Postgrad Chronicles #9: The Surprising Impact of Research Breaks on Gaining Clarity in Data Analysis

A symbolic perspective: If I had pushed too hard to climb one peak, would I have taken the time to notice the entire mountain range?

Last month, after spending a significant amount of time on my postgraduate research project, I found myself feeling a mix of emotions during my progress meetings. It wasn’t that my supervisor was unhappy with my work ethic; rather, they continuously pointed out gaps in my knowledge and perspective—even though I had reviewed an extensive amount of literature and processed my experimental data.

My research project is self-designed and operates without stipends or grants, which means there is a certain level of flexibility. My supervisor is usually more relaxed about my milestones since they aren’t under the scrutiny of funding bodies. I can adjust timelines, refine my research ideas as I go, and pivot when necessary. However, the downside is that my supervisor sometimes doesn’t fully grasp what I’m working on, requiring me to consistently present my case and explain my progress.

Here’s the kicker—I struggle with speaking and presentations. My supervisor mentioned that I may have lulled them into a sense of understanding through our regular discussions, but when it came to my first seminar presentation, I completely bombed it. That failure highlighted a major issue: I couldn’t clearly explain my data and research to people outside my immediate research group.

It wasn’t a language barrier or a lack of subject matter understanding (though my supervisor initially suspected that during the seminar). Instead, after a post-seminar discussion, they realized that I actually knew what I was talking about—but only if the questions were reframed. The real issue was my lack of perspective and consensus jargon as an early-career researcher. I had progressed so far in my work that I had begun to see many parts of my project as trivial.

My data analysis gave me insights, but my ideas were dense and, at times, far-fetched. Since they made sense to me, I hadn’t put much thought into defending my points in a way that others could easily grasp. I was beating myself up over this until my supervisor told me something that shifted my perspective: they might not have fully understood the manuscript I was preparing for publication. It wasn’t their lack of expertise—it was my inability to structure my writing clearly and present information concisely. My work was packed with dense concepts crammed into a single paper.

Their advice? Take a break. Step back. Shift focus to a smaller, more manageable task before resuming the main project.

Taking a break in nature helps refine thoughts

At first, I felt ashamed. Before this, I had been known for my project management skills—I could usually balance tasks and priorities without explicit guidance. But after some introspection, I realized that my obsessive drive to present my methodology had caused me to neglect the importance of showcasing my preliminary data in a simpler, more explainable way. In research, less is often more, and clarity is crucial.

After taking a short break, I spent three days reworking my data (on five-hour workdays, since I wasn’t fully back from my break). By the end of it, I was finally able to present data trends in a way that both my supervisor and even a few freshmen (whom they had invited to sit in on my progress meeting) could understand. It felt like a major accomplishment.

Typically, my writing is clear but heavily filled with jargon, whereas my presentation skills suffer from a lack of audience calibration. I can explain concepts well in lectures, tutorial sessions, and assignment presentations, but research presentations are trickier—I sometimes struggle to gauge the right level of complexity for my audience.

Lessons Learned and Advice for Fellow Postgrads:

1. Take breaks when needed – Overworking doesn’t always mean better results. Stepping back can give you a fresh perspective on your research.

2. Simplify your explanations – If your audience doesn’t understand your research, it’s not their fault. It’s on you to present it clearly.

3. Balance depth and accessibility – Research presentations require a different approach from writing a manuscript. Know your audience and adjust your explanations accordingly.

4. Seek feedback early and often – Regularly presenting your work in smaller, informal settings can help you refine your communication skills before major presentations.

5. Manage expectations with your supervisor – If your research is independent, be proactive in updating them so they remain aligned with your progress.

   
   

This experience taught me an important lesson: stepping back from research doesn’t mean a loss of productivity. Breaks can provide much-needed clarity, allowing us to refine our focus and communicate our work more effectively. And sometimes, the key to progress isn’t pushing harder—it’s knowing when to pause.