Structuring Discipline

The benefits of having my own business are that I can do whatever I want. The negatives of having my own business are that I can do whatever I want. Lately, I’ve been noticing- *very often* how much MORE productive I am when I have structured myself to be disciplined.

Structuring discipline means, simply, that you create a framework and structure that enables you to be disciplined about your work and items you must accomplish. Like you, I am much more disciplined about getting things done when I know someone is waiting for me to finish, or will be reviewing the assignments I’m working on.

I got away from structure and discipline for a while; I was kind of sick of having such incredibly regimented days. What I realized is that the answer is found in balancing structure and discipline with enough open space for creativity and wondering.

It’s the same for your dissertation process. If you have created a structure which enables you to be disciplined and complete your dissertation tasks, you, too, can afford a few hours or days off, here and there. I know that you might be afraid that if you take a break from this, you’ll never come back to it. I hear that a lot. However, really, if you are in a cycle of working and producing meaningful output, you don’t have to be afraid of never coming back to it. You definitely will, assuming that the habit is solid enough.

It’s similar to exercising: if you generally exercise frequently, you will come back to it, even after a several weeks break: because you like how you feel when you exercise. If your dissertation habit is solid enough, you like how you feel when you’re working (or at least you like the feeling of working) and you’ll come back to it even if you take a break for a while.

The biggest problem with having tons of time to do the dissertation is that, very often, you fill up the time with unrelated work. Create a structure and discipline around working: get into the work, do the work, and get out of the work- and then go and do something else.

The more you structure your environment to succeed at this project, the more likely you will be to finish quickly.

Dissertation success is little more than structured discipline, applied regularly.

 

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