Name: Viktoria
Twitter: @viknoka
One boring fact about yourself: I have a small, pink, slightly angry-looking plush alpaca sitting on my desk.
What didn’t go to plan this week/month?
I woke up last Wednesday, out of the blue, with a heavy head and a blocked nose. I’ve had a cold for the last ten days or so which means I stayed in bed and did almost no work at all.
What is one thing you achieved today/this week?
I’ll be honest, it really doesn’t feel like I’ve achieved anything this past week. Instead of trying to work through my cold, I decided to take a week off and recuperate in peace. On the one hand I felt enormously guilty the entire week for not doing any of the work that I was supposed to be doing. But on the other hand, I was actually quite proud of myself that I had taken that time for myself instead of powering through it.
What is success to you?
Considering my last week, I suppose success has been taking time for myself – time to get well. I realized this week that I’ve also been quite good at not working on weekends throughout the first year of my PhD, so I’m going to count that as success too. In that success for me is all the ways in which I actively decide to take care of myself. But I have to admit that it’s hard to define or understand success like that – I still feel like I have to convince myself every time I type or say that. It’s not a tangible success and it’s not something that’s going on my CV and going to get me a job. So success to me also means being patient with myself when I’m feeling frustrated and useless and behind on work; it means being patient when I can’t see or appreciate all those little, everyday successes that don’t have anything to do with my CV, but are good for me – body, mind, and soul.
What are you proud of?
I’m proud of the weekends I’ve taken off and the holidays I’ve gone on. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made in my work and that I’m starting to feel proud of the work I’m submitting. And I’m proud of myself for not being too hard on myself when things don’t go to plan.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t stress so much! (Although my current self could use this advice as well)
This is what success looks like to me:
Sitting on the banks of a lake in Sweden planning the rest of the two-week camping holiday with my partner.
Reclaiming Success 