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THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE™ The All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide™ focuses on ways to help its readers more readily overcome the roadblocks that often seem to stand in the way of completing the dissertation. It is read throughout the world. Want to become a coach?New MentorCoach Training Programs launching. Subscribe to our other ezines: Visit Ben Dean's Live Coaching Workshops in Dallas, Austin, St Louis & Detroit. INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH A DISSERTATION
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE - February 27, 2007
3. Coaching Yourself to Completion
by Melissa McCreery, Ph.D.
February 27, 2007
A Note from the Editor
Tracy Steen, Ph.D.
Can you imagine Shakespeare, author of 38 plays and 154 sonnets, ever experiencing writer's block? It could only happen in a movie, as it did several years ago in the romantic comedy, Shakespeare in Love. One scene showed the young bard crumpling up balls of paper and throwing them across the room, apparently frustrated with his inability to put something presentable in writing. The premise was preposterous (Shakespeare at a loss for words?) but it advanced the plot and amused the audience. It's not so amusing for us, however, when we want to write, need to write, have to write, but find our mental neurons firing nothing but blanks.
If misery loves company, we can commiserate in excellent company indeed when beleaguered by writer's block. It occurs even among the greatest and most prolific writers, and no one is happy with it. In Bird by Bird, Some Instructions on Writing and Life, author Anne Lamott observes, "There are few experiences as depressing as that anxious barren state known as writer's block, where…you look at the notes you've scribbled recently on yellow legal pads or index cards, and they look like something Richard Speck jotted down the other night."
Lamott continues in her uniquely provocative style, "Writer's block is going to happen to you. You will read what little you've written lately and see with absolute clarity that it is total [insert expletive here]….A blissfully productive manic stage may come to a screeching halt, and all of a sudden you realize you're Wile E. Coyote and you've run off the cliff and are a second away from having to look down."
Whew! I haven't seen a Wile E. Coyote cartoon in years, but the metaphor somehow seems to fit. If you have an occasional encounter with writer's block, you may want to consider some of the following techniques recommended by Lamott and others for jumpstarting the writing process.
Write!
Do not simply stare at a blank screen. No matter how inchoate your ideas might
be, begin to put them in writing. As you write, the ideas will begin to take
shape--if not at the moment, then later. It doesn't matter how poor the writing
is at this point, just do it.
Keep the focus small.
Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the project. Lamott
recommends keeping your focus small in the beginning, writing only as much
as you can see "through a one-inch picture frame." In other words,
start writing with a focus on just a small part of the project, and then expand
inch-by-inch. Your coverage will gradually enlarge, but its progression will
be in small, manageable pieces.
Schedule your writing.
Keep writer's block at bay by taking advantage of your body's natural rhythms.
Schedule your writing for peak periods. For example, if you work best in the
morning, then make sure that your mornings are devoted to writing and nothing
else. Do not allow other activities to infringe on your prime time. Once you
have determined and set your schedule, maintain it consistently.
Modify setting and/or means.
If your thoughts aren't flowing freely, try writing in a different place and/or
writing by a different means. For example, you could leave your desk and computer
and try writing with pen and paper on the porch.
Take a break.
Refresh your mind periodically by getting away from your work. (Just don't
stay away too long.) This is important not only in dealing with writer's block,
but in pacing yourself and conserving mental energy. You want to burn brightly,
not burn out.
Resist perfectionism.
ABD's are accustomed to doing very good work, and of course your completed
dissertation will reflect excellence, but resist the compulsion to keep everything
perfect along the way. You are blocking a free flow of thought if you allow
yourself to get bogged down in detail. Remember that your initial efforts
are drafts, not completed work. You can tweak and polish later. An emphasis
on getting it just right at this point will only slow you down. Keep reminding
yourself that it's just a draft, and an ugly draft is okay.
Get real!
Don't imagine that you can't do this. Your academic history proves that you
can. An occasional unproductive period--writer's block, perhaps--happens to
the best. Oscar Wilde famously commented, "I was working on the proof
of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon
I put it back again." As previously noted, a little writer's block puts
you in good company.
Writer and editor William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well, observed, "If writing seems hard, it's because it is hard. It's one of the hardest things people do."
Yes, it's one of the hardest things to do, and you are doing it! And one day it will be done.
In this issue Dr. Melissa McCreery gives us several strategies for getting it done as efficiently as possible. Be sure to read her guest article, "The Dissertation: Coaching Yourself to Completion."
Inspirational Quotes
Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the
end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've
had everything to do, and you've done it.
--Margaret Thatcher
Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads
and empty hearts can do that.
-- Norman Vincent Peale
The Dissertation: Coaching Yourself to Completion
by Melissa McCreery, Ph.D.
When faced with a daunting task, so much is determined by how we view it (perspective) and the mindset with which we approach it. Just as "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," every major project begins and moves forward in small chunks of what are often mundane tasks.
A number of strategies can help you move forward and avoid feeling overwhelmed by huge projects. The following tips are often used by life coaches to help their clients keep tasks in perspective, maintain momentum, and celebrate the progress they are making. They can help you finish your dissertation.
1. SET YOUR INTENTIONS
Begin your workdays deliberately. You make the day happen--don't let the day happen to you. You might go for a run, take a contemplative walk, or drink a cup of coffee, but do include a ritual of some kind that involves setting your intentions for the day.
Make a list of what you will accomplish. Keep it concrete and confine it to what can reasonably be done in the day you have before you. Make sure each step on your list is detailed. Simply writing down a general intent like "Write discussion section" won't provide any momentum toward your goal. Your detailed list should be composed of many, many small steps--each of which contributes to your progress, and each of which provides satisfaction as you accomplish it and cross it off your list.
2. KNOW YOUR PRIORITIES
List your top three priorities--the three things that you want to be the focus of your attention and energy over the next one to three months. For our purposes, we'll assume that finishing your dissertation is one of those priorities.
Next, look at that list you created of your day's tasks. Does it reflect the priorities you have identified? If not, something is out of alignment. Examine whether you are being honest with yourself about what your priorities really are. Also, look for evidence of that inner-critic (see number 4) who may be in there mucking things up.
Note: emergencies may temporarily realign priorities. You might really have to put "get new battery for the car" at the top of your list one day. However, if you begin to see a pattern of crises diverting you from the task at hand ("the baby only has one diaper left--must get to store before starting to write"), you really should check out number 3.
3. KEEP IT MANAGEABLE
You have a tremendous capacity to think big. You're working towards a Ph.D.
for goodness sake! Don't let the size of your thinking incapacitate you. If
this happens, you may find yourself back in bed with the covers over your
head or mindlessly working your way through a pint of ice cream. Here's an
important strategy: If you are feeling overwhelmed by the dissertation
workload you are facing, set the goal of taking a single daily action.
Here's an example: My household contains two children and two busy professionals. The clutter gets overwhelming--fast. I've learned that if I stop and see the whole house and what needs to be done, I'll end up sitting on the couch feeling paralyzed (with or without the ice cream). Conversely, if I make the decision to move and pick up things--any things--for 15 minutes, I can see and feel order (and control) being restored. Progress starts to flow.
Your single daily action might simply be diving in for a set amount of time. Do any thing related to your dissertation for the time you've set aside. Format your reference list or your title page, for example. If you're stuck on one section of your data analysis, attack a different piece. Forge ahead in daily action chunks. I often work with individuals who want to lose weight. They will tell you--it is much harder to lose 100 pounds than to lose 2 pounds 50 times. Keep it manageable.
4. KNOW THY INNER CRITIC
We all have one. The voice in your head that tells you this is impossible, or you aren't good enough, or your topic stinks. Spend enough time listening curiously in order to identify what your inner critic says to you and how that critic keeps you from moving where you want to go.
Identify your inner critic so that you can separate it out and remind yourself that these disempowering messages are not who you are. Dis-invite the critic to your dissertation work time. Knowing the language of your inner critic gives you the power to talk back--and personal empowerment is what you are after.
Again, set your intention. Decide what you want to be saying to yourself as you progress through the final stages of this doctoral path. Create a mantra, a phrase, an affirmation that comes from you--that you believe to be real and that reflects the intelligent, capable, motivated, dissertation-finishing person that you are. Use it often. Write it on a post-it note and place it on your computer screen.
5. KEEP TRACK OF WHERE YOU'VE BEEN AS WELL AS WHERE YOU ARE GOING
Honor your accomplishments. Save all those to-do lists with the crossed-off items. Make a list of what you've accomplished in the last several years. List everything--the application processes, the class work, the oral exams, the proposal writing, the human subjects review board, data collection, difficult meetings with committee members. Commit it all to paper. Remind yourself of where you've been and what you've done--often.
6. DON'T GO IT ALONE
The dissertation can become a very lonely and isolating process--often more than it needs to be. Take stock of your support network. Who helps build encouragement and motivation? Who believes in you? Who can help you stay accountable? Are there others who might want to get together for a weeknight coffee and dissertation support circle? What about putting together a Monday morning meeting or even an e-mail check-in to share goals for the week ahead? Think creatively.
To summarize, there are effective strategies that life coaches use to help clients maintain momentum and achieve their goals. They are extraordinarily applicable to the dissertation process, and you can employ them to enhance both your personal and professional life long after the dissertation is finished.
Melissa McCreery, Ph.D. is a Psychologist and Life and Wellness Coach. She works with people to create and enrich their own best lives whether that means finishing a Ph.D., creating better life balance, conquering a health or weight issue or pursuing an important dream. She also publishes a free e-newsletter, Mindspa: Tips for Creating Your Highest Quality Life.
You can subscribe to her newsletter and get more information about coaching through her website: http://www.enduringchange.com or email her at melissamccreery@enduringchange.com.
Free workshop for ABDSG readers
4 Ways to Make Space in Your Life for Your Dissertation
Are you ready to get your dissertation done but can't find time in your day?
Are you tired of feeling unsupported and isolated from your department?
Would you like someone to help you get organized?
Do you get anxious every time you sit down to write?
Is it time to move on with your life?
Sign-up for a free 4 part series:
Objectives:
Create space in your home and life to complete your dissertation
Develop a plan to get organized
Learn techniques to alleviate the anxiety around writing
Establish a timeline that you can stick to and finish
Workshop Overview
Join an enthusiastic and motivated group of people who have decided to tackle
the obstacles of getting their dissertation done and get on with their life!
Dates:
Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20 and April 3, 2007
12:00- 12:59 Eastern Time
About your workshop leader
Cathy Rodrigues, ACSW, LCSW and Certified MentorCoach, has developed proven
strategies that help ABD students get their work completed. Through providing
support, accountability and identified resources she works with doctoral and
master's candidates to make adjustments in peoples lives which help get the
work DONE. Visit Cathy's website at www.cathyrodrigues.com.
TUITION:
These classes are FREE to ABD Survival Guide'
subscribers. Long distance charges for the call
will apply.
TO REGISTER:
Please email: Cathy@CathyRodrigues.com
Put the words "REGISTER ABD GROUP" in
the SUBJECT line of your email. In return, you
will receive a confirmation email specifying the
dates, time, and bridge number of the Teleconferences,
along with some preliminary activities to get you
started in the learning process.
Dr. TRACY STEEN, Editor, ABDSG
Tracy Steen, Ph.D. , is a clinical psychologist and dissertation
coach in Philadelphia, PA. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan
and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in positive psychology at the University
of Pennsylvania. Dr. Steen draws on her research background in positive psychology
in her coaching work with writers, helping them to remove internal obstacles
so they can find more engagement and flow in their work. You can contact Dr.
Steen with questions about this newsletter or about coaching in general at
tracy@mentorcoach.com. You can
also visit her website at www.tracysteen.com
YOUR OWN COACH
If you are considering whether to get your own coach to help you
reach your academic goals, send any email to the following: ben16-76471@autocontactor.com
BEN DEAN, Publisher, ABDSG
Ben holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin.
He began writing the ABDSG in 1997. Over the years, the ABDSG has provided
thousands of hours of pro bono coaching and teleworkshops to ABDs all over
the world. Ben is also the founder of MentorCoach (www.MentorCoach.com),
a virtual university focused on training accomplished helping professionals
to become extraordinary coaches. Finally you must subscribe to the Coaching
Toward Happiness eNewsletter! It's on applying the new science of
Positive Psychology to your work and life (131,000 readers). Ben lives in
suburban Maryland with his wife, Janice, their two children, and Norman, their
Norwegian dwarf bunny. They all love coaching from the beach!
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