If the day arrives when you are in graduate school when you wake up and do
not wish to jump out of bed and head off to lab, it is time to consider
whether it is time to switch to another lab. I have encountered many students
who realized midway during their PhD that they were not happy in their lab,
only to decide to stick it out rather than discuss the situation with their
advisors and try to resolve the problem. My advice is to have a
heart-to-heart chat with your advisor, giving him or her a chance to help you
resolve the issue. If your advisor is not sympathetic, then it is time for
you to switch to another lab. If you cannot find a lab that you are happy in,
then it is possible that science is not the right career for you. But all too
often, the problem is simply poor mentoring or a mismatched lab for whatever
reason. I have seen all too many students feel that they must please their
advisors and complete their projects. But always remember that your PhD
training is about YOU and your success. Most productivity occurs in the last
1 or 2 years of a PhD thesis and usually switching to a new lab, even after a
few years in the wrong lab, does not delay a student’s graduation. Just
think of your time in the first lab as a long rotation that beneficially
added to your training.
ref:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.005