Managing Uncertainty

Man looking at friend who is out of focus

Managing uncertainty

An overwhelming majority of HDR students experience uncertainty during their degree. Entering academia as a HDR student is a difficult feat and uncertainty can often amplify doubts around continuing into an academic career.

It is important to know that uncertainty is a common occurrence during a graduate degree and there are strategies that you can use to better manage and cope with these feelings.

Experiencing uncertainty does not mean you are on the wrong track. At times, uncertainty can function as a motivator to seek additional information which can enable us to complete difficult tasks and produce satisfactory work.

However, uncertainty can become difficult to cope with when:

lineart of person
We experience feelings of isolation from others in our field		lineart of two people
We feel we are not receiving adequate emotional support		Lineart of mortarboard
We feel we are not receiving adequate academic support

When this occurs, uncertainty can have a debilitating effect on our motivation, resilience, course progression, and our ability to plan for the future.

clipart of person with head in hands

If you are struggling to cope with uncertainty

Consider speaking to someone about it. Monash Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) are free, confidential counselling services and does not impact your VISA, health insurance, or academic record.

Online webchat options are available from Beyond Blue, Qlife (LGBTIQ+), WIRE (Women, non-binary ) or Mensline if you feel more comfortable talking to someone over message. For more information help seeking options, click here.

For information on how to navigate workplace culture and candidature to promote professional success and ease uncertainty, click here.

Building Resilience

While uncertainty during your degree may be difficult to avoid, building up our resilience to uncertainty can make it easier to adapt and cope with it. There are a few ways we can do this.

lineart of three people side by side

Connecting with others

Our feelings of uncertainty can be heightened by being disconnected from the academic community.

By giving and receiving support from your peers and sharing your difficult experiences as a HDR student, may help you to feel less alone in your struggles, and that can be a comfort in itself. For further advice on how you can best connect with your peers, click here.

Connect with your supervisor

It can also help to reach out to your supervisor about your experiences with uncertainty.

We provide comprehensive information on how you can best approach difficult or personal conversations with your supervisor(s) on our Navigating workplace culture and candidature page.

lineart of man popping out of laptop screen

Lineart of squiggle

Understand what is in your control

One aspect of building resilience is our ability to maintain a realistic understanding of what we can and cannot control. There are many external factors that may come between you and your course progression or career path.

PsychCentral offers advice on how to cope with things out of our control. Accepting things the way they are is easier said than done, however we can practice viewing hinderances as an opportunity for growth.

Setting realistic standards

Making realistic short-term goals can encourage you to use your time more productively and introduce a sense of accomplishment amidst any uncertainty you may feel. If you are unsure where to begin, consider watching this video made by a HDR student which explains how they set goals and plan out how they will productively work.

While undertaking a graduate degree is an impressive accomplishment, it does not mean that you are expected to be an expert in your field. Therefore, it is realistic and okay to not know all the answers and make mistakes.

Lineart of target

clipart of lightbulb

Believe in yourself and your work

Self-efficacy is a vital aspect of fostering resilience. It can be understood as the belief in yourself to achieve the goals you set your mind to.

When we believe we are capable of success we are able to improve our motivation, work ethic, and overall wellbeing.

Sit with your emotions

Resilience does not mean that you do not feel any negative feelings at all, however when you do, it can help to acknowledge and accept your feelings mindfully. When your uncertainty begins to feel overwhelming, try following these steps:

  1. Bring awareness to the emotion that you are feeling
  2. Acknowledge the emotion with acceptance
  3. Consider the temporary nature of negative emotions
  4. Reflect on factors that may have led to your experiencing of this emotion with sympathy and compassion

It may help to sit with your feelings in a 10 minute guided meditation.

Engaging in scheduled worry time may help with feelings of uncertainty. This is a specific period of time that you set aside in your day for worrying to reduce overall worrying and anxiety.