Completing a marathon is an impressive feat. But amazing as it may be to run 26.2 miles in just a few hours, you cover more distance by taking a daily jog than you do by running the occasional marathon.
Writing your dissertation is similar. You have before you a huge task that will require stamina, training, and support. Tempting as it may be to pull all-nighters or chain yourself to your desk in order to complete one big writing marathon, you will cover more distance by writing a little bit regularly than you will by writing a lot on occasion. A slow and steady drip wears away stone. A consistent writing practice results in a completed dissertation (and a sane scholar).
How can you develop such a writing practice? The answer depends on your circumstances. Here are a few options loosely ordered from “ideal” to “last-ditch effort.” Choose the one that best suits your current circumstances.
Option #1: Write Almost Every Day
If you write almost every day, you only need to schedule short writing sessions. As little as 15-30 minutes most days of the week will get you well on your way to a completed dissertation. This time can include putting new words to the page, completing smaller assignments that will eventually be incorporated into your dissertation, or revising what you’ve already written.
A quarter of an hour may not seem like enough time, but a very short writing session can bring peace of mind. It can be difficult to psych yourself up for a six-hour writing session, and it may be even more difficult to find a six-hour chunk of time in your schedule. It’s much easier to find 15 minutes. Shorter sessions also give you less room to procrastinate. You probably have a lot of good reasons not to sit down and write for six hours, but fifteen minutes? No excuses.
Is 15–30 minutes of writing worth it? Yes, though it might not be enough on its own. A short writing session allows you to get a few paragraphs down on the page. Make these really good paragraphs. If you do this every day, you’ll end up with pages of well-written paragraphs instead of one long sloppy draft that’s written in a panic over a weekend. You may need to add longer writing sessions to meet particular deadlines set by your advisor. But writing almost every day means you’ll never be starting from scratch when working toward a deadline.
In order to add 30 minutes of daily writing into your life, you’ll have to subtract 30 minutes of something else. One way to do this is to offload a daily task that usually takes you roughly 30 minutes. Can someone else in the household make breakfast or walk the dog instead of you? Can you simplify one of your daily meals so that it doesn’t take much time to prepare? Can you work on the bus instead of driving?
Writing 30 minutes every day for six days a week adds up to almost 90 minutes of writing per week, and about 12 hours per month. If you do this from the beginning of your program, you’ll make steady progress toward completing your dissertation.
Option #2: Schedule Weekly Writing Sessions
If you have an irregular schedule, it may be difficult to schedule daily writing sessions. In this case, it may be better to commit to a weekly writing session of about two hours. The session itself could be stable, for example every Tuesday from 3:00–5:00. But if your schedule shifts from week to week, commit to a “moveable” writing session. To do this, commit to one weekly writing session of a certain length, but you choose the time and the day based on your schedule that week. For example: every Monday morning, examine your upcoming schedule and choose which day you’ll sit down and write for two hours.
One disadvantage of less frequent writing sessions is that they require a sustained attention that you aren’t necessarily practicing every day. You may find yourself becoming more distracted or discouraged than you do in a shorter writing session. When this happens, it’s good to remember that “a change is as good as a rest.” Instead of buckling down for 120 minutes of absolutely uninterrupted writing, allow yourself to take breaks. Do some stretches, knit a few rows of your next project, pet the dog. No need to stay gone for long—even a short break can be refreshing.
Option #3: Find a Writing Buddy
Procrastination is a bad friend, so pair up with a better one. When you make arrangements to write alongside someone else, it becomes more difficult to ditch your writing session.
You could do this two ways. One is to make it into an occasion: meet for a coffee and a chat, and then pull out your laptops and get to work. If you don’t have the time to meet somewhere, or you’re worried you’ll spend the whole time socializing, make a digital date. Sometimes logging on to Facetime and Zoom for a coworking session provides the accountability you need to write consistently.
Option #4: Head for the Hills
This option is for when you need a marathon writing session. This could be because you’re behind on your writing goals, but longer writing sessions are sometimes needed even if you have established a more regular writing practice. When your dissertation is nearly due, you’ll need to spend time revising your work, checking your references, formatting your document, and polishing your word choice. When that time comes–head for the hills (or contact our editors for reinforcements)!
By “head for the hills” I mean find a way to step away from your normal routine so that you can dedicate nearly all your time to writing. This could be for a week or a weekend, depending on how much work your dissertation needs. In order to find this time you’ll have to outsource some of your normal responsibilities. Do you normally cook dinner? Switch to frozen pizzas and burritos for the week. Get out of the house if you can. Find a quiet place where you can focus on your writing, like a library, where you won’t be reminded of things that you’ve temporarily put on hold.
Once you’ve carved out a large chunk of writing time, set benchmarks for yourself so that you don’t get bogged down by the sheer number of things you must complete in that one writing session. Make a list of everything you must do, for example: revise literature review, write final chapter, format references, insert table of contents. Writing is usually more difficult than formatting or revising, so when you get bogged down with a difficult task, switch to an easier one for a while. Even when you’re pressed for time you can give your mind a break by switching from one type of task (writing) to another (inserting page numbers).
Of course offloading responsibilities like this is difficult and sometimes it’s impossible. That’s why this is a last resort. Prudence is the best policy, and prudence requires working steadily toward your goal so that writing your dissertation becomes a regular part of your life, rather than something that requires you to put your life on hold.
Whichever option you choose, and at any step along the way, it can be helpful to ask for advice or help. Your advisor is concerned with the content of your dissertation, but advisors aren’t going to help you format your headings or help you figure out why your page numbers are out of whack. If you don’t have time to look these things up, seek help from your university’s writing center, or fill out our questionnaire for consultation. We can help format your dissertation, cross-check your references, and correct grammar mistakes.
Oftentimes the most boring advice is also the best advice. The same is true here: If you want to complete your dissertation without losing your mind, set aside time to write regularly, avoid procrastination, and ask for help when you need it.
