Light Academia Dashboard - Ph.D. Edition

Why I made this (and why you need it if you are a PhD student)

When I started my PhD, I was a hot mess. Seriously.

I had 4,320 folders scattered across my laptop. Word documents with names like "FINAL_thesis_chapter2_ACTUALFINAL_v47.docx". Bibliography references living in seventeen different places. Notes scribbled on random pieces of paper that I'd inevitably lose.

I didn't know Notion existed back then. Big mistake.

Three years later (and now officially Dr. Me!), I wish I could go back and shake my past self. "GET ORGANIZED," I'd yell. "USE THIS TEMPLATE."

Who this is for

• PhD students who are tired of digital chaos
• Anyone who's ever spent 30 minutes looking for a file they saved "somewhere"
• People who want to focus on research, not on finding their research
• Future doctors who deserve better than my original filing system

What's inside

This isn't just another pretty template. It's battle-tested. It's what I wish I had from day one.

• 🗂️ Projects Manager: Create, organize, and actually manage your academic projects (and life projects too, because let's be real - you're juggling everything).
• ☑️ Task Manager: Your brain dump headquarters. That endless mental to-do list? Put it here before it drives you insane.
• ✍️ Notebooks & Note Databases: The graveyard of brilliant ideas ends here. Capture thoughts, meeting insights, random 3am epiphanies.
• 📓 Agenda: Events, appointments, workshops, and yes - birthdays too.
• 🥅 Goal Tracker: Finally, a place to track those ambitious dreams that aren't just "survive until graduation."
• 🏛️ ACADEMIA HQ: Your PhD command center. Everything academic lives here:
  • Literature Review page: Where papers go to be properly organized (not forgotten in Downloads folder)
  • Papers/Articles page: Track your own publications, submissions, and rejections (they happen, deal with it)
  • Conferences page: Deadlines, submissions, and networking opportunities you'll actually remember
  • Courses page: All those PhD courses you're taking - because yes, you're still a student
  • Thesis Planner: Break down your monster thesis into human-sized chunks
  • Finance and Funding tracker: Money in, money out, grants applied for, scholarships won (or not)
  • Data collection and analysis page: Your research data deserves better than scattered Excel files
  • Networking page: People you meet, contacts that matter, collaborations that could change everything

All integrated in one elegant, organized database with real-time notifications for daily tasks, weekly goals, appointments, and everything else your overwhelmed brain can't keep track of.

The real talk

PhD life is chaotic enough without your organization system working against you. This template won't solve your imposter syndrome (sorry), but it will save you hours of searching for that one paper you read six months ago.

I've been there. I've felt the overwhelm. I've cried over lost files and missed deadlines.

Built by a PhD survivor, for PhD survivors-in-progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to download the template?

Once you have made your purchase, you will be redirected to the template page.

My contacts

• Email: nicoledemarchi22@gmail.com