If you’re writing a PhD you have come to the right place!
I’m Amber Davis and I’m on a mission to make PhD stress a thing of the past. I believe productivity and self-care go hand in hand, especially so in the academic world. I teach an online programme and provide coaching to help you increase your productivity and boost your wellbeing.
Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed and behind, and are spending long days staring at your screen without making much progress. Perhaps you are unsure whether your work is ‘good enough’, and ‘far enough ahead’ (whatever that means). Maybe you are stuck with a particular chapter or article. There are always difficult stretches along the way. It is part of the process.
The Stress-Free PhD 6-Week Programme to the rescue! It will help you optimise your work routines and write your PhD (almost) effortlessly. Join me for 6 weeks of focus, productivity and self-care.
While you are here you can also read the blog, download the ZenAcademic Worksheet, and check out the other free resources.
I’m delighted you’ve found your way here. Let’s create a fulfilling academic life and let’s get some work done…

Hello, I’m Amber Davis. Let me help you write a more inspired, productive and happier PhD. Get started right now! Get access to my free resources including the ZenAcademic Worksheet by leaving your email below.
Create a superfocused workday with the ZenAcademic Worksheet!
COURSES & E-BOOKS
BLOG
How to Work in Waves, or the Key to PhD Productivity
Behind the scenes I am preparing for the next live sessions of the Stress-Free PhD Programme. This means I’ll be running the course with a live session at the beginning of the week, where you can ask questions (and I’ll answer them!) to get the most out of the programme. The programme is designed to help you write your PhD in fewer (and happier) hours a day. This can be done! But it takes a few steps, some of which are to do with a shift in mind-set (we’ll be going against the conventional wisdom of working longer hours is [...]
How to Handle Stress in Academia
Behind the scenes I am preparing for the next live sessions of the Stress-Free PhD Programme. This means I’ll be running the course with a live session at the beginning of the week, where you can ask questions (and I’ll answer them!) to get the most out of the programme. The programme is designed to help you write your PhD in fewer (and happier) hours a day. This can be done! But it takes a few steps, some of which are to do with a shift in mind-set/ the way you think about the PhD, some of which are practical [...]
Suffering from PhD Overwhelm? Break it Down
I've written about the PhD monster before. It comes out of the shadows to haunt you, and looks over your shoulder telling you "this is too hard", "you'll never finish this project" and in general completely clouds your judgement. It makes finishing the PhD seem like a completely elusive goal. No matter your good intentions, it will steal your energy, and cause you to topple over in overwhelm. The reality is: writing a PhD is doable. Finishing the PhD is doable. You can do this. So how to put this monster in its place? How to shrink it, do you [...]
The A-Z of the PhD Trajectory: A Practical Guide for a Successful Journey
The PhD trajectory is a bit of a black box, and the way academia is set up, it often stays that way: stumbling around in the dark. This week I’m talking to dr. Eva Lantsoght, who has just published a book that aims to demystify the PhD process. A good idea, if you ask me! For many of us the academic world is a foreign one when we start a PhD, and for most of us it takes a long time before we 'get' how it all works, how to play the academic game. I have come across one book [...]
WORKSHEET
ZenAcademic Worksheet
Use the ZenAcademic worksheet to create your optimal workday. It will help you focus, prioritise, and get work done. It will also help you balance the stresses of academic life. Self-care included!
Leave your email to download the worksheet.