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Archived Issues:
Harness the Proven Ingredient for Dissertation Success—And It’s Not What You Think | Issue 235
Feel like giving up on your dissertation? Harness the proven ingredient for success that will be your game changer. (Est. reading time 5 minutes)
By Ilene Berns-Zare, PsyD
"In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm. . . . in the real world all rests on perseverance."
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"I am ready to give up."
"I can't do it."
"This is too hard."
Does that sound like the little voice inside your head when you look at your dissertation?
If so, you need the secret ingredient guaranteed to steer your thesis boat away from rocky cliffs and back into sailing on deep blue water.
Earning your doctoral degree, as with other big goals, requires more than mere talent and learning. You have to stick with your work even when the going gets tough. You must expend effort even when progress is not immediately obvious. What makes this possible?
The secret ingredient, says U Penn psychologist Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., is grit—her word for a combination of passion and perseverance. "Our potential is one thing, but what we do with it is quite another," she has concluded.
The term grit may trigger images of gravel or sand between your teeth, as happens with eating steamed clams, or maybe a feisty tough guy in the movies, e.g., John Wayne. However, psychological grit is much more, as Duckworth explains in her New York Times bestseller, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Grit turns out to be the game-changer. It's the personal element that generates the stick-to-itiveness needed to achieve long term goals.
"We were made to persist. . . that's how we find out who we are." ~ Tobias Wolff
"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with the problem longer." ~ Albert Einstein
Grit: Your Key Dissertation Success Factor
Research by Duckworth and her colleagues shows that those who have grit are more likely to succeed in a variety of venues.
Studying more than 1200 West Point cadets, they found grittiness a remarkably reliable predictor for those who finish the rigorous program. Remarkably, the critical factor turned out to be grit rather than leadership experience, SAT scores, high school rank, or athleticism.
In their National Spelling Bee study, they isolated the single factor that determined whether kids advanced in the competition—and it was grit, not verbal proficiency. Successful competitors had devoted significantly more effort in the form of hours of studying and competing in spelling competitions.
You can make grit your antidote for dissertation doldrums. And here's the best news: you can grow grittiness with simple research-backed strategies.
"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." ~ Colin Powell
Ready to Get Grittier? Here's How
How gritty are you now? Take the Grit Scale free on Duckworth's website here: http://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/
If you are not satisfied with your current grit level, take heart. You've learned esoteric facts in your discipline. You've mastered apps your parents never heard of. You learned how to shop and cook. You've learned zillions of things that facilitate the good life—and now you can learn to be grittier. Duckworth offers insights and tips to guide you:
Renew your passion. You've chosen your dissertation topic, now invest in it. To sustain perseverance, gritty people activate interests again and again. Revive your interest—remind yourself why your topic and work matter. Spend time with those who encourage you. Talk about your work with others. Find ways to stay engaged with the material and your goals.
Practice deliberately and daily. "Deliberate practice" drives continuous improvement, asserts renowned performance researcher Anders Ericsson, Ph.D. Unlike the mindless repetition that may occur in ordinary practice, deliberate practice requires a clear focus on improving performance. First define your specific goals and then cultivate a daily routine for total engagement as you work. It is crucial to assess key weakness—with others' feedback as necessary—to determine next steps for further improvement. For your dissertation, how can you use your committee's comments to identify those areas for special attention?
"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work."
~ Steven King
Identify your purpose. How will your work benefit others? Articulating a purpose beyond your own small self will lift your interest to a higher level. "What ripens passion," Duckworth explains, "is the conviction that your work matters." For example, a waiter can choose to view serving food as an opportunity to make a positive difference in each customer's day. Whether or not your dissertation becomes a magnum opus, your doctoral degree empowers you to impact the world in ways you may not yet have dreamed.
Nurture hope. Approach negative feedback and failures as opportunities to grow, focusing less on performance and more on process. As goals psychologist Heidi Grant Halvorson urges, don't aim to "be good"—instead aim to "get better." Practice talking to yourself as you would to a dear friend, with kindness and compassion. Also, reach out to others who can help, e.g., mentors or coaches. When you don't let negative thoughts impede you, you are more likely to cross the finish line.
"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are hard work, stick-to-it-iveness, and common sense."
~ Thomas Edison
Start Cultivating Dissertation Grit
How will you grow your own grittiness? Create your own grit action plan based on the above four dimensions of practice, passion, purpose, and hope.
Who will you talk to about your dissertation research? Why does your work matter? How can you identify areas for deliberate practice? What steps can you take to make dissertating a daily habit?
Journal about how your work (including your greater skills and wisdom) will benefit others—from your family, students, clients, readers, society, the discipline, etc.
Finally, acknowledge that developing grit comes through intentional practice. Watch for signs of improvement and celebrate them. Pat yourself on the back for cultivating a habit of mind that will reap rewards both now and later.
"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." ~ Dwayne Johnson
Learn More about Grit
Duckworth, Angela. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Also see her Ted talk with the same title here.
Halvorson, Heidi Grant. Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals
Miller, Caroline Adams Miller. Getting Grit: The Evidence-Based Approach to Cultivating Passion, Perseverance, and Purpose \

Ilene Berns-Zare, PsyD, MS, ACC, CMC is a life and leadership coach, psychologist, and educator. Ilene is committed to empowerment through learning, personal/professional development, and integrative well-being. She sees coaching, training, and writing as offering a lens through which people can gain fresh perspectives, ask important professional and personal questions, and access strengths, skills, and possibilities. Email Ilene at ibzlifecoaching@gmail.com and read more at http://ileneberns-zare.com
The Critical Dissertation Resource You Are Mismanaging | Issue 234
In less than 6 minutes, discover what critical dissertation resource you are mismanaging. Find out what you need to STOP doing and START doing to achieve your doctorate or any other goals.

The Critical Dissertation Resource You Are Mismanaging
By Gayle Scroggs, PhD, PCC, Editor
"In the absence of willpower, the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless." ~ Aleister Crowley
Did you resolve for 2018 to make noticeable headway on your dissertation?
If you are struggling, your problem might not lay in a lack of scholarly ability or time management skills. You have a different problem if you answer yes to any of these:
1. Do you find it hard to get started on your dissertation?
2. While writing challenging sections, do you find your mind wanders excessively?
3. At times do you find it hard to make up your mind about simple things?
4. Do you tend to overreact to trivial stuff too often?
5. Do you feel brain dead or listless when you need to be productive?
Most likely you are mismanaging one of your critical resources: your willpower.
Your Critical, Limited Resource
To manage your willpower optimally, you first need to understand two basic lessons:
1. Your supply of willpower is limited.
2. The energy resource that fuels willpower also fuels many other crucial activities.
Let's unpack those lessons from Roy Baumeister, Ph.D., the world's leading willpower investigator to show you how to boost your own willpower. Forget concepts of willpower as some mystical force or inborn trait. You and everyone else has the capacity for willpower, which is simply the ability to monitor and regulate our behavior.
Research shows that willpower works like a muscle—one that gets depleted with use but stronger with exercise. You begin each day with a fresh reservoir of willpower so long as you get a good night's sleep.
You consciously deploy willpower to avoid the jumbo sugar-spiked muffin at the coffee shop when you order your latte. And you call on it again at lunch to order the tossed salad instead of the juicy burger with fries. But those are not the only kinds of occasions which deplete this precious resource.
Whenever you exercise self-control, you are draining your willpower reserves. It does not matter whether you are restraining "bad" behavior or activating "good" behavior, or if you struggle and then succumb to temptation. You've used up some of your willpower.
Of course, you are using willpower when you force yourself to open your manuscript instead of Facebook. But did you realize that you are also tapping it whenever you button your lip while someone rips through your latest draft? Or when you fake interest during a boring lecture? Or when you force a smile at someone's dumb joke? When you exert conscious force to regulate your behavior, you are draining your willpower energy.
Even Small Decisions Sap Your Willpower
Even the wheels of justice require willpower to grind. One study found that parole boards granted parole more often during early morning hearings and right after the noon recess compared to late morning and late afternoon. Apparently making tough decisions depleted their willpower, leading them to render the easier default decision of "no parole" until lunch provided a temporary rebound. If you ever grabbed fast food at the end of the day instead of making a healthy dinner, you can sympathize with them.
What is going on? It turns out that the act of deciding sucks your willpower energy, explains Baumeister. Weighing information and arriving at a decision consumes the same fuel source that self-control does, creating "decision fatigue."
Try counting how many decisions you make in a day. According to Cornell researcher Brian Wansink, the average person makes over 220 just about food. Even a Starbucks stop involves myriad choices: "Espresso or latte? With a shot of amaretto? Cream or sugar? Cash, debit, or credit?" This suggests that if you are counting on an energy boost from coffee, you would do best to place a standard order each time.
Willpower: A Must for Thinking
By now you should be getting the picture: If you are making a host of decisions before you even sit down at your desk, your willpower has been compromised before you write your first word.
Why does this matter to a scholar? You need to tap into that same willpower energy reservoir to think. We're talking about the "heavy cognitive lifting," e.g., analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, creating, and so on, not rote tasks.
When you engage in deep thinking, your brain burns the same fuel it requires for self-regulation and decision tasks. In a willpower-depleted state, you will struggle with the challenging sections of your dissertation. Given all the drains on your willpower reservoir, is it any wonder you feel "brain dead" at times?
If you find yourself overwhelmed by simple decisions as you write, or if you catch yourself overreacting at small irritations and interruptions, take note: These signal a willpower tank hovering on empty. Beware misinterpreting them and becoming frustrated or angry with yourself or others.
Take a break and allow your willpower to renew itself before proceeding. Eat that lunch you skipped. Try a walk outdoors or some meditation. Try a nap. Even better, work on building your willpower with these 12 evidence-based tips.
"There is no such thing as a great talent without great willpower." Honore de Balzac
12 Ways to Boost and Manage Your Willpower
Willpower, like money, is a depletable but renewable resource. For success, you need to budget the resources you have while growing them. Here are some immediate steps you can take to conserve and increase your willpower:
1. Do the hardest thing first each day. Willpower is strongest in the morning—so put your highest priority willpower items here. Many successful people reserve these hours to do their creative or intellectual work, saving for later routine work, e.g., answering emails, filing papers, etc.
2. Budget your willpower. Prioritize your dissertation for your willpower resources. Throughout each day, intersperse willpower-intensive tasks such as writing with easier tasks (e.g., checking references or folding clothes) to give your willpower muscle time to bounce back. Say no to new projects that will drain you.
3. Let someone else decide. What decisions can you stop making? Enjoy letting someone else pick the movie, the restaurant, the gift for grandma, etc. President Obama was famous for letting others choose his daily suit and tie so he could focus on more vital decisions.
4. Pre-decide your schedule. Hold a weekly "executive session" with yourself to calendarize your dissertation and other tasks to help you conserve time and energy later. Also, plan your work the evening before or first thing in the morning before you get started. Stopping to decide what to do kills your momentum.
5. Take care of your body, starting with sleep. "A rested will is a stronger will," assert Baumeister and Tierney. Adequate sleep may be even more important than food. Unless you are walking up on time and refreshed without an alarm clock, you need more than you are getting. Tom Rath's Eat, Move, Sleep will convince you to get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night if you want sustained high performance.
6. Fuel your brain. Nourish your brain with low-sugar, high-protein foods that metabolize slowly. You can't do your best work on coffee and a donut or granola bar. Resist the craving for sweets that arises as willpower wanes. Stave off the sugar spike-and-crash syndrome--munch on nuts, cheese, or high-protein foods for your mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks.
7. Expend a little willpower on neatness. Start with your desk. You'll get a good return on your investment because, as studies show, messy desks reduce self-control. "Order seems to be contagious," note Baumeister and Tierney.
8. Build your willpower reserves by deliberately exercising it in small ways. Make your bed each morning. Open doors with your non-dominant hand. Stop eating while computing. Do not let yourself get up from your chair during dissertation time—even if you can't write, you must stay glued to the chair. (This was a key strategy for author/poet Raymond Carver.)
9. Identify other environmental cues that lessen self-control. Identify and remove other triggers in your environment that distract you. An unpaid bill on your desk? A pinging smart phone? If practical, dedicate one computer to your dissertation and use a second one (or your tablet) for internet and Facebook time to avoid the "slippery slope."
10. Monitor your progress. A visual record will give you immediate encouragement and permit better long-term planning. Even if you slack off now and then, you'll see your progress and immunize yourself from hopelessness. Check off your tasks as you finish them on a posted timeline so you can see how much further you have to go. Drop a marble in a jar each time you work for an hour straight or finish a page. Acknowledging progress provides a nice dopamine boost that will nourish your habit.
11. Reward yourself. Online game designers know what keeps the hordes coming back: a mix of frequent small prizes with occasional big ones. How can you tweak your reward system to become addicted to playing with your dissertation? What small treat could you use for completing your daily quota of time or words? Or when you fill up your marble jar? What larger reward would pull you towards finishing an entire chapter draft? (One client paid herself per hour in Monopoly® money, keeping the growing stash in view; she later converted the colorful notes to real money for a post-dissertation vacation.) Rewarding self-control helps build it.
12. Leverage willpower to create healthy habits. Most importantly, don't rely on your limited willpower resource to get your dissertation out the door. Instead, invest it in building good habits one at a time. That way you will reap rewards without burning up resources. Save willpower energy for important decisions, deep thinking, and crises.
"I value self-discipline, but creating systems that make it impossible to misbehave is more reliable than self-control." Tim Ferris
Developing self-control requires some effort at first, but in the long run, it is well worth it. So when will you get started? Use your existing willpower now to decide just one small habit to create. Then commit yourself to practicing until it becomes ingrained. Let me know how it goes. Drop me a line at gayle@mcpcoach.com.
RECOMMENDED WILLPOWER RESOURCES
Under Armour Ad with Michael Phelps, "Rule Yourself" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh9jAD1ofm4
Baumeister, Roy and John Tierney. Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength
Rath, Tom. Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes
Illustration above by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Explore New Dissertation Hacks, Jobs Beyond Academia, and Grad Student Tax Hikes | Issue 233
In less than 7 minutes, discover tips and info to speed you to graduation and a great job. Find out--
…how a daily gratitude practice will get your dissertation out the door faster.
…how some ABDs and postdocs are snagging good non-academic jobs—and how you can too.
…why grad students are freaking out about proposed tax legislation—and what to do about it.
…what to do if your dissertation has grown cold and you want to re-start.
…fun, effective ways to let your inner kindergartner manage your time and attitude.

Gratitude Hacks: 5 Ways Gratitude Revs Up Your Dissertating
Don't stop giving thanks when turkey leftovers vanish. Here's why:
Research shows that one of the surest ways to get you into dissertation flow is starting every morning with gratitude, as Scott Tousley of HubSpot observes:
• Yale studies say a gratitude journal will result in higher alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness, and energy.
• Stanford offers a high-demand class leveraging gratitude journals, which made students 27% less stressed.
• Harvard studies indicate gratitude improves health and strengthens relationships.
• UC-Berkeley research ndicates a gratitude journal improves sleep and decreases illness.
• Columbia research says gratitude improves the immune system, while reducing anxiety and/or depression
Tip: Keep a little notebook and pen by your bed and contemplate three things that are going right in your life. For the digitally minded, download the acclaimed Five Minute Journal app to jumpstart every morning with gratitude, affirmation, and intention.
Why it works: Cultivating gratitude increases your happiness, which then energizes you, opens your mind, and builds your resources. It's the closest thing we have to a silver bullet. Keep in mind that gratitude is not just for breakfast anymore—it works any time of day to lift you out of a funk.

Getting Hired: How Berkeley ABDs & PostDocs Snag Non-Academic Jobs
Unless you've been asleep for the last couple of years, you know that today's doctoral students must broaden their career horizons to include non-academic paths. To meet this new reality, a group of UC Berkeley graduate students and postdocs have organized as "Beyond Academia," or BA for short.
BA strives to educate PhDs in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and STEM fields about careers outside the ivory tower through small professional developmental events and more. This year the Beyond Academia two-day conference featured over 100 PhDs who transitioned successfully and attracted 400 attendees.
"Beyond Academia alumni have successfully transitioned to careers in industry, consulting, writing and media, policy, entrepreneurship, and many other fields," notes their latest newsletter.
What you can do: Develop your own local team of doctoral students and post-docs to create a "Beyond Academia" movement on your campus. Contact UC Berkeley's Beyond Academia group for more information.
Grad Students Freak Out at House GOP Tax Plan
Do you receive a tuition waiver? If so, be aware that the Republican tax legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives could raise your taxes by 300 to 400%, according to several sources, including NPR.
"Graduate students are freaking out about the GOP tax plan—they should be," writes Wired, given the provision buried in the bill makes graduate students' tuition waivers taxable income.
Even with untaxed tuition waivers, most doctoral candidates live frugal lives, and many support families. A hit like this could force many to drop out and stifle diversity efforts, especially in STEM fields. Universities will feel the impact on several levels, from staffing to research. (The Senate version lacks this provision, so there's a chance it could be dropped in the final version.)
"The American Council on Education sent a letter to Congress decrying the plan," notes NPR. The letter was signed by over 30 academic organizations, including the Association of American Universities, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the American Psychological Association.
What You Can Do: Share your opinion with your elected Federal legislators using contact details at www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
Dissertation Grown Cold? Here's What to Do Now

Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.
~ Allen Saunders
Doctoral years are also prime time for significant life events—job hunting, starting new job, getting married, getting divorced, having or adopting a baby, moving, etc. Any of these may lead you to hit the dissertation pause button. That's okay. Picking it up again later can be tough, which is when you need this advice from someone who's been there.
As Heather VanMouwerik tells it in her Grad Hacker blog post, her Russian history dissertation went off the rails during a cross-country move. Despite careful planning, the move morphed into a "5,000-miles-in-4-days saga of broken dishes, exploding tires, dishonest mechanics, twitching eyelid, and exhaustion," she writes. Worse, her grandfather died at the same time.
After two months of Netflix binging, Heather emerged from her slump only to panic whenever she merely thought about her dissertation. She struggled to remember where her research was—and what it was about. She questioned if she could or should continue.
At last a sliver of inspiration allowed Heather to get her dissertation mojo back and share her hard-earned wisdom with others. Start with forgiveness, she advises, then get your dissertation ducks in order. In short order, you'll get re-inspired too.
[Editor's note: Dissertation coaches can also be very useful in helping you get that spark back and words on the page.]
Productivity Secrets from Your Inner Kindergartner
For those who did NOT learn everything you needed to know about time management in kindergarten, read this. Quartz's Indrani Sen offers spoofy suggestions from the playground set based on actual evidence. How many can you adapt to manage your time and attitude? Check out the best below, and find the rest here:
1. Conserve time and energy by wearing your own personal uniform daily. Add a funky accessory (e.g., dinosaur mask or glittery tutu) to show your wacky side.
2. Become a thought leader by uttering authoritative phrases, e.g., "actually," "technically," "as I was saying," etc.
3. "Keep your cubby inbox at zero." Don't let stuff accumulate.
4. "Embrace failure—or else rename it." If your Lego pirate ship collapses, call it a cannon.
5. "Wasting time is for preschoolers." Apply the Pomodoro technique, network at meals, stay focused, and above all, learn the power of saying "no."
~ Compiled by Gayle Scroggs, PhD, ABDSG Editor
PHOTO CREDITS: (1) This Photo licensed under CC BY-NC-ND; (2) This Photo licensed under CC BY-NC-ND; (3) This Photo licensed under CC BY-SA
Want a Quicker, Better Dissertation? Do These Three Things Now | Issue 232
Dissertating goes faster, smoother, and better when you do "deep work." Learn how to create a ritual to help you hone this indispensable skill for doing work that matters. [5-minute read]
Want someone in your corner to help you do deep work? Get a dissertation buddy or contact us for your very own coach.

Want a Quicker, Better Dissertation? Do These Three Things Now
By Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D.
Positive Psychology Dissertation Coach & ABD Survival Guide Editor
"Focus is the new I.Q." ~ Cal Newport
The skill you most need to finish your dissertation is one you were never taught.
Don't worry—it is not too late. You will find it to be the most effective way to rev up your dissertation pace and quality at the same time.
This amazing skill is known as deep work. It is the "ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task," explains Cal Newport, Ph.D., who popularized the concept in Deep Work, an award-winning bestseller.
The capacity for deep work divides the mediocre from the extraordinary in business, academia, and other endeavors, argues Newport, an associate professor computer science at Georgetown.He further emphasizes that deep work is a skill that can be developed. He contends—and I've experienced—that honing this skill leads to a very fulfilling career and life.
You absolutely need to do deep work as a doctoral candidate and scholar. It's imperative for learning challenging material and for producing high-level work—two activities central to academic success. Below I've sketched out Newport's basics to guide you in designing your own deep work ritual, adding my own tips gleaned from over a decade of coaching dissertation clients.
What facilitates deep work?
Newport spells out just what you need for the peak performance that deep work facilitates: your full concentration, a single task, and a distraction-free environment.
Have you noticed a significant uptick in the quality and quantity of your work when those three conditions prevail? Have you wondered how to create those conditions on a regular basis?
If so, it's time to cultivate your own deep work practices to get that dissertation out the door sooner. Moreover, you will create a better product that will give you a deserved sense of fulfillment as you graduate. Finally, you will have developed a skill whose value compounds over time. That's because deep work will lift you from mere busyness to accomplishing what matters, no matter what career you choose.
As deep work becomes rarer, its value rises, observes Newport. In a crowd lost to distraction and overwhelm, your superior work will stand out. By completing meaningful projects, deep workers reap more satisfaction and greater rewards than those who equate hyperactivity with productivity. When did a multi-tasker or juggler ever create a lasting monument?
To develop a deep work practice, you must first commit yourself to uprooting some ingrained habits that block your way. Going deep means going against the social currents, where most people get caught in a frenzy of email, social media, and pointless meetings.
It means saying "no" to umpteen distractions and shallow work in order to say "yes" to what really matters. For example, Newport strongly recommends quitting social media. Developing your own deep work ritual creates a new normal for you. In doing so, you are retraining your brain, so with practice, you will find it gets easier.
Create your own deep work ritual in 3 steps

The deep work ritual contains three chief ingredients: time, structure, and support. My experience shows that you will also need some explicit strategies for handling inevitable interruptions and obstacles along the way.
1) Block out time on your calendar.
On your calendar, schedule your deep work sessions in blocks as you would important meetings. Newport recommends blocks of no less than 90 minutes, although you may break it up into Pomodoro-style chunks, e.g., 25 minutes of work followed by a five-minute break. [The Productivity Challenge Timer, a Pomodoro-style app with tracking capabilities and quirky humor really keeps me on track.]
If someone attempts to intrude, aim to reschedule the intruder rather than your deep work. It's helpful to hone some handy phrases for this, e.g., "I'd love to meet with you, but I'm booked at that time—when else would work for you?" Some of my dissertation clients struggle to turn a student or family member away—until they actually try it and discover that the other person is usually more than willing to accommodate their request.
Temptations more often arise from within—and you need to say "no" to those too, I've found. For example, if your inner monkey begs you to check email or Facebook, calm it down by assuring it that you will do that in your free time—but that right now you are going to finish the sentence you were writing. Then ignore it as you would a spam caller.
Some go further—disabling their internet connection or dedicating a separate computer for dissertation-only work for fuller concentration. It seems deep down there is a consensus on Newport's observation: "Human beings, it seems, are at their best when immersed deeply in something challenging."
Choose where you will work and note that as well. Over time, experiment as necessary to which surroundings best promote focusing on your work. I've had dissertation clients choose the university library, a coffee shop (often with earphones), a convent, and even a hotel lobby! The dining table rarely works well. Staving off distractions and interruptions eats at your cognitive power, so choose carefully. Pre-committing yourself to a time and place also conserves your willpower energy.
2) Define your structure.
How will you measure your progress? Will you track words or pages produced? Time spent researching a particular topic? Make it something measurable.
Decide in advance, then stick with it so that you know when you can stop. Newport suggests aiming high, e.g., by giving yourself 20% less time than you think it will take, to produce the intense focus that accompanies impending deadlines.
That might work for you, although it has not for me. Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman found most people drastically underestimate the time needed to complete a project because they tend to assume the best-case scenario—which almost never happens. I block out extra time for each project to prevent overbooking or last-minute panic. Until you are more experienced with a task, allow at least twice the time you predict you will need.
Some of my ABD clients have devised clever ways to monitor their output or time spent to boost motivation. One literature grad student paid herself $10 Monopoly dollars per hour, redeemable after graduation for a dream trip. Another creatively added Legos to a fanciful structure that served as a visual reminder of her continuing progress.
Yet another advanced her token over mountains and through swamps on her very personal Dissertation Journey Map. You can keep it simple: just drop a marble in a canning jar for each deep work session you complete. Marking your progress gives your brain an energizing jolt of dopamine that will keep you going. Keep it in view to serve as a prompt to get working.
3) Organize your support system.
What materials will you need while you work? Keep any needed dissertation materials handy, either electronically or in portable files. Nothing feels more frustrating than to sit down to write only to realize you left the key reference in your study.
What kicks your brain into gear? Some swear by a cup of coffee. Others find a short walk, especially in nature, puts them in a deep work frame of mind, says Newport. Your brain doesn't run well on mere caffeine or on empty, I might add, so remember to feed it as needed, e.g., with healthy snacks or a nutritious lunch. Getting a good night's sleep will also contribute to your ability to focus.
As you experiment with deep work, keep notes on what you discover works. As his blog excerpt in the box asserts, dissertating may be hard but it is not hard to do, i.e., painful or unsustainable.
CAL NEWPORT ON DISSERTATING
"Hard" vs. "Hard to Do"
I found writing my thesis to be similar to writing my books. It's an exercise in grit: You have to apply hard focus, almost every day, over a long period time.
To me, this is the definition of what I call hard work. The important point, however, is that the regular blocks of hard focus that comprise hard work do not have to be excessively long. That is, there's nothing painful or unsustainable about hard work. With only a few exceptions, for example, I was easily able to maintainmy fixed 9 to 5:30 schedule while writing my thesis.
Add a dose of freedom
Paradoxically, adding a little freedom helps, observes Newport. Down time can promote insights and allow for recharging your batteries. Spending time with family, friends, nature, and favorite pastimes will revitalize you—so make time for them.
When you do deep work during the day, any evening work will probably not be up to snuff, so skip it in favor of shallow tasks, he advises. Willpower research supports his contention, as does the experience of many of my ABD clients.
ABDs who try to dissertate after a long workday—e.g., after dinner, after putting kids to bed, after a little TV to relax—usually report that they cannot focus, I've noticed. Worse, despite good intentions, many fall prey to binge Netflixing. If your dissertation matters, you must make it a priority—not the last thing on your list.
When you start practicing your very own deep work ritual, you will witness a boost in productivity that will make it easier for you to say "yes" to the other things that matter. You will be able to complete your assignment during the day—and wrap it up before dinner.
Sound impossible? Consider highly productive academics such as U Penn's Adam Grant, an uber-productive academic and social media contributor. The youngest-ever tenured professor at the prestigious Wharton School, Grant departs his office at 5:30 to devote himself to a thriving family and social life. Notice the successful academics and other professionals around you who have mastered keeping boundaries around their work day—they are the ones who have mastered deep work.
If you find that tempting, sketch out your own ritual and experiment with it this week. Tweak it until it works for you. Remind yourself why this matters to you. For more inspiration and details, read the book.
You will spend much of your life working. Why not choose to do the deep work that will create a life of success and meaning?
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES ON DEEP WORK
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Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
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Interview: "Deep Work" with Cal Newport by Brian Johnson
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Quit Social Media, a TED/Tyson Talk by Dr. Cal Newport
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Study Hacks Blog by Cal Newport
The 7 Habits of Highly Productive ABDs & Other Academics | Issue 231
In this issue: Cultivate the 7 habits you need most to finish your dissertation. [Reading time 5 minutes.]
Need more support? Apply for your own coach. Finish faster and enjoy the ride.

THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE ABDs & OTHER ACADEMICS
By Gayle Scroggs, PhD
"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." - Jim Rohn
How can a business classic help academics—including doctoral students—be more productive?

As Stephen Covey's bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, approaches its 30th birthday, we looked at how his advice holds up against contemporary research and expert recommendations.
The results will surprise you.
First, forget "productivity hacks." Those serve as mere band aids if you perpetually struggle to reach goals.
One basic truth emerges from Covey, science, and top gurus: Your success depends less on finding tricks than on cultivating good habits.
Rather than seeking short-term strategies, you need to build a rock-solid foundation for doing your best more through daily practices. (Remember the children's tale of the Three Little Piglets?)
HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE—PLAN, MONITOR & REVIEW DAILY
Being proactive is about taking responsibility for your life, according to Covey.
Do you put off working on your dissertation because you lack hard deadlines?
Once you've navigated the graduate classes and qualifying exams, the external structures that once held you accountable vanish into thin air. You become the master of your time, responsible for inventing your day—which eventually becomes your life and legacy. No one else is going to create your dissertation timeline or write it for you.
What really matters to you?
Being proactive means that you set your priorities and then you plan your schedule accordingly. Thus your first task is to narrow your priorities for the year to no more than five areas of focus, advises Peter Bregman, the top on-line columnist for The Harvard Business Review.
Plan your worktime around the deliverables for those areas, devoting 95% of your time to those five areas. That means saying "yes" to tasks related to your dissertation and at most four other major foci.
Then say "no" to anything you can't fit in the remaining 5% of your workday. Do the math: That adds up to a mere three minutes an hour—not long enough to do email, check Facebook, or shop on Amazon. Relegate those distractors go to your leisure hours.
Here's how Bregman breaks it down in his book 18 Minutes: Take five morning minutes to identify what would make today a success, check in with yourself for one minute at the top of each working hour, and then spend five evening minutes reviewing your day.
Over time, keep your desired balance across your five areas of focus. (For a video summary, click here.)
Besides your dissertation, what other four top areas of focus will you choose? What will you have to delete or delay until after D-day (dissertation defense day)? Remember that your future self will thank you for your hard work and persistence.
HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND—AND PLAN FOR THE OBSTACLES
"Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen," wrote Covey.
A good intention is only half the story. As Aldous Huxley wrote, "Hell isn't merely paved with good intentions, it's walled and roofed with them."
Keep your graduation goal firmly in mind—and then create the steps to get there. Imagine not just the destination, but the very path you will take. As with any worthwhile goal, the path is strewn with obstacles to be overcome. After all, if it were easy, everyone would have a doctorate.
Ignore New Age types who claim all you need is a bucketful of positive affirmations and a tantalizing vision of your goal—and voila!—your dream will come true. Such fantasizing backfires by tricking your brain into thinking you've already accomplished your goal—and then kills your motivation to work.
NYU psychologist Dr. Gabrielle Oettinger has spent over two decades demonstrating that simplistic positive imagery and thinking (whether about getting a job, finding a mate, losing weight, or other) leads to worse outcomes.
To succeed, you need your wish (W), but you also need to state the outcome (O), identify the obstacle (O), and devise a plan (P). Oettinger calls this approach "WOOP" for short, as illustrated here. When you need energy to take relevant action, don't fantasize. Instead, practice flipping from thoughts about your desired goal to what you need to do to get there—and you'll generate the zest for the next step.
Sure, allow yourself to imagine the happy ending to your doctoral journey. Absolutely acknowledge your assets. Then sit down and figure out the path, obstacles and all, between you and the finish line.
(Tip: If looking at the whole path up the mountain gets overwhelming, take your eyes off the summit and focus on your next step.)
HABIT 3: FIRST THINGS FIRST—EVEN WHEN TEMPTATION STRIKES
Putting first things first means doing what you know is in your long-term best interest. Yet how often have you put off writing a difficult section to read another resource, or worse, to check email or bake brownies?

Obstacles have a strange way of making distractions even more tempting. Alas your more primitive brain wants to make things safe and easy for you in the short run. Its strong impulses swamp the signals from your modern executive brain, whose role is to look out for your long-term best interest. Impulses often win out when doing the "right thing" has not become a habit.
Build on the second habit by creating a surprisingly simple form of self-discipline that really works. This strategy shields you for all manner of clever enticements, hidden obstacles, and nasty surprises and keeps you true to your best intentions. Here's how it works: Create an "if-then" plan to deal with potential distractions and saboteurs, such as these:
Build on the second habit by creating a surprisingly simple form of self-discipline that really works. This strategy shields you for all manner of clever enticements, hidden obstacles, and nasty surprises and keeps you true to your best intentions. Here's how it works: Create an "if-then" plan to deal with potential distractions and saboteurs, such as these:
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"If the phone rings while I am working, then I will let voice mail get it."
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"If I am tempted to start baking brownies while working, then I will drink a glass of water."
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"If a little voice inside my head starts whispering my writing stinks and I should just give it up, then I will boot the little devil into outer space, take three deep breaths, and write another sentence!"
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If anything tries to get me off course, then I will take one minute to evaluate the situation and then choose to act in my best interest.
Athletes, dieters, scholars, and countless others have found "if-then" planning works wonders. In fact, those with such plans are usually more than twice as likely to reach their goal compared to those without such plans, according to Heidi Grant Halvorson in Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals.
HABIT 4: THINK WIN-WIN — AND BE GENEROUS TOWARD OTHERS
You are becoming an "independent scholar," yet do not overlook your interdependence with others. Covey's win-win attitude balances consideration for others with courage to be yourself.
Feeling at odds with the IRB or your committee over details? How can you respect their agendas, including their role in upholding your institution's standards while still maintaining ownership of your project? Ditto for balancing your personal priorities with those of families and friends.
Dr. Adam Grant (U Penn Wharton School's youngest-ever tenured professor) documents how going beyond "tit-for-tat" to generosity will get you further ahead. His bestseller Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, documents how good deeds, e.g., introducing others, freely giving resources, and so on, often sow tremendous indirect benefits for the giver.
Your generous gesture today may provide tomorrow's opportunities. Who knows? Maybe that classmate who pesters you for proofreading help now could someday be the editor of your field's top journal!
HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD —AND KEEP A GROWTH MINDSET
Be sure you understand—then try to get your point across, recommends Covey's classic.

Writing a dissertation presents an unparalleled opportunity to hone various professional skills—including how to receive feedback skillfully. For example, before getting huffy or depressed about requested rewrites, keep the big perspective, including an appreciation for your professors' roles as teachers as well as gatekeepers.
In addition to opening yourself to simply listening to others, open yourself up to their influence in ways that stimulate your intellectual and personal growth. Jettison any notions that your intelligence or talents are fixed. Embrace the possibilities for growth.
For example, one way to do this is to reframe criticism of your work. Rather than take feedback as a sign that you are an intellectual fraud, accept it as a chance to improve your writing skills. In your research and writing, instead of aiming to "be good," aim for "getting better," advocates Halvorson.
Keeping a "get better" or "growth mindset" lowers your anxiety and allows you to maintain a more positive attitude—which in turn will broaden your perspective and build your resources for greater success with the next draft.
Find more examples in the highly recommended book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Dr. Carol Dweck (who, not so coincidentally, was Halvorson's dissertation chair).
HABIT 6: SYNERGIZE—COLLABORATE FOR SUCCESS
Synergy refers to creative cooperation, a critical component in Covey's principled approach. Open interaction generates new insights due to intra-group differences.
While you are the sole author of your dissertation, opportunities for synergy still abound. You may discover, for example, that the committee member or a colleague who knows the least about your field asks the most mind-opening questions.
Participants in dissertation writing groups and those with a dissertation buddy consistently report that working with peers offers far more than mere moral support. It also creates the opportunity for synergy when the group includes students with varied backgrounds. The group serves as a veritable talent pool that each member can access for help with theory, methods, writing, and so on.
Sharing feedback in a safe environment also allows each member to develop broader perspectives and enhanced writing and speaking skills that will improve final dissertation content and defense presentation. That means less rewriting and less time until graduation day.
HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW—AND TAKE GENTLE CARE OF YOU
How much time and energy do you invest in caring for your own greatest asset, namely you?
Covey's recommendation for a balanced self-renewal program in the four areas of your life (physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual) gets two thumbs up from positive psychology researchers and practitioners.
Self-care also turns out to influence your ability to self-regulate, the foundation of Habit 3. Without self-control, ever-present distractions—from Internet links to domestic duties—can easily send you down a rabbit hole from which you may not emerge for hours.
Surprisingly, eating well, exercising regularly, sleeping, and meditating can all boost your ability to stick to your plan, according to willpower expert Kelly McGonigal. In other words, taking time out for self-care will make you more productive in the long run.
Spending time in nature, exercising, and connecting with others also contribute to your well-being, according to Covey and scientists. As you weave positive emotions into your day from such activities, you create an upward spiral that enhances productivity and health on multiple dimensions, UNC positive psychologist Barbara Fredrickson has asserted.
"IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PRACTICE"
Which of the above success habits do you most need to cultivate to rev up your work on your dissertation? You may wish to print this, post it, and put a check mark next to one or two that you can focus on for now, then move on to the next.
A caveat is in order: Trying to start multiple habits simultaneously can backfire by overtaxing your willpower reserves, so focus on just one or two at a time. Chart your progress. I invite you to share your experiences with me. Keep in mind these words from Aristotle:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
"It's all about the practice," my coaching colleague Steve Coxsey wisely reminds me. Developing the above seven habits can be a powerful way to finish your dissertation as well as other projects that matter to you—and note that word "develop." A new habit takes time and effort—and these are worth it. Any time you backslide, resist the urge to throw in the towel. Just start again. Rely on supportive friends. Consider getting a coach—they specialize in helping make new habits stick.
"Good habits are worth being fanatical about," asserted John Irving, who may be the only author to have won both the National Book Award (The World According to Garp) and an Academy Award (The Cider House Rules). These seven habits, well supported by research and expert opinion, rank as some of the most important ones you could ever possess, and their value will multiply over time.
With well-aimed persistence, you will become not just a highly effective person, but also a proud doctor in your field.
References/Recommended Reading:.
Covey, Steven. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Dweck, Carol. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Grant, Adam. Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success
Halvorson, Heidi Grant. Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals
McGonigal, Kelly. The Willpower Instinct
Fredrickson, Barbara. Positivity
Weed out bad advisors, boost job prospects, write more, and other dissertation tips | Issue 230
In under 8 minutes, discover how some universities are canning bad advisors and boosting job prospects for their PhDs.
Also find tips for writing more, beating procrastination, unleashing your inner genius, and landing a job in the same city as your sweetheart.

Time to Weed Out Bad Dissertation Chairs
Some professors should never be allowed to supervise a dissertation, as too many ABDs know. They wreak havoc in students' lives without any consequences for themselves. Meanwhile, their competent peers who shepherd doctoral candidates to the finish line in a kindly, timely manner may get little or no credit from their departments.
A group of eight Australian universities has forged a strong stand on the issue of advisor quality. Their assessment procedure weeds out the bad apples while retaining the good ones. Professors get rewarded for timely completions and successful rescues of would-be dropouts and penalized for those who drop out due to dissatisfaction with their supervisor.
Furthermore, these same universities require training and registration of doctoral supervisors. These measures have led to an eight percent increase in timely completions, research finds. Keeping score not only helps students but also allows faculty objective data for their own performance reviews.
When will U.S. institutions take note? Share this with the graduate school dean at your university.
Do We Need PhD Job Fairs?
"Yes!" asserts Leonard Cassuto, frequent Chronicle of Higher Education columnist on graduate education. Universities and colleges routinely plan career fairs that bring employers to campus for undergraduates. Given the dismal academic hiring scene, it's about time they do it for their graduate students as well, he argues.
"For years, faculty and graduate students in most fields disdained work outside the university walls," writes Cassuto, a Fordham professor, which led outsiders to ignore the ivy tower. "We have to forge ties with them now. We can't afford to wait for them to come to us," he concludes.
Read his entire column here—and don't skip the readers' valuable comments. For more, see Cassuto's book, The Graduate School Mess: What Caused It and How We Can Fix It. Better yet, give the Cassuto article and book to your chair and dean. Then start negotiating for a PhD job fair at your institution.

Lean the Secrets of Prolific Academic Writers
Stop struggling to adopt someone else's dissertation writing habits. It's time to be yourself.
Check out Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write. In her new book, award-winning scholar Helen Sword kills the myth of the "one-size-fits-all" model through fascinating interviews with highly productive academic writers. You will be amazed at the diverse ways in which academic writing actually gets done.
An astute observer, Sword identifies four important foundations for the academic writer—behavioral, artisanal, social, and emotional habits. Diagnose your developmental needs with Sword's free assessment here . Struggling to make writing a habit? Master the art of writing? Connect with other writers? Cope with emotions? You can improve.
Fortunately, each chapter includes "things to try" and excellent resources so you can create your own best practices. (By the way, Sword notes that women doctoral candidates are among those who express the most frustration with the writing process.)
For more ways to enhance your verbal fitness, consult her prior books, Stylish Academic Writingand The Writer's Diet. Get immediate feedback on how "flabby or fit" your prose is by entering a sample here.
Conquer Procrastination with 10 Quick Tips
Stop delaying dissertating by implementing science-backed tips from Forbes contributor Vanessa Older.
1. Pick your poison, i.e., focus on just one thing you've put off.
2. Start today—that means now.
3. Try the Five-Minute Miracle: Spend five minutes on it-and notice what happens.
4. Do a Power Hour: Dedicate distraction-free twenty-minute chunks to it.
5. Kill it with kindness: Forgive yourself for past procrastination and get back on the wagon.
Wait—that's only five. Find the next five here.

Stop Dismissing Your Genius Thoughts
Who comes to mind when you think of geniuses? Einstein? Picasso? Tolstoy? Someone in your discipline? What about you?
The only thing standing between you and genius status is your tendency to dismiss the strange or weird ideas that pop in your head—those freaky ideas that scare us—but attract a genius's curiosity.
According to the experts at The School of Life, most of us are afraid of being seen as odd, so we let those brilliant, original thoughts slip away. . . only to be leveraged by someone else.
Why settle for mediocrity when you could be great? Follow the path at YouTube in How To Be a Genius.
How Two ABD (then PhD) Lovebirds Snagged Jobs in Same Location
It's tough enough for one aspiring academic to find a position. Now imagine how much harder it is to find two jobs—and in the same location. That's the challenge for doctoral students who marry another student. When your partner is in the same field and graduating at the same time, well, the odds become miniscule.
That was the case of Chandani Patel and Brady Smith, who finally ended up together in New York City. But that was only after one of them spent four exhausting years in the job market—enduring 30 interviews and six campus visits. Read the happy couple's advice in Inside Higher Ed.
Major takeaway: Don't spend all your time huddled over your dissertation, isolated in your study. Develop various marketable skills. Be prepared to think beyond a tenure-track position. Now that's good advice for any doctoral candidate.

App of the Month: Five Minutes a Day to Enhance Productivity, Positivity
Want more energy and focus to speed you to the finish line? In just five minutes a day, you can find more energy and focus by using a simple journaling app based on positive psychology principles.
By jotting down your gratitudes, affirmations, and uplifting experiences each day, you can keep the productivity and positivity flowing. Gentle daily reminders will help make this a most productive habit. Endorsed by Tim Ferriss and Leo Babuta, the Five-Minute Journal garners top ratings as an app (iOS and android, $4.99) and as a print book ($18.88) available from Amazon.
Use it each morning to identify three good things in your life, three top important outcomes for the day, and your strengths and talents. In the evening, reflect on three amazing experiences and add an inspiring photo. [It's my favorite app after Lexulous, by the way.] Daily notifications help you cultivate the journaling habit that can rewire your brain for success and happiness.
Editor's note: Discover more ways to increase your happiness in the free course, "The Science of Happiness," offered by two Berkeley psychologists via edX, a recognized provider of quality internet-based college courses.
The ABD Ten Commandments | Issue 229
In this issue: Follow the ABD 10 Commandments to get that dissertation out the door faster! [Est. reading time under 5 minutes.]
Need more support? Apply for your own coach. Finish faster and enjoy the ride.

By Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D., P.C.C.
Are you stressed out about finishing your dissertation? Do you spend time beating yourself up over it? Do you waste time you could be writing? Are you lost in the process?
Turn the situation around fast by cultivating ten habits proven to turn dissertation stress into dissertation success. Let's call them the Ten Commandments for ABDs.
You already know the gamut of dissertation self-sabotage, i.e., the thoughts and actions that keep you stuck. Now try the antidotes that will catapult you forward.
These ten prescriptions emerge from my application of positive psychology principles in over a dozen years of coaching all kinds of doctoral students, from educators to historians, from Ivy League colleges to online universities, from Canada to South Africa, from youthful scholars to senior citizens.
You will notice that each commandment offers a positive strategy to counter a negative habit shared by many dissertators. Focus on the ones that resonate with your maladaptive tendencies.
Furthermore, these have all been shown to be universally effective. Solid research and client successes back them up. Test them yourself. Notice how your new habits create an upward spiral of productivity and positivity.
What others might you add? We invite you to share your personal ABD commandments with us by sending to the editor at gayle@mcpcoach.com.
I. THOU SHALT GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO MAKE MISTAKES.
Mistakes are an inevitable part of learning. If you already knew everything, you would not be in school. Don't try to be the perfect writer or researcher. Instead strive to be a good learner.
II. THOU SHALT REMEMBER IT IS JUST A DISSERTATION, NOT YOUR MAGNUM OPUS.
Most dissertations have very small readership. They don't win Nobel Prizes or create world peace. Consider the dissertation experience as necessary practice for the significant work you will do later.
III. THOU SHALT CARE FOR YOUR BODY WITH GOOD SLEEP, NUTRITION, AND EXERCISE.
Your body is the tool that does the work; after all your brain is part of your body. For optimal performance, this magnificent organism requires regular maintenance. Don't try to run on empty.
IV. THOU SHALT TRUST THAT YOU CAN LEARN WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
Everything necessary for finishing your dissertation can be learned. If you got this far, you already have the brains to finish. Now put them to work learning what's left.
V. THOU SHALT BE AWARE THAT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ASK FOR THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THEY NEED.
You don't get to see other folks' entire process, just the final product. No one achieves anything big without input from others. Who could help you rev up your dissertation pace?
VI. THOU SHALT BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITY—MANY ENVY YOU.
Doubt this? Check the news and identify people that would prefer being in your shoes, fretting about lit reviews and methods, rather than trying desperately to survive.
VII. THOU SHALT SAY "YES" TO WHAT TRULY MATTERS TO YOU AND SAY "NO" TO THE REST.
Life is a lot like a buffet meal: You can only fit so much on your plate, so pick carefully. Make "no, thanks, I'm working on my dissertation" your personal mantra.
VIII. THOU SHALT NOT FORGET WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
You committed yourself to this for a reason: What was it? How will you feel if you quit now?
IX. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE EXCUSES.
No one was ever awarded a doctorate for having the best excuse for not finishing. Use your creativity to make progress, not to make rationalizations that no one wants to hear anyway.
X. THOU SHALT MAKE TIME FOR SOME FUN ALONG THE WAY.
Successful people enjoy their work and their hobbies, including music, art, and sports. Positive emotions are the "tiny engines of flourishing," so make room for them. Unnecessary suffering is not a prelude to success.
P.S. Also recognize that finishing your doctorate will not make you a better person—but how you go about it just might.
Break the Dissertation Anxiety-Procrastination Cycle Forever | Issue 228
In this issue: Learn to conquer dissertation anxiety and procrastination forever. Need more support? Apply for your own coach. Finish faster with less angst. [Estimated reading time 5 minutes]
Excerpted from Breaking the Vicious Circle by Tomas Walter
Adapted with permission for the ABD Survival Guide by Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D., Editor

Procrastination has been called the number one problem in academia by researcher Tim Pychyl, Ph.D. Although it appears in various guises, many forms stem from just one common cause. Can you name it?
It's anxiety.
Have you ever felt a sense of doom cloud your dissertation quest? Or experienced fear, nerves, worry, concern, or doubt? Or perhaps, in imagining whatmight happen on the road to your hooding ceremony, you felt a sense of queasiness?
If so, you've suffered from dissertation anxiety.
In dissertators, as in others, anxiety symptoms get triggered by various things—fear of failure, fear of success, perfectionism, unrealistic standards, and so on.
The bad news is that some individuals are especially prone to anxiety—and thus to procrastination. Are you one of them? If so, read on to understand how it provokes suffering and delay and how you can overcome it.
Why You Procrastinate
Anxiety-prone individuals are more likely to be burdened by irrational assumptions—unfounded beliefs that instigate the pernicious anxiety-procrastination cycle. For example, a doctoral candidate may worry that his advisor will read his chapter drafts and conclude that he is totally unfit for the program (although the advisor has never communicated anything of the sort). So he finds excuses to put off writing or sending the advisor any drafts.
Another might be afraid of failing to live up to her own performance—and thus constantly invents shallow excuses to delay dissertating.
These and other procrastinating ABDs make the common mistake of attempting to cope with dissertation anxiety through procrastination. However, it turns out to be undeniably ineffective as the unfinished dissertation continues to generate feelings of dread and/or shame, creating yet more emotional and productivity drag.
An effective solution requires understanding three common mental habits that underlie anxiety-provoked procrastination behaviors: (1) low frustration tolerance, (2) catastrophizing, and (3) an excessive need for control.
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Low Frustration Tolerance: "I can't take this anymore!"
Forced out of their comfort zone by the task at hand, anxiety-prone students may balk at putting in the necessary effort. By embracing the "I can't take it anymore" mentality, they suspend any activity related to their project, thereby finding relief, albeit temporary, from any dissertation-associated anxiety.
While this behavior may resemble a childish tantrum, we should not be too quick to judge ourselves or others. Called "low frustration tolerance" by experts, this tendency reflects an unwillingness to tolerate even the smallest amount of distress—which is as inevitable on the dissertation journey as it is on any path to meaningful success.

This hedonistic attitude explains why some people quit working the minute they encounter an obstacle, thinking, "I can't do this! It's too hard!" This mindset may also elicit angry outbursts, high distress levels, and considerable restlessness.
How can you overcome low frustration tolerance?
First, acknowledge that frustration is a normal reaction when one's programmed need for short-term rewards is not met. Remember you are now an adult. You can combat the urge to throw a hissy fit by committing to developing an increased frustration tolerance in return for the greater rewards of reaching your goal of becoming a doctor. Accept that the only route to a doctorate involves some uncomfortable feelings.

Next, pay close attention to how you talk to yourself, especially just as you are tempted to give up in frustration. Notice the negative self-talk that convinces you to stop dissertating (even if you've only been working for ten minutes).
Becoming mindful of the procrastination-inducing thoughts allows you to acknowledge them—and then let them go.
You do not have to obey every thought that arises! Strive to talk to yourself as you would to a struggling friend, i.e., with gentleness and kindness.
You may wish to try this simple, proven strategy: (1) Write down the negative thoughts (e.g., "I hate this," "This is exhausting," "I'm not cut out for this") that break your work flow. (2) Challenge these irrational, self-sabotaging assumptions by asking: How does this belief help me? (3) Now write down constructive steps you can take in your own, long-term self-interest.
Notice how this transforms your angst into progress by leveraging disruptive negative thoughts. No longer a reason to delay, they serve as prompts to resume your dissertation. Here's an example:
"My inner critic says my writing sucks. That belief does not help me finish and makes me want to quit—hardly a helpful thought. Instead, I will immediately focus on the current page and write three more paragraphs. I can defer editing until later."
In other words, feel the frustration and dissertate anyway.
The choice is yours: You can either tolerate the standard amount of tension associated with any unpleasant but necessary activity for your dissertation, or you can choose to "rage quit" whenever you find the frustration "unbearable."
EXERCISE: BECOME MINDFUL OF PROCRASTINATION TRIGGERS
The next time you feel tempted to procrastinate, stop and sit still while remaining comfortable yet alert.
Read the following questions, then close your eyes and answer them.
• What thoughts are going through your mind right now? Are they trying to convince you to put aside your dissertation and do something easier or more fun? Acknowledge them without criticism or trying to change them.
• What emotions are you experiencing? Do you feel anxious, frustrated, tense, bored, or other? Again, notice them without trying to change anything.
• What bodily sensations are there? As above, just notice.
Now open your eyes and decide what you will do in your own long-term best interest. Write down your intention.
Catastrophizing: Making Mountains out of Molehills
Anxious people catastrophize a lot. For such an ABD, even the smallest disruption (e.g., not having a needed reference on hand) can quickly erupt into crisis—and a justification to put off dissertating. They further exacerbate their anxiety by often saddling themselves impossible, self-imposed standards.
By making mountains out of molehills, these anxious folks convert even small hassles or obstacles into dramatic, even tragic, events that allow them to rationalize delays. As victims of some awful situation, they feel entitled to discontinue working.
Probably the saddest part here is that these procrastinators often fail to realize how ridiculous and exaggerated their excuses sound to others. They believe their self-fabricated catastrophic interpretations and refuse to take responsibility for their procrastination.
How can you stop catastrophizing?
One good way is to imagine the worst thing that could happen. . . and then something even worse than that. For Albert Ellis, founder of Rational Emotive Therapy, it was "to slowly die by being cut to pieces with a sharp blade." He then realized that the pain intensity would depend on a variety of factors. Thus any injury he imagined could be worse. Similarly, any harm you might imagine could be made more severe.
As you can see, the worst thing has not happened and will not happen. That missing so-called critical resource need not stymie you. When you realize that a situation is only as catastrophic as you interpret it, you'll be able to unmask procrastination tendencies and get back on track to your goal.
The Excessive Need for Control: A Hyper-Focus on the Negatives
Experts warn that an excessive desire to control every aspect of our life can lead to procrastination tendencies. Those who obsess over gaining full control develop a hyper-focus on the negatives. For them, apotential adverse outcome represents not merely an unpleasant possibility but a serious threat to their integrity, performance, status, or similar concept.
You could spend time and energy envisioning an infinite number of ways in which your dissertation proposal and research might fail—and waste undue effort attempting to devise a plan to forestall every catastrophic scenario. There's a downside to this: You'll lose your peace of mind and push back your graduation date.
How can you get over your obsession for control?

The hard truth about life is that none of us can always have full control over our behavior or our outcomes. There are simply too many other influencing factors.
This, however, is no reason to admit defeat and retreat from challenges that give life meaning. Sometimes being average and having less-than-perfect results is the best you can do under the given circumstances—and that is perfectly okay. Remind yourself that very few successful doctoral candidates turned in a masterpiece.
Whenever you find yourself dwelling on potential disaster, stop immediately. Invite your brain to get off its default negative neural pathways and start retraining it. Do this by intentionally searching for at least three potential positive outcomes from doing your work. You'll discover that not having 100% control over your life or work does not portend disaster. Everything will not fall apart.
Final tip: Print this and post it where you will see it the next time you are tempted to procrastinate. We bet you will get back on track and finish your dissertation sooner. If you need intensive help with procrastination, consult a coach or therapist.
MORE PROCRASTINATION RESOURCES
Pychyl, Timothy A. Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change
Find Ben Dean's free in-depth interview with Dr. Pychyl here.
Urban, Tim. Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator (TED talk)
Walter, Tomas. Breaking the Vicious Circle: How to Beat Procrastination, Skyrocket Your Productivity, and Finally Get Things Done
Skip Format Hassles and Enjoy Dumb Dissertations and Summer ABD Novels | Issue 227
In under seven minutes find out how to save dissertation formatting headaches, avoid tempting websites, get the resource you need most, and laugh. Summer bonus: ABD novels for light reading.
Need more? Apply for your own coach and finish faster with more fun.

STOP WASTING VALUABLE TIME FORMATTING YOUR DISSERTATION
Graduate students who grumble about the intricacies of APA or MLA formatting for their manuscripts haven't heard about formatting software for academic papers. For less than the price of a few edited pages, you can download PERRLA for Windows or MAC to take care of those pesky details. Highly recommended by our dissertation clients, it can be found at perrla.com.
Note: We invite you to share your favorite dissertation apps and software. Send to the Editor gayle@mcpcoach.com.
STAY FOCUSED: AUTO BLOCK WEB DISTRACTIONS
If social media, gaming, or other websites are sucking your work time, it's time to install Blocksite, a Google Chrome browser extension that will deny your device access to your designated list of distracting sites. The block can be 24:7, or you can set up your own schedule for each day of the week.
When you try to access one of your taboo sites, Blocksite immediately redirects you by default to the Google home page, but you can boost your productivity by changing it to your dissertation task page. What—no task page? Set one up using the highly rated GTask or similar list app.

WHAT ABDS MOST NEED TO FINISH MAY SURPRISE YOU
Why does progress on your dissertation elude you? Most of us invent intellectual, dramatic, or existential explanations. In contrast, the highly acclaimed London-based School of Life offers a memorable, fact-based answer in under three minutes in their video, Why You Need an Early Night.
To muster the resilience and courage for surmounting daily hurdles, you need more sleep, it explains. So turn off your devices and hit the hay. (Pssst: Don't miss their other entertaining, well-founded self-help video advice, e.g., How Not to Rant, The Importance of Flattery, Why Tiny Things about Our Partners Drive Us Mad, etc. Who knew wisdom could be distilled into such short takes?)
HOW DUMB IS YOUR DISSERTATION? CHECK THESE OUT
Energize yourself with some laughter by checking out tickld.com's twist on the dissertation elevator pitch. Can you top these?
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People sometimes think about animals as if they're people. People like those animals a little more than regular animals. Except when they don't. I can't believe they gave me a PhD. ~ too_many_mangos
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We can take random pieces of bacterial DNA from beaver poop and put them into other bacteria to discover new things, like how to break wood down into biofuels. Yes, I had to dissect dead beavers and handle their poop. ~ Geneius
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Sand washes away, don't build important stuff on it. ~ Zoidy
Read the rest here, then write your own—but we suggest you refrain from sharing with funding sources.

YOUR SUMMER READING: ABD ROMANCE AND MYSTERY
Relax in the hammock or beach chair with the adventures of two fictional doctoral students whose challenges just might outweigh yours.
ABD: An Academic Mystery by Shirley Kirilenko. When Jan McCann, a PhD student in German at Willwood, responds to her dissertation advisor's urgent call by rushing to his office, she finds him dead. The coroner blames strychnine in the Mozartkugel Jan had given him. Jan realizes she's been framed—but how will she prove her innocence and finish her degree before time runs out?
The Academic Bride: Billionaire Marriage Brokers, Book One by Lucy McConnell. When anthropology doctoral student Janel Fendrick loses the funding for her Mayan excavation, a marriage broker offers her a surprising proposal—and a groom with oodles of money. Will Janel get more than she bargained for? Find out for free here on Amazon Kindle.
Finish Your Dissertation in Two Awesome Hours | Issue 226
How did it get so late so soon? - Doctor Suess

By Gayle Scroggs, PhD, PCC
Are you struggling to finish your dissertation?
Abandon ideas for marathon sessions that wreak havoc with the rest of your commitments. That's a surefire way to burn yourself out before you hit "send." That kind of hasty work will probably not pass muster with your advisor so you'll end up doing extra rewrites later.
You can do it right the first time and at a sustainable pace. How?
First, you need to find your two peak hours for mental work each day—and then protect them. Don't waste them on emails or routine tasks—invest those two hours in dissertation writing. Even if you can't do this every single day, follow the practice explained below on your dissertation days.
This advice follows in Two Awesome Hours: Science-Based Strategies to Harness Your Best Time and Get Your Most Important Work Done. As research director at New York's NeuroLeadership Institute, author Josh Davis, Ph.D., buttresses his recommendations with plenty of brain science.
"Every day is a battle of priorities," Davis observes. Every task saps mental energy—and some are very draining. That means you can't bring your A game to every task. But you can carve out a couple of awesome hours of productivity by choosing which tasks most merit your best mental energy.
In short, you've got to get more strategic about where you invest your mental energy. You already know it's smart to be intentional about how you spend your money. But are you being intentional about how you spend the 24 hours you have each day?
To set up the right conditions, it helps first to understand what kinds of tasks drain your brain.
I've got some bad news for you: Exercising willpower sucks your brain's energy. When you resist the blueberry muffin while ordering your latte or pointedly ignore your iPhone ping, you are exercising self-control. "Engaging in self-control tends to wear out our self-control," Davis notes.

Willpower often acts like a muscle—a metaphor offered by researcher Roy Baumeister, Ph.D.: It gets depleted with use and replenished with rest, e.g., a good night's sleep.
Consider all the ways in which you exercise willpower in a single day: sticking to your diet, holding your tongue when angry, forcing yourself to pay attention when bored, resisting an impulse buy at the checkout counter, and so on. Any time you force yourself to do something you do not want to do or force yourself to refrain from doing something you want to do, you're burning up mental energy.
Why does this matter to a dissertation writer?
Surprisingly, it turns out that willpower draws on the same mental energy reservoir you need for doing heavy cognitive lifting—for evaluating, analyzing, synthesizing, hypothesizing, and all those other clever things a dissertating mind must do. Hard thinking and self-control behaviors are all powered by the executive function areas of your cerebral cortex.
Alas, it turns out that willpower is not the only mental energy thief. There's a much more insidious one that most of us underrate.
How Decisions Can Stall Your Dissertation
Cornell researchers found that people think they make about 15 food-related decisions daily when the real number is more like 200. Internet sources claim the average adult makes about 35,000 decisions per day. Choice can be a good thing—but there is a cost involved.
Just making simple, everyday decisions—about food or anything else—drains your mental resources, making it harder to do your best work.
Chances are that you underestimate how much of your daily supply of mental energy goes to making typical decisions, e.g., what to wear, what to eat, what to do, when to do it, how to say something, who to spend time with, etc. Checking your email has the potential to sap oodles of your precious reserves as you decide whether and how to respond, whether to archive or delete, and so on.
How much of that energy would be better invested in finishing your doctorate?
Avoid the Mental Energy Vampires
You can begin to identify the tasks that drain your energy by noting how spent you feel after various activities. The energy toll for any given task varies from person to person.
For example, if you can proofread on autopilot, that means you are not using energy as much as someone who needs to pay special attention. [Personally, I print my written work and read it aloud to catch missing or repeated words due to repeated editing tweaks. I need a break afterward!]
Davis cites these as examples of common activities that can cause mental fatigue: task-switching, networking, small talk, sitting still for hours, making cold calls, identifying errors and correcting them, planning or scheduling projects, and keeping track of deadlines.
While you can't avoid such tasks, you can choose when to do them. Keep in mind the muscle metaphor: Don't strain your willpower or executive functions with overuse.

Become a Good Steward of Your Mental Energy
Applying Davis's approach to productivity, I offer you these four tips for avoiding mental fatigue to create the two awesome hours for writing your dissertation:
1. Do your dissertation work first thing in the morning. That means before your best energy has been depleted by exercising willpower and making decisions. No checking your email or any media first!
2. Categorize the tasks on your daily To Do list as "important decisions, creative," or "other." Schedule your non-peak time (after lunch? before dinner?) for the "other" tasks.
3. Limit your email time to one hour each afternoon. Then reflect on whether this change improved your ability to focus on your dissertation and other important tasks.
4. Make some decisions the night before a big day. Going to defend your proposal? Meet with your chair? Whatever the occasion, you can save some energy for the really important stuff by choosing what to wear, planning your meals, or laying out your agenda before hitting the hay.
First Aid for a Fatigued Mind
If you need a quick recharge, Davis suggests three ways to get back on track:
1. Breathe deeply and slowly.
2. Have a good laugh. [I watch a silly cat or baby YouTube video.]
3. Take a 10-minute nap.
When you invest your time mindfully, you avoid the perils of autopilot. By devoting two peak hours of brain time each day to your dissertation, you will assure yourself of that awesome degree you want.
Recommended Reading:
Josh Davis, Ph.D.
How doctoral students can find more time, snag jobs, write more, and rap more on the way to their PhD | Issue 225
In less than 8 minutes, discover how to find more time, snag a non-academic job, blast past writer's block, and decipher the proposal process. . . plus get updated on activism in dissertations, campuses, and the streets.
Need more? We are here for you—apply for your own coach if you want to finish faster and enjoy the ride.

HOW TO FIND MORE TIME: APPLY THE FIVE D'S STRATEGY TO GET YOUR PH.D.
Think you don't have enough time to dissertate? Think again—but this time using the 5 D's. This update on the traditional 4-D time management model quickly shrinks a ginormous To Do list to more manageable size. Get out your academic and personal action lists and review each item. Decide which of these five D's you could best apply to create more time for your dissertation: Do, Delete, Delegate, Defer, or Diminish (the newest addition to the model).
Dyan Williams in her top-notch post describes and illustrates each "D" option. She also makes astute observations on how perfectionism, people-pleasing, and overachieving can get in the way of managing time effectively.
Editor's note: My ABD clients find it helpful to post the 5D list in a handy spot for applying to new tasks as they come up. Can you diminish the time spent on preparing lessons or meals? What about delegating formatting or laundry to paid services? What can you stop doing or postpone until after you finish? For peace of mind, keep deferred items in folders marked "Incubating" or "Someday/Maybe" and review these monthly.
CONSIDERING A NON-ACADEMIC JOB? BETTER READ THIS FIRST
Sarah Pike planned to teach college writing, earning a BA in communications and an MA in rhetoric along the way. But then she pushed the pause button while working on her doctorate to pursue unrelated jobs. Now she works in marketing—by choice—and shares her story plus tips in her post for The Muse, a resource-filled career website.
Pike clearly describes various transferrable skills from academia that you probably share but may not yet have identified. Follow her lead to create your own resume that will land you a decent job that you previously had no hopes of snagging. Here are just a few of the highly desirable skills you likely possess: doing research, public speaking, teaching, mentoring, planning events, increasing audience engagement, representing a brand in public settings, etc.
Don't forget, she stresses, to tailor each resume to the particulars of the job under consideration and to use your cover letter as a persuasive essay to make the case that your qualifications are highly relevant.
12 SIMPLE WAYS TO CONQUER WRITER'S BLOCK
The next time a blank page paralyzes you as you sit down to dissertate, try one of the twelve tips offered by Dora Farkas's blog post for Next Scientist, a website dedicated to helping PhD students stay motivated, graduate, and find a job in industry.
To get going, she recommends a writing support group, writing daily, writing first, writing about any aspect of your research, writing about the big picture, and writing an outline, among other things. You can read the complete annotated list here.
Editor's note: If none of those strategies work, consider getting your own coach.

HOW MANY RAP SONGS DOES IT TAKE TO GET A PH.D.?
The answer is 34.
We know this because A. D. Carson made history at Clemson in February by successfully defending his dissertation—a 34-track rap album titled "Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics of Rhymes & Revolutions." His unusual dissertation explored racism, the rap community, and aspects of black lives through music and video.
A seasoned campus activist, Carson earned his degree from the department of rhetoric, communication, and information design, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education. "I realized that there were lots of people who were in attendance at the defense who were moved by the messages, the music, and the engagement in ways that I hadn't considered," Carson told CHE.
"The project, which has already been referenced publicly by such leading scholars in popular music culture as Mark Anthony Neal, explores complicated questions related to the art, criticism and knowledge production in the context of the ongoing problem of global racial and class hierarchies within and beyond the academy," his mentor and former hip-hop musician, Chenjerai Kumanyika commented to the Clemson Newsstand.
Who said academics had to be dull or irrelevant? Experience part of his work here and here on YouTube. The latter garnered more than 10,000 views and sparked community dialogue at Clemson—situated on a former plantation worked by slaves. Bravo, Dr. Carson!
FOR BEGINNING DISSERTATORS: A SIMPLE ROAD MAP TO YOUR PROPOSAL
Getting a dissertation underway can be a daunting task, but www.scribber.com makes it easier with a very simple roadmap. They offer the skinny on choosing a topic, writing a problem statement, and structuring your proposal. You can check for plagiarism and generate APA-style references for free at their site, though other services come with a fee.
Also check with your own university—they may offer roadmaps, tutorials, and timeline templates. You can also take a look at our most recent issue, "Want To Get Your Research Question Approved Fast?" in the Recent Issues section at www.abdsurvivalguide.com.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: STREET ACTION AND NEGOTIATING DELAYS
Earth Day dawned gray and rainy but scientists, graduate students, and folks ready to aid and abet science turned out in force in Washington, D.C., and other major cities for the March for Science, reported the Washington Post.
Thousands marched in support of politics-free scientific investigation, more research funding, and an affirmation of the value of science, countering the anti-science voices in the current administration and Congress
Meanwhile, inaction has become the order of the day at Yale, where administrators have delayed negotiating terms with new graduate student teacher unions. Some of the unionizers claim that the college is stalling in the hope that Trump's eventual nominees to the National Labor Relations Board will quash the emerging graduate student unionization attempts, reports the CT Mirror. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports a similar situation at Harvard.
How are politics affecting you as a grad student? Let us know.
Want Your Research Questions Approved Fast? | Issue 224
Follow expert guidance on how to--and how not to--write a rock solid research question that will speed you to your doctorate. Need other dissertation advice? It’s in here! (Reading time: 6.5 minutes)

Dear ABD Survival Guide Reader,
Are you wandering about in the dissertation wilderness, anxious for clear signposts to the finish line? You would be well advised to consult a guidebook and map to get on track.
Joanne Broder Sumerson, Ph.D., is a particularly apt guide as she has shepherded countless students to a completed doctorate in her role as a research professor at St. Joseph's in Philadelphia. Her book, Finish Your Dissertation, Don't Let It Finish You!, serves as a trusted, step-by-step travel guide for doctoral researchers in the behavioral and social sciences with its exceptionally clear style and organization.
Some notable and unique sections of the book that you will find particularly helpful in speeding you to your degree include these:
• The "Anatomy of a Dissertation" table—personalize it to create your own outline and timeline
• A template to extract just the "juice" from articles you are reading—avoid overwhelm from "too much information" while getting a jump on your lit review
• How to survive the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process
• Chart on data collection strategies to help you through that maze
• A sample dissertation defense rubric that demystifies what your committee will evaluate at your defense so you can be well prepared
• Ideas for leveraging your dissertation later through presenting, publishing, or consulting
Dr. Broder Sumerson has particularly clear advice for those facing one of the most common early hurdles on the journey, namely, crafting your research question. With permission, we have excerpted her section about how to create a rock solid one that will guide you and get committee approval.
Wishing you beautiful questions and a speedy journey,
Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D., P.C.C.
Editor
"There are no right answers to wrong questions." - Ursula K. Le Guin
FEATURE ARTICLE: The Right—and Wrong—Way to Write a Rock Solid Dissertation Research Question
By Joanne Broder Sumerson, Ph.D.
Research Professor, St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia
[Excerpted with permission from Finish Your Dissertation, Don't Let It Finish You!]
The purpose of any research study is to answer the research questions so they must be clear, concise, measurable, and 100% blessed by the Committee.
The research questions need to be on the radar at all times since they drive the entire study. The literature review and methodology are directly linked to the research questions. The literature review includes the theoretical models and empirical data that either support or challenge the variables and how they will be measured. The methodology is created with the leading question: "What is the best way to answer these research questions?"
The research questions serve as the study's solid and sturdy foundation. Similar to a house with a weak foundation, the research questions need to be strong or the study will collapse. You would not want to build a school on top of a base shaped for a house, so every part of the study needs to be directly linked to the research questions.
The five chapters tell the long and drawn-out story about the study. Research questions and hypotheses typically do not appear until the Methodology chapter; therefore, create the research questions first and design the study around answering those questions. The research questions need to be worded clearly and precisely or quality of the study and final write-up will not be clear.
Strong, solid and precise research questions are—
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Written concisely with as few words as possible.
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Clear so that the readers know what the data attempt to answer.
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Open-ended and rich, beginning with what or how and written so that they lead to unguided responses, even with quantitative data. Closed-ended questions that start with do or is can be answered by yes/no, are limited, and lack rigor.
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Nonbiased and nondirectional; save your opinion for the hypothesis.
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Contains words such as influence, contribute, impact, relate, and compare.
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Avoid words such as cause, effect, or any presumptuous words (this is one of the understood rules in psychology). People are not predictable like machines.
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Created for each variable.
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Directly linked to the statistics used for the data analysis in order to answer the research question. . . . Write simple questions if you plan to use simple statistics; the more complex the question the harder the statistic.
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100% blessed by each committee member.
Following are examples of strong research question stems as well as bad and good research questions. Remember that when more variables are added, a higher-level statistic will need to be applied for the analyses. These questions will be simple for the sake of the example.
Examples of Strong Research Question Stems
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How does _____ influence _____?
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What is the relationship between ____ and _____?
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How does _____ compare to _____ in _____?
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What are the trends in _____ since _____?
Examples of Bad Research Questions
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How does Facebook impact relationships?
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Which alcohol treatment group (full intervention, partial intervention, no intervention) is the best?
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Do pets help with depression?
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What happens when you mix personality, motivation, learning strategies, and the SAT with grades?
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Do Millennials post more often on Facebook and Twitter than Baby Boomers?
Examples of Good Research Questions
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How does the number of Facebook postings per day impact relationship fidelity rate?
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How do the alcohol treatment groups (full intervention, partial intervention, no intervention) compare in their sobriety rates?
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What is the relationship between pet ownership (pet owners and non-pet owners) and depression levels?
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How do personality traits, motivation levels, the use of learning strategies, and SAT score relate to academic achievement as measured by GPA?
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How do generation groups compare in the number of Facebook and Twitter posts per day?
Good research questions clearly and specifically tell us what we want to know. They will keep us focused as we conduct our study, do the research, and write the five chapters.

Joanne Broder Sumerson, Ph.D., is an affiliate research professor at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, a seasoned researcher, program evaluator, thesis advisor, consultant, and past Research Review Committee Chair. She has created the Psychology Today blog Research Notes and cofounded the new APA journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture, featuring empirically based articles on how popular culture and general media influence individual, group, and system behavior. Dr. Broder Sumerson is very passionate and committed to bridging the gap between research and practice and serves as a consultant to a variety of public and private organizations.
Sleep Your Way to Your Doctorate | Issue 223
Dissertating while sleepless leads to procrastination, moodiness, and other undesirable effects. You are probably sleep deprived—learn the symptoms and the best proven strategies for getting more zzzz's. (Hint: Coffee is not on the list.)
Estimated reading time: Under 5 minutes if you are wide awake.

Want to Finish Your Dissertation? Then Go to Bed!
By Gayle Scroggs, PhD, PCC
"Sleep less, achieve less." ~ Tom Rath
Do you go to bed when you want to—but get up when you have to? Then keep reading.
Okay, you are like most people. However, it also suggests you are less likely to finish your dissertation when you hope to.
The reason? Sleep deprivation.
Over the last generation, cultural factors have provoked a major shift in sleep patterns. Nearly everyone fails to get enough sleep. The average adult gets about six hours of sleep instead of the seven to nine hours needed for optimal functioning. Some people claim not to need much sleep, but most of these "are just used to being sleep deprived," says Professor Steven Shaw at McGill University. "Cognitive inefficiency is normal for them." They don't know what they are missing, he adds.
Sleeplessness Can Lead to Death, Destruction, and Delays
Sleep scientists have been sounding the alarm. For example, investigators concluded that sleep deprivation played a significant role in the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown, in the Exxon Valdez oil tanker grounding, and in the space shuttle Challenger explosion. Furthermore, over one million injuries and between 50,000 and 100,000 deaths each year result from preventable medical errors—many caused by interns whose schedules prevent adequate sleep. Drowsy drivers cause approximately 1 million crashes, 500,000 injuries, and 8,000 deaths each year in the U.S., making driving while sleepless as dangerous as drunk driving.
If you don't finish your dissertation on time, no one will die and nothing will explode—but you will be jeopardizing your own health and future. The evidence is clear: Performance deteriorates if you short yourself on sleep. It also leads to weight gain, lethargy, high blood pressure, poor response to stress, and uneven blood sugar regulation. Shaw gets blunt: "Sleep deprivation is bad."
7 Signs that You Need More Sleep
With inadequate sleep, cognitive performance and self-management worsen. Being mildly but chronically sleep deprived makes you more susceptible to stress, cravings, and temptation, writes Gallup strengths expert Tom Rath.
How many of these symptoms of sleep deprivation have you experienced lately?
• Poor attention
• Diminished ability to think effectively
• Impaired working memory and short-term memory
• Easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli
• Procrastination
• Weak resistance against temptations
• Greater difficulty in regulating your moods
Conclusion: Don't expect to do your best work if tired. You'll be challenged to do even "good enough" work.
How To Get More Zzz's
Now that you understand the importance of getting those seven-plus hours of sleep, how can you make it a habit?
1. Consider your sleep time sacred. Don't cut into it when you find yourself getting busy. Eliminate or shorten something else—say, television or social media. I'm surprised by how many doctoral students tell me they switch on the TV to relax after a long day—but admit that it only makes them groggy. You'd be better off skipping TV and getting to bed on time if you really want to re-energize yourself.
2. Figure out your bedtime. Find out what time you need to hit the hay in order to get up on time and then plan backward from your designated bedtime to create your unique bedtime routine. Allow yourself an hour or more to wind down. Avoid digital devices and televisions during this time—except to set an alarm to remind you to start getting ready for bed.

3. Create a personal bedtime routine that promotes sleepiness. Some things you may want to do to promote sleep: taking a warm bath or shower, meditating or quiet reading, turning down the heat, darkening the room. Some things to avoid: eating, exercising, TVs, digital devices. Download a screen darkening app, e.g., Twilight, if you are going to work on your computer or tablet—and then turn the device off at least an hour before bedtime. Keep in mind that yellow lights will stimulate wakefulness while blue lights do not. Did you know that caffeine has a half-life of six to nine hours and interferes with sensors that detect sleep need? Enjoy your morning joe and then abstain. Alternatives: Warm milk, which contains tryptophan, a sleep-inducing amino acid, and specially formulated herbal teas, e.g., Celestial Seasoning's Sleepytime Extra, or my personal favorite, Yogi BedtimeTea. [Both teas contain valerian and are for adults only.]
Note: If you wake up in the middle of the night, do not turn on your PC or TV—repeat your bedtime routine and get back in bed. This will train your brain to go to sleep.
4. Keep your bed and bedroom just for sleeping. Never use your bed for TV or studying. That way your bedroom and bed become conditioned stimuli that trigger sleepiness. Listen to a guided relaxation or nighttime meditation if desired, but no watching YouTube or Netflix or anything else. Avoid falling asleep on the sofa—get yourself into that bed.
5. Allow yourself to wake up naturally. Hitting the snooze button is counterproductive, Rath notes, as any further sleep is of poor quality at best. One complete sleep cycle is about 90 minutes—and interrupting it with an alarm can make you groggy for hours. Keep moving your bedtime back until you can walk up naturally, ready for your day. Then stick to those times as two bookends to your sleep module.
6. Consider what you are saying "yes" to instead of sleep. Ask yourself if this activity is worth delaying your dissertation. Then see if you can cut back on whatever is keeping you up or move it to another time slot in your day.
Taking your sleep seriously is part of taking your health and success seriously. How much do you want that doctorate? Then go to bed and wake up ready to be awesome!
13 Things You Must Give Up to Finish Your Dissertation | Issue 222
In Issue #222: Overcome the winter doldrums. Renew your energy and focus for your dissertation. Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
• Two Movies to Inspire Your Perseverance
• 13 Things You Must Give Up to Get Your Doctorate
• Become a "Slow Graduate Student"
• Featured Apps for Focus and Fun

These Oscar-Nominated Films Will Inspire Your Perseverance
Time to take a break from writing your dissertation? Let these two Best Picture nominees educate, entertain, and re-energize you. Then take a break from dissertating to watch the Oscars February 26. Warning: spoiler alerts follow.
Hidden Figures. Until the book and the movie Hidden Figures, who knew about women's crucial role in the success of the early US space program? In this historical film, three brilliant African-American women serve in a predominantly white male NASA, demonstrating passion and persistence in the face of pervasive racism and sexism.
With uncommon camaraderie, savvy and grace, these ground-breaking women brave challenge after challenge before receiving deserved acknowledgement from supervisors, peers, and astronauts. Their stories inspired a previous Oscar winner, Pharrell Williams, who contributed eight new songs for this top grossing film.
The film's afterward provides an update: Katherine Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson), the human calculator for the first manned space flight trajectory, was presented with the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015. Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) became NASA's first black woman engineer, and Dorothy Vaughan (Olivia Spenser) became NASA's first African American manager.
La La Land. Nominated for 14 Oscars, this neo-musical provides offers a charming escape with plenty of music and dancing to lift one's spirits. As the sweet romance between jazz pianist and would-be club owner Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone) builds, they hold steadfast to their dreams—despite financial woes, doubting relatives, and perverse occupational gate-keepers. (Sound familiar?)
However, there's one critical element you won't witness but should know about: The actors dedicated three months to intensive pre-production dance and music rehearsals. For example, Gosling—a stranger to jazz piano before the film—exhibits an on-screen jazz piano virtuosity that may make you wonder who is really playing. It is indeed Gosling, who hit those keys three hours a day for three months before shooting. "It was a lot of practicing, but it was well worth it," he says.
Moral of the story? In life as in art, passion and persistence pay off in the end: Gosling and Stone garnered Oscar nominations, and their characters found fame and fortune.
Just for fun: Imagine making a film of your doctoral journey: Would your doctoral movie be more like Hidden Figures or La La Land? Would it be a drama, comedy, or other? Who would play you? Write your story line, build up to the successful climax—you at the hooding ceremony.

13 Things You Must Give Up to Finish Your Dissertation
"Somebody once told me the definition of hell: 'On your last day on earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become.' —Anonymous"
So begins "13 Things You Must Give Up to Be Successful," a Medium" post that quickly went viral that we think applies to many doctoral students. In a tone both direct and unsparing, author Zdravko Cvijetic asserts that to make it, you need to ditch several common (and comfortable) habits of mind and behavior. Which of these are you hanging on to?
• An unhealthy lifestyle, a short-term mindset, playing small
• Your excuses, believing in a "magic bullet," perfectionism, multi-tasking
• Your need to control everything, saying "yes" to things that don't support your goal
• Toxic people, your need to be liked, escaping to social media and television
If these are costing you progress on your doctoral degree, resolve to overcome them and finish.
Tip: Struggling to give these up? Find a support group or dissertation coach since social support and accountability make all the difference in creating lasting change.
Become a Slow Graduate Student: More Otter and Less Beaver
Remember the "Slow Food" movement that took aim at the harm speed wreaks on our world and well-being? Now welcome the "Slow Academics" movement.
In her blog, Stanford graduate educator Chris Golde applies the principles of Berg and Seeber's The Slow Professor to graduate students. Slow academics value mindful doing, collegiality, and community. They prize reflection and depth over speed. They appreciate that trying to do more and more, faster and faster, impairs creativity and well-being.
For graduate students ready to slow the pace, she recommends these four practices:
• Do less. You cannot possibly do it all—take classes, teach, do research, write papers and proposals, study, attend seminars, participate in side projects, etc. Make peace with your limitations. Ditch perfectionism. Use newly found time to do nothing.
• Make Space to Be. Reserve unstructured time every week. Overplanning is overwhelming. Create your personal To Be list for the nonacademic stuff that makes you fully human, e.g., taking a walk, socializing, enjoying music or nature, playing, breathing, praying, daydreaming, and even thinking.
• Avoid the Overbusy Role. Avoid trying to impress others with the usual busy talk: "I am so behind, overworked, stressed out." Drop the "beaver narrative" in favor of the "otter narrative." While the former creatures are always crazy busy, the latter make room for play—working only as necessary.
• Cultivate Community. You need unstructured time to be with others—for making connections with others and discussing ideas. Communities provide support for risk-taking honesty about challenges and failures. Find a comfortable coffee lounge, show up reliably, and notice how a Slow Academic community takes root.
Slowing down means resisting ingrained American cultural values of work and busyness, Golde observes, so expect it to be challenging. And yes, it is okay to start slowly.

Featured Apps: Stay Focused, Stay Present, Have Fun
WATCH YOUR FOREST GROW: Addicted to your smart phone? The Forest app trains you to keep off your devices and stay engaged in the real world, be it dissertating or another activity. If you've been conditioned to jump at every ping, simply install the free Forest app and set the length of time you plan to spend phone-free.
With each use, the app plants a "seed" on your screen which begins to grow into mature tree or bush—so long as you don't give in. Otherwise your dear little plant withers and dies. Over time, you can populate a whole forest and have fun comparing your progress to users around the globe. [I just earned three adorable little trees while writing this on my laptop, phone free.—GS]
POMODORO ON STEROIDS: The Productivity Challenge Timer, a freemium app, works exceptionally well for those dead serious about getting stuff done. With its intuitive user interface and features, it earns top ratings from users and reviewers. As in the classic Pomodoro method, you start the timer, work for 25 minutes (one "Pomodoro"), then take a 5-minute break, or you can adjust the length of the modules. Unlike other Pomodoro apps, this one expects you to show up every day and to work without pausing until break time. The built-in tracking system adds motivation by ranking users according to demonstrated diligence. [As a new user, I am still working my way up from "Unrepentant Slacker."—GS]
If you could use help with feeling stressed, procrastination, lack of focus, poor habits, or any other inner or outer obstacle to finishing your dissertation, apply for a dissertation coach today. Positive psychology coaching works—finish faster and enjoy the journey.
Four Surprising Rules to Get Unstuck and Finish Your Dissertation Faster| Issue 221

By Melanie Sobocinski, Ph.D., and Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D.
What you do not know about how to chunk your dissertation writing is holding you back. Read our expert tips in less than five minutes... and save hours of slaving over your work.
Are you working on your dissertation in fits and starts? Does just thinking about it send you into avoidance mode?
Getting an entire dissertation done and out the door can loom as large as scaling the huge Pyramid of the Moon above. There you are, stuck at the base, futilely clawing at steep slopes because you haven't stumbled upon the staircase. "How does anyone ever get to the top?" you wonder.
Occasional dissertation overwhelm is normal. In those stressful moments, your self-protective brain wants to help. It searches for something—anything—easier than writing. It may nudge you to search for references, to check social media, or even bake a batch of brownies. But chronic overwhelm needs an intervention or you may never finish.
The key is convincing your brain that the dissertation is doable, if not easy. We will show you how to create the right-sized steps that will take you all the way to the top where you can claim your title of "Doctor."
Rule 1: Don't scare yourself by looking up at the top—just look down at a single step.
Imagine your calendar appointment reads simply "write dissertation." Your brain starts to panic and quickly converts the message into an open invitation to procrastinate.
That's because a dissertation is an outcome—and a huge one at that. Outcomes and deliverables are not actions, so your brain is suddenly forced to burn extra energy trying to compute what to do next. This provokes anxiety and queasiness—which in turn incites a desire to flee. . . that is, unless you pause and reframe this stress as your brain's desperate plea to break the giant outcome into smaller, feasible tasks.
As David Allen's productivity classic Getting Things Done explains, breaking up projects (any outcome with multiple steps) into discrete tasks is necessary for clarity and momentum--a technique you probably know as "chunking." You can chunk your dissertation by asking yourself, "What do I actually have to do to produce it?"
Some ABD's unthinkingly create their agenda around the dissertation milestones listed on the university's dissertation timeline template, e.g., Finalize Thesis Statement, Write Chapter One, Write Chapter Two (Lit Review), and so on. Those who are a little more savvy might fill a To Do list with smaller chunks, e.g., Read for Literature Review, Write conclusion to Chapter 2, or Revise Chapter 4.
Alas, even with this popular strategy, many students still flounder, disheartened by their lack of dissertation progress. They can't check off anything for weeks or months, as with the most frequently mentioned chunk, "Write Literature Review"—a ginormous undertaking. That's enough to send shivers through even the most well-trained academic brain.
If looking up at the whole mountain (or pyramid) makes you quake, just look down at your feet and take the next step. What's the next step? Figuring that out is also crucial.
Rule 2: Identify key preliminary steps before you start writing.
If you find yourself staring at a blank page, you probably overlooked the "invisible chunks" that should precede writing. Avoid this paralysis by completing these preliminary steps: (a) gather the necessary materials, (b) formulate your thoughts about the content you will write, and (c) devise work plan that includes multiple drafts.
Many ABDs get stuck trying to perform all three tasks simultaneously when they sit down to write—a sure-fire recipe for writer's block and procrastination. We've noticed that few graduate students explicitly think about their research and writing process, but those who do start blasting their way through.
When you get stuck, get some traction by asking yourself a few probing questions:
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"Would mind mapping or brainstorming help me identify the relevant concepts?"
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"Would writing an outline of major points help me create the necessary flow?"
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"Would my time be better spent writing up summaries and notes of my reading?"
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"Do I need to consult with a statistics expert to understand something here?"
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"Is it time to talk to my advisor about the direction this is taking?"
Sequencing your chunks in the right order matters. Ask yourself what you need to do before you start to write. This is not wasted effort, for as Aristotle wrote, "Well begun is half done."
List all preliminary steps—including consultations and resourcing—on your agenda. Now you can settle into drafting your chapter and develop flow. Don't forget to note your post-draft steps, e.g., editing, on your list as well. Warning: Do not try to draft and edit at the same time.
Positive Psychology Tip: Savor Every Step
Take time to savor the satisfaction that comes with completing every step—including the necessary preliminary tasks. Give yourself permission to pat yourself on the back to acknowledge your growing ability to plan and your progress. Positivity fuels the momentum you need to ascend the doctoral pyramid.
Rule 3: Include "plan my work" as an action step.
Do you fail to credit yourself for the time you spend planning? This can lead one to skimp on planning. But high-performing professionals and academics understand that carving out a regular "executive planning session" is the bedrock of success.
Planning your work guarantees that you are focusing on the right task at the right time with the right tools. Conversely, proceeding haphazardly leads to dead ends and wasted effort. Here's what one academic coaching client discovered:
"I get it now—planning isn't something that's slowing me down from getting to my work; it's what makes my work go smoothly."
Rule 4: Right-size your tasks for peak performance.
If you suffer from dissertation anxiety, you are probably creating chunks that are too big, confusing actions with milestones and outcomes that take weeks or months to complete. Break things up into much smaller chunks—but not too small.
Aim to identify tasks doable in a single work session or at most a week.
Smaller items can offer unexpected benefits since crossing items off your To Do list sends your brain a jolt of dopamine—a reward that helps establish your new positive dissertation habit.
On the other hand, when paralysis creeps in, create even tinier tasks that take two minutes or less, e.g.:
1. Turn on computer.
2. Open current file.
3. Read first paragraph.
4. Respond to advisor's first comment.
[Yes, Melanie used a checklist exactly like this during her darkest dissertation writing days.]
What's the right size for a dissertation chunk? It depends on the individual. You will know you've got it when your underlying sense of uneasiness or befuddlement gives way to enthusiasm (or at least improved self-confidence) about getting started. You will know exactly what you need to do, and you will have all the resources in place to do it. The work has now lost its ability to scare or confuse you. You are good to go.
When you have identified a right-sized task, your motivation to complete the task outweighs your impulse to flee it.
One last caveat: While chunking keeps you from losing time to paralysis, also avoid losing time to perfectionism in chunking. (See Melanie's article in last month's ABDSG issue about the trade-off between chaos and perfectionism). There's no need to break your work into crumbs—simply work with the largest chunks that allow you consistent progress.
As you gain traction and confidence, you can gradually increase the size of your action steps.
Bonus Rule: Apply Chunking When You Get Stuck Anywhere, Anytime
Paying attention to process has its rewards. Once you master the nuances of chunking projects, you will reap extra benefits by applying it to any aspect of your life and work, such as these:
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Grading papers more efficiently and effectively
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Planning your first conference panel as moderator
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Revving up your job search
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Tackling your personal budget and income taxes
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Planning a move or a wedding
You are now armed to conquer dissertation anxiety and procrastination. Use these chunking rules to build your own stairway to the top where you can proudly claim your doctoral degree. The only question remaining will be what pyramid will you scale next?
RECOMMENDED READING AND RESOURCES
"What Really Makes You Procrastinate—and Proven Ways to Get Back on Track," ABDSG #209, by Karen Forbes, Ph.D.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen.
Planning resources from Dr. Melanie Sobocinski at https://proforganizer.com/resources/
Image Credit: Stairs of the Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan, Mexico. Image Source: This image was originally posted to Flickr by Jorge Lascar at http://flickr.com/photos/8721758@N06/4567207328. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
MEET THE AUTHORS:

Melanie Sobocinski, Ph.D., C.M.C.
Trained in archaeology (which she calls "the art of interpreting broken buildings and 2000-year old clutter"), former professor and Certified MentorCoach Melanie Sobocinski now leads academic workshops on writing and time management. She also works with individual graduate students and faculty who want to find their desks and get more published. Contact Melanie help@proforganizer.com and discover more resources at www.proforganizer.com.
Gayle Scroggs, Ph.D., P.C.C. This year marks Gayle's fifth year at the helm of the All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide. Find her bio and links below.
5 Productivity Hacks for Finishing Your Dissertation | Issue 220

By Gayle Scroggs, PhD, PCC, ABD Survival Guide Editor
"As if you could kill time without injuring eternity." ~ Henry David Thoreau
If you are beginning your dissertation work or experiencing challenges, take time now to evaluate your work processes. Which of these programs and apps could enhance your productivity? Not everyone works the same, so experiment with the ones that appear to offer you the most return on the investment of your learning time. A few hours of effort now could spare you weeks of grief later.
1. GET TRACTION ON THE LIT REVIEW DRAFT
Going in circles composing a draft of your lit review or other chapter? Check out Scrivener, a program many academics rely on in the early stages of writing research. Since no one writes linearly, Scrivener lets you start writing wherever and whatever. Using simple integrated writing tools, you can create a mess of writing fragments, import stuff, and later weave a coherent draft.

After a 30-day trial, you pay $40 to download the Windows or Mac version. Consider free alternatives, but beware the temptation to look for the perfect solution. Choose one and learn to use it via built-in tutorials and other web tips. [P.S. Once adept, take advantage of your Scrivener skills to pen your autobiographical novel or screenplay about how you conquered your dissertation.]
2. TAME YOUR REFERENCE FILES
Quit wading in disorganized printouts of pdfs of journal articles. Store, organize, annotate, cite, and share such materials with a reference management program-and start now. For an endless debate, assert that your choice--Mendeley, EndNote, Zotero, or F1000Workspace--is the best program for everyone.
Personally, I like the way Mendeley suggests new articles based on those already in my library. Others want Zotero's footnote citation capability, and some appreciate the unlimited storage at F1000. Mendeley and Zotero are free, as is EndNote for most students through their university library. Do your due diligence by comparing and contrasting their features using this handy chart. Then select the one most aligned with your needs and turn a deaf ear to users of other programs. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, and you don't want to lose too much time switching around.
3. THROW TOMATOES AT IT
Quit wading in disorganized printouts of pdfs of journal articles. Store, organize, annotate, cite, and share such materials with a reference management program-and start now. For an endless debate, assert that your choice—Mendeley, EndNote, Zotero, or F1000Workspace—is the best program for everyone.

Personally, I like the way Mendeley suggests new articles based on those already in my library. Others want Zotero's footnote citation capability, and some appreciate the unlimited storage at F1000. Mendeley and Zotero are free, as is EndNote for most students through their university library. Do your due diligence by comparing and contrasting their features using this handy chart. Then select the one most aligned with your needs and turn a deaf ear to users of other programs. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, and you don't want to lose too much time switching around.
4. AVOID THE BUNNY TRAILS
You may be kidding yourself about how distractible you have become while working on digital devices. Let RescueTime Lite track how much time you spend with productive programs and sites (e.g., Word or Mendeley) versus entertainment sites (e.g., Facebook, Netflix, Amazon, etc.) for free. You'll get a weekly report that might be enough to shock you into resisting future temptations to go down the bunny trails.
For hard core bunny trail hoppers, subscribe to RescueTime's premium version. It blocks distracting websites, alerts you when daily goals are reached, and tracks your time away from the computer. Find alternatives to RescueTime here.
Who can resist the insistent rings and pings of a smart phone? Even if you do stand firm, your concentration has already been disrupted, costing you valuable time to get back into flow. But you hesitate to turn off your phone in case of emergency calls, right??
What's the solution? While late model Androids and most iPhones include a simple built-in "do not disturb" feature, Suzanne Kantra recommends her favorite alternative (and mine) on Techlicious:

5. BAN INTERRUPTIONS
Silence Premium Do Not Disturb ($2.50 on Google Play) is the best stand-alone app for Android devices. It lets you silence your phone based on your calendar entries, selecting all or just those you select as busy. Set a mute timer if you find yourself in an impromptu meeting. And when you're in silent mode, you can have an auto-responder send text to select contacts to let callers know you're in a meeting.
Personally, I couldn't live without this app on my home page. Before meetings, two quick taps silences my phone for an hour—and I can choose to allow or prevent family calls. You can easily create a regular schedule of quiet time as well as opt for a spontaneous 20-minute quiet time for your coffee nap.
The above smart phone apps can enhance productivity, but only if you use them regularly. Of course, the real trick to reaching a goal involves your mind, not your phone. Commit yourself to getting started and then to saying "no" to anything less important than finishing your doctoral degree. You can do this.
Smile Your Way through Your Dissertation—Finding the Sweet Spot between Chaos and Perfection | Issue 219

By Melanie Sobocinski, Ph.D., C.M.C.
Happy New Year!
If you have not finished your dissertation, you might be contemplating making one of the most common New Year's Resolutions: Get more organized and manage time better.
But how do you determine if you even need to work on your productivity? And how can you evaluate all the advice swirling around this time of year?
Over many years of coaching academics, I have developed a useful framework that I share with my clients. I call it "The Productivity Smile."
Notice that the middle of the Productivity Smile is called The Zone. This is exactly where you want to be most of the time.
You know you're in The Zone when you're taking great care of yourself, making excellent progress on your dissertation, meeting your other commitments, and have enough support, tools, and routines in place to make it all happen.
When you are not in The Zone, you are probably losing time without making reasonable progress by leaning toward chaos or perfection.

Beware the Pitfalls of Chaos and Coasting
To the extreme left of The Zone is Time Lost to Chaos, which never feels good.
Have you experienced any of the following, which we can call Time Lost to Chaos?
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time spent searching for that reference you know you read last summer, but don't have any notes about
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work sessions that don't happen because you didn't make a specific plan
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missed meetings with your advisor because the appointment didn't make it into your calendar
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last-minute or missed deadlines for grant applications, conference paper abstracts, and job applications
In the rest of your life, time lost to chaos might look like
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searching for misplaced keys, wallet, or phone
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your car breaking down from lack of maintenance
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scrambling for a new apartment when your lease is up
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always saying, "I'm sorry I'm late..."
To the immediate left of The Zone lies Coasting—which is okay in the short-run only.
Coasting is when, at the end of the semester, you neglect the dishes and laundry to finish a conference paper that you're giving in January. Or when you're too tired to floss or look at your calendar after an all-day writing binge. Or when you tell yourself you'll look up that reference for the footnote later.
Coasting can be okay for short periods, but usually ends up creating backlogs that must be dealt with by your future self, who might not appreciate being dumped on by past self. Too much coasting and you end up losing time and money to chaos. Ouch.
Hone Your Process but Forget Perfection
To the immediate right of The Zone is Working on Process.
Working on process can often serve as a necessary ingredient to meet your goals. This includes occasions when you are moving beyond your comfort zone to learn a new software program, to try a different time management technique, to organize your desk, to refine your routines, and so on.
It's time to invest in process improvements under these circumstances:
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Your schedule changes at the beginning of the semester
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You face new responsibilities or higher expectations
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You want to get more efficient
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You're trying to exit chaos or coasting
In some areas, improvement efforts can yield a tremendous return on investment. Your writing and research processes might be an apt area to apply such a growth mindset. In 10 years (a typical minimum time span between starting graduate school and earning tenure), your work capacity can become exponentially higher even while maintaining excellent self-care. But only if you work on it.
Tread with caution, however, because it's way too easy to let working on your process become Time Lost to Perfection, as in these cases:
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Spending hours hunting for the perfect to-do list app or electronic calendar
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Putting a whole day into crafting a plan for the week that you don't use
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A never-ending quest for "Inbox Zero"
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Making your apartment look ready for a magazine cover photo
For the dissertation, Time Lost to Perfection shows up in various ways:
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Endlessly editing the first two or three sentences of a draft, resulting in a terrific opening paragraph followed by text that is barely developed
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Circular revisions, i.e., when the final revision puts everything back the way you had things before you started
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Waiting to write because there's still more to read
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Avoiding your advisor because you worry about the quantity or quality of your work
Rule of thumb: Always start with low-hanging fruit when improving process.
Make one deliberate change at a time. Predict what the effect of your change will be. Then observe what you do. Reflect on the outcome. Then use the results of your experiment to design your next work process experiment. [Check this chart to figure out whether working on a habit change is worth your time.]
How to Brighten Your Smile and Graduate
What's your current position on the Productivity Smile?
Are you coasting on footnoting while learning Scrivener? That would count as working on process. Does your dissertating tap into The Zone, but maintaining your living space has fallen into chaos?
To get your smile back, reflect on these four questions:
1. Think about a time when you were in The Zone. What supports and tools made that possible?
2. What in your life could be an indicator that you're sliding towards chaos?
3. How can you tell that you're chasing perfection?
4. How much time do you want to spend working on process each month?
Checking in with yourself on these questions will help you keep your smile bright—and ready for that photograph of you beaming in your velvet-striped gown in the doctoral hooding ceremony!
RECOMMENDED READING
ABDSG Issue 217: Conquer procrastination by meeting your future self.
Belcher, Wendy. Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success.
Brown, Brene. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are.
Carter, Christine. The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and Work.
Dweck, Carol.Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.
Thomson, Pat and Barbara Kamler. Detox Your Writing: Strategies for Doctoral Researchers.

About the Author: Melanie Sobocinski, Ph.D., C.M.C.
Trained in archaeology (which she calls "the art of interpreting broken buildings and 2000-year old clutter"), former professor and Certified MentorCoach Melanie Sobocinski now leads academic workshops on writing and time management. She also works with individual graduate students and faculty who want to find their desks and get more published. Contact Melanie help@proforganizer.com and discover more resources at www.proforganizer.com.
19 Sure-Fire Gifts for Doctoral Grad Students | Issue 218

Not sure what gifts the doctoral or grad student in your life would really appreciate this holiday season—or any other time? Here are 19 ideas for every budget for presents that won't get returned.
PRICE KEY: $ = under $30; $$ = 30-60; $$$ = over 60; $0 = your time and resources
1. Massage gift certificate ($$): What hard-working scholar wouldn't appreciate a good massage after hunching over the computer for hours? Tip: Find local qualified experts via the American Massage Therapy Association website.
2. Starbucks (or local coffee shop) gift card ($): Because more dissertations get written at coffee shops than at university libraries. Available everywhere and online.
3. Wireless headphones ($$): Essential for working at the library or coffee shop. The Photiv HF1 lightweight over-the-ear model with noise isolation gets top reviews and runs for 12 hours. Alternative: SoundWhiz wireless high rated earbud model easily fits in a pocket, runs eight hours, perfect for running or working.
4. Food delivery service ($$ - $$$ or $0): Sad but true: grad students subsist on coffee and fast foods. Offer a week or month of Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, Plated, PeachDish, Purple Carrot (vegan), Sun Basket (organic and paleo), etc. Fresh ingredients with recipes make meal prep easy peasy, with customizable menus and plans. Most offer discounts to start. Alternative: Offer to drop off meals you prepare.
5. Lap desk ($$): Give him or her Amazon's best-selling lap desk to prevent laptop overheating and wrist fatigue from hundreds of hours of word processing.
6. Dissertation retreat ($0): Got a beach house, condo or camp? Offer a weekend or week where they can disappear from family and friends to really get work done.
7. Spotify subscription ($$): Offer a year of streaming music at half-price with Spotify for students. They'll love Spotify channels for every mood, from quiet study to exercising, plus they can create their own personal lists.
8. Housekeeping service ($$): Who has time to clean when there are interviews to transcribe or data to code? Find local maid service through personal recommendations or online sites such as angieslist.com, homeadvisor.com, and care.com.
9. Childcare ($0): Offer to take the kids for a day or weekend. Long uninterrupted blocks of time really make a difference when someone needs to concentrate.
10. Laundry service ($): A gift certificate for "wash and fold" at a local laundromat will put your favorite grad student in clean jeans and t-shirts for a week.
11. Dissertation editor or stats consultant ($$$): Catapult your favorite ABD over the editing and data hurdles. Offer to pay up to your defined limit for the consultant they choose.
12. Dissertation or career coach ($$$): The student who lacks confidence or direction can finish faster, develop lasting confidence, and get the job search organized with a private coach. Offer to pay up to your limit for the coach* with whom they find rapport.
13. Hair salon/barbershop certificate ($ - $$): Most students can use a good hair cut—especially before defense time or job interviews.
14. Supermarket gift certificate ($ - $$$): Every little bit helps when you also have to pay tuition and rent before earning a sustainable income.
15. Two tiny powerful books ($): The Little Book of Mindfulness or The Little Book of Gratitudewill promote focus and a positive outlook.
16. Pomodoro timer ($): Give the classic red tomato timer and Pomodoro Technique instructions for simple time management that works for lots of folks.
17. Exercise classes or gym membership ($$ - $$$): The brain works better when the body is active. Alternative: Ask your ABD friend or family member to join you for a brisk walk or yoga session.
18. Scrivener software ($$): An essential aid for writers who need to generate and revise their work. Couple it with a guide. Be sure to get the right version—PC or Mac—or give an Amazon gift card for $60 to cover the software and guide with printout of a screen shot to get them to the right page.
19. Moral support ($0): Show enthusiasm for their academic aspirations and efforts. Absolutely avoid the ABD's most dreaded question: "So when will you be finished?" [FYI: It nearly always takes years, not months, to write a dissertation that gets accepted.]
With any of these, your doctoral candidate will get added momentum—and next year you can address their gift with the title Doctor to celebrate their achievement. And you will be showered with appreciation and affection!
* We offer free half hour consultations for dissertation, career, and life coaching. Drop me a line at gayle@mcpcoach.com with your needs, or students can fill out the simple on-line application.
~ Compiled by Gayle Scroggs, ABDSG Editor and coach, with generous help from colleagues Nora Misiolek, Michelle Lopez, and Melanie Sobocinski.
Conquer Procrastination by Meeting Your Future Self | Issue 217

STOP DOOMING YOURSELF FINISH YOUR DISSERTATION NOW
By Gayle Scroggs, PhD, PCC
Do you consider yourself a confirmed procrastinator?
Are you guilty of putting off working on your dissertation until you "have more time"? Do you excuse continued delays by assuring yourself that you will catch up when things slow down—during weekends, holidays, or vacation time?
If so, your chances of becoming "Dr. You" in 2017 will fizzle out faster than the bubbles in your New Year's Eve champagne. But your year does not have to end on a disappointing note.
To succeed, you need to root out a common, insidious assumption that quietly steals your momentum and replace it with a realistic perspective. Let me explain.
HOW YOUR BRAIN GETS IT WRONG
What common belief holds many procrastinators back?
Your procrastinator brain has the crazy idea that your future self is not really you but rather some stranger. In that the default mode, your brain aims to make life cushy for Present You—while shamelessly shifting current burdens (such as saving for retirement or writing your dissertation) to the Future You.
It's as if your future self is someone else, not a continuation of you. This false assumption can be hard to shake without conscious interventions.
Without a deliberate mindshift, Present You lacks connection and empathy for Future You, as shown in this episode of The Simpsons:
Marge: Someday these kids will be out of the house and you'll regret not spending more time with them.
Homer: That's a problem for future Homer. Man, I don't envy that guy!
STOP PASSING THE BUCK TO FUTURE YOU
How would you feel if you woke up one morning to a sinkful of dirty dishes and food-encrusted pots and pans left the previous evening by some stranger (or a most inconsiderate roommate) who expected you to do them gladly?
Would you ever dodge your responsibilities by burdening someone else so shamelessly? Probably not.
But if you are like most people, you've done it to yourself, time and time again. And if you are a habitual procrastinator, Present You has now inherited an overwhelming To Do list from Past You. How grateful do you feel to your past self for dumping this on you?

That is the essence of procrastination: Present You is passing the buck to Future You—and they are one and the same person.
You, not some stranger, must pay the cost incurred by putting things off. Worse, the bill often accrues interest, making it even more difficult.
Yet this is the kind of self-sabotage you commit every time you delay unnecessarily—e.g., when you don't get around to writing that tricky chapter, or when you put off making requested revisions, or when you delay completing the IRB forms.
Are you ready to end this painful legacy? Check out these two research-informed strategies.
Procrastination is like a credit card: It's a lot of fun until you get the bill. ~ Christopher Parker
DEVELOP EMPATHY TOWARD YOUR FUTURE SELF
Procrastinators do not feel much of a connection with the future self, researchers observe. Making your future self more salient now can help you make better decisions. For example, to get a sense of your future self, go to the app the AgingBooth and plug a current photo of your face. The app (available free at iTunes and GooglePlay) will then add decades to your appearance by adding wrinkles, jowls, and gray hair. Using a similar technology, a Stanford study showed that becoming more acquainted with an image of one's future self could enhance financial prudence.
A simpler strategy might be to accept your brain's misconception that your future self is a different person—and then develop and practice some empathy for him or her, note the researchers.
Leverage your inner kindness and generosity, allowing your altruism to flow toward this distant, unseen person. Savor the awareness that you are providing an enormous benefit for this person. When possible, allow your present self to be grateful to your past self for having done its part in creating the kind of life you enjoy living.
Your new mantra: "Do something today that your future self will thank you for."
PLAY FAIR WITH FUTURE YOU
Callousness toward your future self is just one explanation for habitual procrastination. Researcher Tim Pychyl, Ph.D., provides another one: Maybe you simply believe that Future You will be better equipped to handle the challenges that drag you down now.
While right now you feel stressed and pressed, you might be optimistic that Future You will somehow have more resources, including more time and energy than Present You. Your courage or willpower is wavering, and so you end up knowingly, but hopefully, passing the burden to your Future Self.
But is that really fair? Here's how Pychyl, author of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, frames it:

"Ironically, many of us demonstrate courage and acts of willpower in the service of others but not to self. Perhaps, to the extent that we can identify future self with the deserving other, we will muster up the will and/or courage to act on our intentions so as not to burden future self."
If you are honest with yourself, you'll admit that putting things off makes the easy stuff harder. And it can make the hard stuff downright impossible.
Doesn't your Future You deserve a better fate? Leverage your sense of justice and fairness to tackle the hard tasks now.
Thinking of my future self as my respected teammate reminds me to stop shirking my duty. I then start working harder on my current challenge instead of leaving most of the battle to her. I play fair.
For extra power in meeting challenges, call on your character strengths, which help you be your best self. (Take the free test at www.characterstrengths.org.) If you need someone in your corner, get a writing buddy or a dissertation coach. You can do hard things when you are at your best and when you have social support.
Naturally, circumstances may dictate the occasional temporary delay, but overall, the best practice involves maintaining an attitude of empathy and fairness toward Future You as well as Present You that motivates you to get things done today.
When you master that perspective, you are well on your way to ensuring that your future self will bear the title of "Doctor" proudly!
Recommended Resources
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Pychyl, Timothy. Solving the Procrastination Puzzle. Find his extensive interview with Ben Dean here.
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Gilbert, Dan. TED talk on future self.
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Goldstein, Daniel. TED talk on future self vs. present self.
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Urban, Tim. TED talk on procrastination that you'll never forget.
10 Ways the "Miracle Emotion" Can Help You Finish Your Dissertation | Issue 216

10 WAYS GRATITUDE CAN IMPROVE YOUR DISSERTATION EXPERIENCE
As Thanksgiving season approaches in the U.S., consider how you can parlay the sentiments into a more positive and productive dissertation experience. And for our Canadian friends, keep savoring your recent holiday as well.
"Gratitude is the new miracle emotion," asserts psychologist Jeremy Dean in PsyBlog.
His recent post shared 10 ways that gratitude can improve your life. How many of these proven benefits would make your dissertation experience more positive and productive?
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It is one of the fastest and best ways to become happier.
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Grateful people feel more satisfied with their lives by enabling them to appreciate what they have rather than mourning what's missing.
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Saying "thank you" motivates others to help you again because people appreciate being needed and valued.
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Gratitude for what you have can combat materialism.
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Feeling thankful can increase self-control by reducing impatience and selfishness.
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Grateful children feel life has more meaning, get more satisfaction from life, are happier and experience less negative emotions. [Ed. Note: And that may be true for adults as well.]
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Gratitude towards one's partner is key to solidifying relationships and benefits both the giver and the recipient.
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Gratitude is linked to better social ties and facilitates forming and nurturing them.
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Grateful people experience greater health, especially bet ter sleep, and lower stress levels.
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A person with a grateful attitude has more resilience, i.e., can bounce back better from setbacks and challenges through active coping, seeking social support, and positive reframing.
Boost your gratitude, Dean advises, in various ways: contemplate your blessings, keep a gratitude journal, remember the bad times to appreciate the present, and use your senses to notice what is around you.

LIVE INTERVIEW WITH GRATITUDE EXPERT ROBERT EMMONS, PHD
Join us for Ben Dean's question-and-answer call with Robert A. Emmons, PhD, the world's leading scientific expert on gratitude, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis and author of the new book, The Little Book of Gratitude.
DATE: Friday, December 2, 2016
TIME: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Eastern (New York time)
TO REGISTER AND RECEIVE THE RECORDING: Click here
FIVE WAYS TO KILL YOUR EMAIL ANXIETY
If your overflowing email inbox provokes anxiety, take heart. In Unsubscribe: How to Kill Email Anxiety, Avoid Distractions, and Get Real Work Done, Jocelyn K. Glei urges forgetting about "inbox zero" and instead develop a process to tame the email dragon.
If you are typical, you are spending 28% of your work week on email, checking it 11 times an hour, and processing 122 messages daily, she notes. And you probably feel stressed and unproductive.
Overcome your email addiction by implementing her simple strategies, as shared in Salon:
Stop toggling between email and work. One study showed that could lowered people's IQ the equivalent of 10 points while giving you a false sense of productivity.
Read emails in batches. Do it outside of peak productivity times (usually in the morning from 9 - 11 or 10 - 12) which is when you should focus on your most important work. Data find "batchers" to be more productive, happier, and less stressed than the "reactors" who process messages as they come in.
Set expectations about replies. Train senders to stop expecting a reply in five minutes. If necessary, send a short note saying that you are tied up but that their message is important and you'll get back to them by the end of the day or tomorrow.
Leverage emotional intelligence in your own messages. Show empathy for their workload and understand that your email may not receive top priority. Express gratitude for "taking time to consider my request" (and never an order). Thank a person for replying—that one little gesture doubles the chances that they will help you in the future.
Pick up the phone for challenging conversations. A five-minute phone call can forestall a 20-email exchange and misunderstandings as emails are often interpreted more negatively than intended by the sender.
FINE TUNE YOUR BRAIN WITH "SMART FOODS"
Can't focus when you need to? It could be your brain needs better maintenance. To keep it humming on all cylinders, tweak your meals and snacks to include more of these "smart foods" recommended by WebMD:
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Drink coffee for short-term alertness. Don't overdo it or you may get the jitters.
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Down a sweet drink in a pinch to boost your brain fuel, i.e., glucose. [Ed: But skip artificially sweetened drinks.]
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Researchers recommend a breakfast of high-fiber whole grains, dairy, and fruits. Note: High-calorie meals appear to hinder concentration.
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Eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week for long-term functioning. specially as we get older.
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Enjoy an ounce of chocolate and nuts as they provide powerful antioxidant properties. [Ed: Choose dark chocolate for maximum benefit and fewer sugar calories.]
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Adding avocados and whole grains enhances the blood flow needed for a healthy heart and brain. Savor that popcorn, too.
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Diets rich in blueberries reduce free radical damage and improve learning. Imagine the possibilities!
PREPARING HUMANITIES PHDS FOR THE REAL WORLD
As academic job prospects dim, Duke University's humanities graduate programs plan to be on the forefront. With a recent three-year $350,000 grant from NEH, they will enhance curriculum and expand career opportunities.
"Getting the grant from the NEH is recognition of Duke's effort in preparing its Ph.D.'s in humanities for different career pathways," she said. "We don't call it 'alternative pathway.' Our view is that there are so many things that an individual can do with a Ph.D. in humanities, [and that] we just need to help them decide what they will do."
While many of Duke'