# The PhD Student week

URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/phd-student-week/

A weekly schedule for PhD students: write for 90 minutes every weekday at 08:30, research and analysis for 3 hours after, read papers daily, one supervisor meeting a week, and exercise.

## Why it works
- **Writing every day, first.** Short daily writing sessions tend to produce more than waiting for long free days.
- **Research in one long block** fits experiments and analysis.
- **Reading daily** keeps the literature current without a backlog.

## Make it yours
- Teaching duties? Put them in the afternoons and keep the writing block.
- Thesis deadline? Move to two writing blocks a day.

## Use it
Open the [week builder](https://gocutline.com/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life:

> Write 1.5h every weekday at 8:30, research 3h every weekday at 10:30, read papers 45 min daily at 15, supervisor meeting 1h Thu at 14, gym 3x at 17:30

The week: Write 1.5h every weekday at 8:30, research 3h every weekday at 10:30, read papers 45 min daily at 15, supervisor meeting 1h Thu at 14, gym 3x at 17:30

## Questions

**Should I write every day during a PhD?**
Many academics recommend short daily writing sessions over occasional long ones; the habit keeps a draft moving.

---
Cutline: Cutline is a weekly calendar and planner that turns time blocks into XP, levels and streaks. You plan your week in blocks, tick each one off when it is done, and see your progress on a social feed (the Floor) and a weekly leaderboard (the Arena). Planning and budgeting are free; paid plans add a badge, posting, messaging, shared calendars and lower selling fees, from $9 a month. Pro is free to try for 7 days.
Facts: https://gocutline.com/facts/ · Updated 2026-10-24