Shop Zone – for deep work
My second zone was a local coffee shop that welcomed people working quietly, with no intrusive table service. I chose a place I didn’t visit socially and where I knew almost no one—it helped create a mental boundary. This space became my deep-thinking sanctuary. I went there on days when I could commit 4 to 8 hours—often weekends—and followed a set ritual: same music playlist, phone off, no social media. I used this time for reading, analysis, and writing. Here’s how it worked:- At home, I’d plan out my timeline and goals (e.g., have a draft of Chapter 3 done by month-end).
- At the coffee shop, I’d dive into that work. I’d read articles and chapters relevant to my goal, take notes in a dedicated A4 notebook, log key references, and then organise those notes into categories.
- Once I had a solid sense of the material, and the flow for the chapter, I’d begin writing.
- These focused sessions became a non-negotiable part of my weekly schedule—at least once a week, sometimes two or three times.
My family knew these sessions were off-limits for interruption. It became part of our rhythm. And that level of consistency and deep focus made a huge difference.
A large part of the PhD journey isn’t just reading and writing—it’s planning. You need to constantly figure out what goes where, how the puzzle fits together, and what the university requires of you. By separating the administrative and deep research tasks into different environments, I gave my brain the space to approach each with the right mindset.
Tip 5: See the Wood AND the Trees
One of the most overwhelming parts of doing a PhD is looking at the whole forest and seeing just how many trees there are. The sheer size of the task can feel completely daunting. But here’s the thing: you need both perspectives. You can’t get stuck in the fine detail, and you can’t float aimlessly in the big picture—you have to hold both at the same time.
To manage this, I created a visual roadmap for my PhD and stuck it on the wall of my ‘PhD Corner’ (see image below). It laid out the entire pathway—from start to finish—and became my constant reference point. Each major section had a corresponding folder in my Google Drive, mirroring the headings on the wall. This system existed both physically and digitally, and helped me always know where I was in the overall journey, as well as what specific piece I was currently working on.
Just like managing a large project, I kept updating this map—adding new tasks, ticking off completed ones, and adjusting things as I went. I still remember the rush of pride I felt when I ticked off a chapter as “first draft submitted,” or when Chapters 1, 2, and 3 had been finalized, merged, and approved by my supervisor. That was the first moment I truly felt the PhD coming together.
Having a visual outline in your dedicated study space is powerful motivation. It’s a reminder that you are making progress. It’s easy to feel lost in the day-to-day grind, but when you can physically see the chapters, the ticks, the movement—it reinforces that you’re not standing still. You’re building something big. And it’s all happening, one small tick at a time.
Don’t try to keep it all in your head. Put it on your wall. Make it real.
Tip 6: Choose the Right Supervisor
This one’s tricky—because the truth is, you often don’t know if you’ve chosen the right supervisor until you’re already deep into the journey. But let me say this: the role of a supervisor is absolutely critical. You need someone who understands both your topic and your approach to research.
I was incredibly fortunate to have Prof Natanya Meyer as my supervisor. Her support was essential to my PhD journey. She listened, she guided, and—most importantly—she allowed me the freedom to shape my process in a way that worked for me. I often worked across multiple chapters simultaneously, asked endless questions about both structure and theory, and needed someone who could see both the forest and the trees. She never shut me down or gave cookie-cutter answers—she explained how things worked, why they mattered, and helped me make sense of the bigger picture.
So many PhD candidates have reached out to me saying they’re lost because their supervisors aren’t helping them understand the full process. And honestly, that understanding is everything. You can’t stay motivated if you don’t know how it all fits together.
There were countless moments when I felt out of my depth—imposter syndrome is real—but Prof Meyer’s encouragement and calm, consistent support kept me moving forward. We also had a communication style that worked well for both of us: casual, flexible, responsive. We used WhatsApp, voice notes, and quick check-ins instead of rigid formal meetings. That informal flow suited my personality and schedule perfectly. For others, a more structured system might work better—and that’s totally fine. The key is that your supervisor understands what you need and works with you to make it happen.
She also helped with all the admin—templates, processes, requirements. These practical supports are easy to underestimate, but they made an enormous difference.
Without her, I absolutely would not have finished my PhD in two years. It just wouldn’t have been possible.
Choosing the right supervisor is like hiring the lead consultant for your most important project. So do your research. Talk to their past students. Read their work. Watch their public talks or conference presentations. Ask them direct questions before you commit. If your PhD is your most challenging “client,” your supervisor is the expert partner you bring on board to help deliver the project. Make sure you choose wisely.
That’s it for now—my top 6 tips for staying on track with your PhD. I put this blog together in response to all the questions I’ve been getting in my DMs, and I truly hope that sharing my experience helps you on your own journey.
It is possible. Don’t freeze like a deer in the headlights—take ownership of the process, keep moving forward, and trust that you’ve got this. 💪📚
