June 2, 2006
- Keep regular working hours as often as possible.
Nothing will make you resent your dissertation faster than working all day and all night without a break. As much as possible, keep regular working hours. Treat your dissertation like a part-time job- you show up, work for a couple of hours, and then leave it. You show up the next day, work a few [...]
May 1, 2006
- To stay motivated, think of the bigger picture.
Think of the bigger picture. One of the reasons my clients make really good progress is because we focus on the bigger picture- how the dissertation can fit within the larger framework or context of their lives. If you keep setting aside time to “work on the dissertation” but never actually get around to it…stop [...]
January 25, 2006
- Do you know how to finish?
Today, I want to ask you a question: Do you know how to finish your dissertation? This came to me because of an email exchange I had with an ABD at a northeastern US university. She wrote to me and said, "I would like to finish writing my dissertation, but I don’t know how…" When [...]
January 18, 2006
- Use the smallest block to get you started.
A good rule to remember is to use the smallest possible unit to get you started. This may mean spending as little as one to five minutes on your work, initially. If you have been procrastinating and avoiding your work, you need to âre-trainâ your perceptions to realize that this isnât that bad, and that [...]
December 14, 2005
- Plan for 2006 now.
I’m sure many of you were busy winding down another quarter (or semester) and you’re now ready for a (well-deserved) break for the holidays. Before you turn off your brain for the next few weeks, take a few minutes and plan your dissertation progress for 2006- right now. If you can take a few minutes [...]
November 22, 2005
- Working hard? Working smart? Hardly working?
Today I’ll ask you to make a quick assessment of your current dissertation working style. Are you working hard? Working smart? or hardly working? Working hard means you’re logging in tons of hours. You make good progress, now and then, but more often have a sense that you’re retracing your steps and revisiting old ground. [...]
August 5, 2005
- Getting back to work after a long absence..
I’m not sure where the summer has gone, but all of sudden we’re into August and I see that my blog writing has gone way down. I noticed this happening and would like to share with you what was going on- it’s relevant to the dissertation process. Ok, so, when I first put up this [...]
March 17, 2005
- Declutter your space regularly.
It’s a good strategy to keep your work space as free of clutter as possible. Clutter can make you feel more stressed, anxious, and distracted- none of which are good places from which to progress on the dissertation. When you finish a section of work, take a few minutes to clear your space of the [...]
March 14, 2005
- Get back to working as soon as possible.
When you’ve had a lag in your dissertation progress and notice that you haven’t been working on it lately, aim to get back to working as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter how long or short your first work session is. What’s most important is that you overcome the procrastination/fear/ avoidance that is holding you [...]
February 23, 2005
- Identify & use your academic resources.
It’s a good idea to review your graduate student handbook and/or dissertation manual and identify what academic resources are available to you. For instance, you might have access to books, articles, reference help through your University library. Your university fees may entitle you to access resources through the career center. Often, your student status will [...]
February 4, 2005
- Think in terms of the next two steps.
If you feel overwhelmed by the work you have to do, consider narrowing your focus to just the next two steps. Why two steps, you might ask? (Great question!)- just focusing on the next step can sometimes feel more anxiety-provoking- you have this constant sense that you might be missing the bigger picture. Focusing on [...]
January 31, 2005
- Set up a “working date” with another student.
When you feel isolated and lonely working on the dissertation, set up a "working date" with another student or junior faculty member. Meet each other at a library, coffee shop, or at one of your homes. Plan to work on your own material, but in the company of someone else. This can go a long [...]
January 18, 2005
- The dissertation plateau
The dissertation plateau is a term I use to define the experience of knowing that you need to keep working on the dissertation, but not knowing exactly what you should do next. For some people, the plateau represents a brief resting point- a time to look back and reflect in order to gather energy to [...]
January 12, 2005
- Ask for help before it gets too bad.
One of the saddest and most disappointing aspects of being a dissertation coach is when I’m contacted by ABD’s who are, literally, days and minutes away from being asked to leave their programs. They contact me, ashamed and anxious, and wonder if they can write the entire dissertation in just the 3 days between now [...]
January 3, 2005
- Keep extra supplies on hand.
Your printer is very likely to run out of ink just when you’re printing the proposal or the final draft. This happened to me, it was after midnight, and all the office supply stores were closed. A few extra supplies can save you at least one sleepless night. [Excerpted in part from Get it Done: [...]
December 17, 2004
- Do you need a change of scene?
As we wind down 2004 and start looking ahead for 2005, it’s a good idea to consider your office/work space in terms of whether it’s still working well for you. Ideally, your dissertation work space will be quiet, and will include ample flat surfaces for writing, spreading out materials, etc. You’ll have good lighting, and [...]