Don't wait to finish to be happy or have fun. Abundant research and my experience as a dissertation coach shows that cultivating happiness and positive emotions facilitates success and flourishing.

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Why you need to take a break

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Positive emotions like pleasure, amusement, gratitude, inspiration, awe, joy, love, contentment, and pride are more than just pleasant feelings. They become your "little engines of flourishing," explains Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, a distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina and world leader in emotions research.

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When your positive emotional experiences outweigh your negative ones, Fredrickson reports, you broaden your perspective while building your cognitive, social, and physical resources. All of this contributes to your dissertation progress. My clients learn to make time year-round for their favorite activities, e.g., biking, cooking, dancing, traveling, etc., to keep refueled.

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For your health and success, give yourself permission this season to enjoy skiing, movies, holiday baking and decorating, candle lighting, silly games, or just hanging out with friends. To optimize your merrymaking, below we offer you four proven strategies that balance work and fun.

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"Every man who possibly can should force himself to a holiday of a full month in a year, whether he feels like taking it or not." ~ William James

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Honor both work and fun—but not at the same time.

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Does your Inner Dissertation Nag ("Why aren't you revising Chapter 2?!") tag along uninvited on recreational outings? Don't give in to this inner bully or it just gets stronger. Reassure yourself that you are refueling—and then let the thought go. Blocking dissertation time on your calendar also helps quiet that inner critic.

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When your Inner Child pesters you ("I wanna go play!") while writing, remind them that you have also blocked out some playtime and they will calm down and let you resume your work. Be mindful when having fun and mindful when working. Don't let preoccupation about work poison your fun or vice versa. Think yin/yang rather than tug-o'-war.

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Create a realistic plan—then stick to it.

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Develop a written plan from today through the New Year. Make sure it is realistic, then commit to it. Don't schedule work when you know you'll want to celebrate. Get the "musts" on your calendar first, like teaching duties, advisor conferences, and can't-miss social events. I encourage my dissertation clients to set aside a weekly "executive planning time" to update their schedules and prevent dropping the ball.

 

Specify your work start time (e.g., "9 a.m.") rather than leaving it vague ("by the end of the day"). Most of all, beware the rampant "planning fallacy" of vastly underestimating time and costs. Someone estimated that students should expect their writing tasks to take at least twice as much time as they first imagine. Also, leave additional slack in your calendar for unexpected events. You might get an invitation you don't want to refuse!

 

"The planning fallacy is that you make a plan, which is usually a best-case scenario. Then you assume that the outcome will follow your plan, even when you should know better." ~ Daniel Kahneman

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Short-circuit rumination by pivoting to positivity.

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Holidays come with high expectations that can lead to disappointment. Remember that fretting and ruminating are harmful to your progress and health. Negative emotions tend to be short-lived unless you reinforce them by making up stories to go with them. Transition to something positive to create new habits of thought and rewire your brain. Making this positive pivot a habit will be transformative, as I can attest myself.

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One great strategy is to create a positivity portfolio—a list of "go-to" activities that uplift your mood. What options does the holiday season offer for pivoting to positivity? You could make snow angels, sing seasonal songs, meditate by candlelight, or watch Miracle on 34th Street again. What raises your spirits? You can update your portfolio as the seasons change.

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"Positive emotions are not trivial luxuries, but instead might be critical necessities for optimal functioning." ~ Barbara Fredrickson

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Triple your benefit by savoring the good times.

 

When you are having a good time, slow down to savor it fully. Savoring, the opposite of rumination, intensifies and prolongs good experiences through anticipation, real time enjoyment, and reminiscing. It generates neural connections that help override our inborn default mode of negativity.

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Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson, Ph.D. explains how to use savoring to rewire your brain: Enrich a positive experience by making it last 10-20 seconds or longer, filling your body and mind. Allow it to become more intense and really absorb the feelings. Repeat this five times a day for less than five minutes total. Notice how this practice develops inner calm and resilience, enabling you to stay centered during the ups and downs of life and work.

 

"Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones." ~ Rick Hanson

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Now Go Play!

 

True flourishing results from integrating work and play, transforming them from competing priorities into mutually reinforcing activities. With thought and care, spiced by social support, you can develop a habit of maintaining a work-life balance that will serve you now—and for many holidays after you earn the title "doctor."

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P.S .Are you struggling to balance work and fun? Do you want to make faster progress while flourishing? Click here for a free consultation with a positive psychology dissertation coach. Let coaching be the gift you give yourself.

 

ENJOY YOUR FREE GIFT: Get your complimentary e-book of proven strategies for overcoming dissertation hurdles here.

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Image credit: Top photo is licensed under CC BY​