Forgive the baseball analogy, but it's that time of year and not a minute too soon. Go Yankees!
Now that that's out of the way, in all seriousness, we are quickly coming to the end of this writing group. (Fortunately, Dame Eleanor Hull has offered to host the next incarnation of the group for those of us who need/want it.) Is anyone exhausted by the semester? Is anyone exhausted by trying to squeeze in the all-precious writing that we swore to protect at all costs, but perhaps we were not as vigilant as we could have been or the universe thought we were hilarious with such a vow and decided to prove just how wrong we could be? Yeah, that's me.
I struggled to even come up with a topic for the week because I am just so tired, but then I remembered a post by Kathy Steffen I read a few months ago about getting your writing back on track and one of my favorite tips was "Print out motivation quotes or writing affirmations and tape them to your computer so you will see inspirational words every day." This writing group, for me at least, is all about inspiration. I do, however, have a secret love, the best writing coach ever, that I thought I would share. Some of you may know him from the tv show Friday Night Lights, but some of you may not because you do not have the television interests of a fifteen year old girl. Meet Academic Coach Taylor. He can be hardcore, but it's all out of love. My laptop, iPhone, and desk are all littered with ACT pics.
 |
| He speaks the truth. |
 |
| He can be a sweetie. |
 |
| He can be...less sweet. |
 |
| He can also be an enforcer when he needs to be (or when you need him to be). |
Those are just a few of my favorites, but Academic Coach Taylor has loads more to say. Feel free to share anything you find particularly inspiring, but, otherwise, let's keep writing! We're almost there!
Quick Tank update for those of you asking - he had his stitches out yesterday, despite an obscene amount of whining and hysterics about going back to the vet (not uncalled for in his case, but still!) and then the precious boy actually gave the vet tech kisses while she was removing his stitches. So upset and still so loveable! Anyway, he's fine and here's a picture of the little muffin his first night home after the surgery. He looks absolutely thrilled to have to wear that cone, doesn't he? He's not the only one to be glad he's done with the cone.
Roll call!
Amanda@ladyscientist: Finish fellowship application.
Amstr (writing account): re-park diss. downhill.
Bardiac: no check-in
Contigent Cassandra: make continued progress on writing and/or research, alternating back and forth as necessary (and switching off with preparation for the mid-April lecture). get the tax tasks completed well before April 15th.
Dame Eleanor Hull: submit final draft of companion-piece. Continue at least one hour of research a day, 3 lines of transcription and 50 of translation. Return to MMP-1 and write another 2-3 paragraphs.
Danne: no check-in
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell: Begin the survey question creation for article B.
Good Enough Woman: Write conference proposal on new shiny topic.
heu mihi: Read through Kzoo draft; fix what's easy; list what needs doing.
humming42: submit May abstract, touch manuscript every day
Jane B: a) continue to do something research-like first every day, b) write up what I've done so far with the simulations, outline what the next step is (I am embarrassingly bad at parking computer stuff on a downhill slope) and outline the paper they're going to turn into and c) finish the damn draft of the wretched paper with the MSc student.
Jason: no check-in
Jodi: Write a ton Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully finish the revised first chapter by Wednesday. Grade exams by Friday.
kiwi2: Final draft of grant proposal, one pager and summary. Send paper X to collaborator B. Start gathering data files for next paper all in one place. I am also involved in a conference this week, giving a paper and chairing, so the last goal could be over ambitious.
kiwimedievalist/zcat_abroad: no check-in
luolin88: Complete the requested revisions for the article. Time: 30 mins TWTh and 1hour Friday.
Matilda: revision of my paper
meansomething: 1) 5 12-minute sessions; 2) 1 ms. submission; 3) 1 mag submission
metheist: T/R 7hrs and MWF 1-2hrs
nwgirl: no check-in
Pilgrim/Heretic: LOOK at the damned thing at least 5 minutes per day, even if I don't write anything
profacero (Z): Spanish version of abstract, write and send.
Susan: Catch up with teaching.
tracynicolrose: Finish drafting Frameworks presentation; draft BE discussion
Zabeel: well, Finish paper.
Last week's goal: Write a ton Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully finish the revised first chapter by Wednesday. Grade exams by Friday.
ReplyDeleteAchieved: I wrote, but not a ton. I didn't finish the chapter or grade all the exams. My students may riot. (They can chill out. It's been a week since the test.)
Analysis: I can't seem to get this chapter to where I want it to be. I know what I need to fix, but not how to fix it, if that makes sense. I may be putting too much pressure on this because I need to get it to my supervisor before I break the news that I need to continue my LoA over the summer. Maybe that's causing this blockage, but I need to shake it off and break through.
Next week's goal: FINISH THE CHAPTER. No matter what.
Comment: I started off strong(ish) at the beginning of the semester, but have been on a steady decline that is breaking my heart. I need to finish. I must finish. I need to sit down. Shut up. And write the dissertation.
You have got to think in terms of short blocks of time instead of in terms of finishing chapter and you have got to get less punitive with yourself. You have got to put yourself in the center of your life and think of yourself as a competent professional and not someone who has to do something to make it up to supervisor. You are cutting off your own power and you should not do this.
DeleteI agree with Z. You're being too hard on yourself. Nobody can work well for a micromanaging nag; don't treat yourself in a way you would not treat another person whom you employed. The point of a dissertation is to make you into the expert on that topic. Give yourself a reward for every 30 minutes of work. Write down a list of possible fixes for the chapter (even really crazy ones; maybe start with "then a miracle occurs"), and let it sit for a couple of days. Print out the chapter on colored paper and go to a new place to mark it up---changing routines can melt away blocks.
DeleteI know I'm too hard on myself. I always am! Breaking that habit is harder than forcing myself to write every (other) day. As for my relationship with my supervisor, well, that's another story. I feel like he's disappointed in me for taking so long, but that he's also kind of oblivious to the cost of going to school in a foreign country and the amount of debt that creates, in addition to being oblivious about needing a strong cv to be competitive on the job market because he's never had to search for a job at all, especially in this market. Being on leave and not in the same country hasn't helped things, either. I feel like I'm off his radar and don't want to be, but I'm not sure how to get back on it. This is about more than just the dissertation, though, so this is probably a discussion I should have with him, particularly if I am going to be this competent professional that Z correctly pointed out I need to be in order to get my power back.
DeleteDEH, I like your suggestion of printing out the chapter on colored paper and going somewhere new to edit. This particular chapter isn't in that bad of shape anymore, since I've been working on it for awhile, so I do think it's a reasonable goal for this week. Of course, it's been a goal for about three weeks now, so I could be wrong. Time to mull this all over with a glass of wine before bed.
Do you have someone non-advisory who could put another pair of eyes on it? I find even people outside my discipline can help give ideas, or I come up with ideas when I'm trying to explain my point that didn't come through in writing.
DeleteGood luck this week!
Amstr
Just one more voice chiming in to say that beating one's self up (including beating one's self up about beating one's self up) is *not* productive. Relationships with advisors are also tricky. Advisors are sometimes the sources of unrealistic expectations (based on vague/inaccurate memories of their own dissertation processes, or just on wishful thinking -- perhaps including wishful thinking about how much more productive they could/should be). They can also -- especially when they're distant, and we're not much in touch -- become projection screens, with our ideas about what they're probably thinking reflecting much more of our own thinking than theirs. I second writingaccount's idea of finding peer advisers/readers, even if not in the same field and/or nearby.
DeleteI also wouldn't discount the disruptiveness of unstable employment. I finally finished my dissertation when I got a full time job, even though it was 4/4 and all writing-intensive, which should have been more of an impediment to finishing the diss. than some of the adjuncting semester when I only had two sections (I, too, had some family support, in the form of an inheritance from a grandmother, so I didn't go scrambling for other work those semesters. But I also didn't get as much done as I expected/thought I should have). That, unfortunately, is not a situation over which you have much control, but it might be another argument in favor of high school teaching, which I'm sure would be exhausting, especially at first, but might ultimately provide the stable base you need (mind you, I finished my diss during the *second* year I held a full-time job, which probably isn't quite what you're aiming for, but there were reasons for that; the second year was less taxing than the first).
P.S. I'm very glad Tank is doing better. Hope he can shed that dispiriting collar soon, though I must say his dispirited expression is very cute.
DeleteProfacero (Z): Spanish version of abstract, write and send.
ReplyDeleteNo. My father, 88, went into intensive care and my mother, 87 was freaking out. Had to deal with MDs, POA, bleah. And didn't get a lot else done, so have backlog of other work and a heavy week coming up.
Goal for next week is nonetheless the same, although I will be OK with myself at this point if I just get it in this month, by the deadline.
How to implement said goal: 30 minutes a day. I have put in 30 minutes this week but the 30 minutes a day should be feasible. This may get me further than I think.
The Dad thing is at least resolved for now, so I am back in saddle. Work starts again right now although it is going to be on classes, and I think I'll go out tonight, and then after that it is 30 minutes in the morning on the mss. and then rip though teaching and service madly. And work out. And I hope to have good news on either/both of summer grant and summer job.
I'm sorry to hear about your dad. Those Aged-P emergencies can eat time and energy. Have a good time tonight, and enjoy the workout. Then rip away. Fingers crossed for the summer!
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your father, but I'm glad things are under control now. Have some fun tonight and I hope you get your good news soon!
DeleteCount me as another who wonders how the whole Aged-P scenario will play out (my situation is complicated by a stepmother who actively dislikes me; that will likely mean I either end up watching from a distance, able to little or nothing, or suddenly have a great deal thrust upon me, with little recent communication or planning to build on). All one can do, I suspect, is make the most of the calm moments when they come (and, yes, fit in some fun and other rejuvenating activities). I hope some of the arrangements from this time (e.g. POA) will at least carry over.
DeleteAll spare digits crossed for good news on the summer funding front!
He turns out to be fine -- it was just a harbinger of things to come, they are going to have serious trouble because they have everything planned on the theory they will have sudden deaths but they are not, they are going to have long, slow declines with lots of adjustments along the way. Assisted living would fix this or a better support system and they refuse both, so every event is harrowing and well, they have a lot of denial.
ReplyDeleteDissertation, supervisor, here is where you really need a business plan. I would actually not worry about not being on radar -- it's you and your text, and you send him reports and text but don't make him the focus, make your subject and you the focus. You run into a problem, you have an executive committee meeting about it with yourself, and let him know your "committee's" decision for his input.
I am very anti-self help but I like this person:
http://www.neilfiore.com/awakenyourstrongestself.shtml
I dread facing what you are dealing with with your parents. We haven't fully discussed their plans for the future, but they both seem firmly in the anti-assisted living camp and seem to think they're destined for sudden departures, too. It's a tough situation and very stressful. I hope things get better for you all.
DeleteYou couldn't be more right about needing to make me and my dissertation the focus, not my supervisor. I can wish that we had a closer relationship, but that's not going to happen and I need to accept it and move on. I did much better the first three years of my diss, when I listened to what he had to say and then did what I wanted re: conferences and publications. But the past two years I've been worrying too much about what he thinks and now I'm stalled. I need my mojo back. I just ordered the Fiore book. Let's see if it helps! If not, can I elect you my unofficial coach???? :)
Kiwi2
ReplyDeleteLast week’s goal: Final draft of grant proposal, one pager and summary. Send paper X to collaborator B. Start gathering data files for next paper all in one place.
Accomplished: A much improved draft completed. Draft of one page blurb (still needs a major revision). A decent summary. Conference paper given.
Next goal: read and take notes on two papers a day for my exotic synthesis
Commentary: This was a tough week, in spite of it being only three days; I felt very burned out. Work I did over the Easter break meant I felt really tired and also stressed about the grant proposal. So I had to push hard to get through this week, crossing off tiny tasks as I went (Water my plants. Update my schedule. See a student). Once my conference paper was given, and my duties at the conference were fulfilled, I felt a lot better. Also, I just kept plugging away on bits of my grant proposal in an hour here and an hour there, and finally, by Friday afternoon I had a good chunk of it done to the standard I wanted. I still have the final page to do today, and I will no doubt change other bits a little, now that the deadline has shifted until Wed next week, but I feel much better generally knowing that it is almost done, and if I had to put it in today, I would.
So, time to move on. I can put my head up and look around, and attend to my work writing goals. I have been feeling like my writing goals lately have been ephemeral; based on short term projects/ proposals that are not part of my vision for a research trajectory. So this week, I am returning to a goal for my core research work. I aim to read and take notes on two papers a day for my exotic synthesis, to get some momentum going there. Hopefully, other things will happen too, but this is my goal this week.
I had a look at Profacero's link to Neil Fiore and his blog - I found the idea of changing names, eg in order to move from a stuck state of mind to a more powerful one - fascinating, because of course this is what we do when we reimagine ourselves. I am going to try this, this week.
Congratulations on getting so much done this week! The more I read on his blog, the more I like his ideas. I'm not a self-help person, either, but I may be warming up to it because of him. We'll see how the book goes. I, too, like the idea of changing names. I need some sort of academic asskicker name.
DeleteHopefully working on your overall research goals will help you feel less burned out. I know I get that way, feeling extra frazzled when dealing with things that aren't or can't be my main focus. That's kind of hilarious considering how long I avoided the diss writing out of fear and writer's block, now that I think about it. It's hilariously awful.
I am now thinking of a possible academic ass-kicker name too. This is really interesting! Kiwi2
DeleteLove the Tank photo.
ReplyDeletegoal: submit May abstract, touch manuscript every day
achieved: one touch, but nothing else
analysis: I’m procrastinating about grading and a huge pile of service work by trying to work on the abstract, but it deserves better than a quick paint job. I need to shift the focus of the piece I’ve already written so it is better aligned with the call for papers and trying to rush through that is pointless.
next week’s goal: a little bit of shifting gears. I will
publicize the survey and remind myself that I have research projects looming out there that I love. Right now, though, I think I need to give myself over to getting through the rest of the semester.
Comment: I adore Academic Coach Taylor. “Sit Down. Shut Up. Write the Book.” was my computer wallpaper for a long time. Wishing everyone a marvelous week, whether you are productive or not.
Ugh. Grading. I feel your pain, as I'm staring down 18 exam essays right now. I hope you also have a great week, productivity aside. "The Only Great Dissertation is a Finished Dissertation" has been my wallpaper since the new year. It's worked, though perhaps not as much as I want. Maybe it's time for a new ACT wallpaper to kick it into high gear.
DeleteThe reason I am being so chatty is that I am procrastinating on grading and I have more than 18 to do. The advice from Coach Taylor that I trashed below, is correct advice here and I am taking it.
DeleteSee? Academic Coach Taylor can be useful!
DeleteNo issues here with trashing Coach Taylor's advice! More than anything, I needed something or someone to remind me every day that there's a project sitting out there waiting for me. Any kind of prompt that literally calls out "hey! book!" is helpful.
DeleteOK, re changing names, I guess my current blog name "coldhearted scientist" is this.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed with you kiwimark and am going to make you my role model, at least this post is going to be my role model.
Jodi, sure I'll be your coach, it will help me coach myself. I would be good for me to have someone to whom I must say kind, practical, positive things and for whom I would have to model good self-care.
Parents, thank you, the whole thing is not going to get better, but I am going to get better by not being dragged into the maelstrom / not letting them manipulate me. :-)
I am humbled to have a role model post, and glad to be able to help in a small way.I can tell you, though, I didn't feel remotely like a role model last week- the week felt like a very long trudge, one step in front of the other. Best wishes for your next week! K2.
DeleteYou had a draining week and yet still accomplished a lot. That's impressive! I say we come up with our "new" names, bad-ass our way through this week, and then reveal the name next writing group, with a report of how we did. Deal?
DeleteThat is the brilliant attitude. Deal.
DeleteTotally deal. K2
DeleteGosh, I am talky.
ReplyDeleteThis is me, too:
"
analysis: I’m procrastinating about grading and a huge pile of service work by trying to work on the abstract, but it deserves better than a quick paint job. I need to shift the focus of the piece I’ve already written so it is better aligned with the call for papers and trying to rush through that is pointless."
I also need to give self over to getting through rest of semester but I also need to finish abstract correctly and touch work every day -- I know the results of putting things off entirely until semester is over and they are bad.
Sit down, shut up, write book, I am amazed this works for people. What I say is, that if you are not following those instructions it is because you can't and you need to talk about it, not just because you are not obedient. I am quite traditional and I know how to follow rules but all this idealization of obedience, orders, and behavior modification that is in fashion now does not seem cool/impressive to me at all.
Although: this advice does apply to me precisely when it comes to teaching activity. All the writing advice I say is off base for me, is spot on if applied to teaching.
DeleteSeriously, I would love, love, love a coach! Someone who could get me out of my own head (and my own way) when I can't do it myself would be amazing.
DeleteI'm also resisting the urge to give myself over to finishing the semester. Despite feeling like I'm barely keeping my head above water, I not only don't get paid enough to focus solely on teaching, but can't afford to lose three weeks on the dissertation because, like you said, the results of putting things off until the end of the semester are bad. Horrible, in fact.
"if you are not following those instructions it is because you can't and you need to talk about it, not just because you are not obedient" - honestly, this could not be more spot on for me. I suffered from really, really debilitating writers' block for almost two years (as I've mentioned 1,000 times or more). The longer the writer's block went on, the more bottled up everything became because I felt like I couldn't tell anyone, since I was so mortified by my inability to write, which was something I'd never faced before. The breakthrough only came after a complete meltdown to a friend one night, involving an embarrassing amount of tears. It was like a floodgate opened up afterwards, though. I could move on. I could write again. Granted, it hasn't exactly been a floodgate, as the past few weeks have shown, but hundreds of words a week is a lot better than zero words a month. The sit down, shut up, write book idea is something I still hold on to, just as a reminder that, when it comes right down to it, that's what I need to do - focus on writing, not teaching, not department drama, not money woes, just writing. Being able to talk about my writing struggles (in this group and with a few particular friends who empathize) just ensures that the writing will happen and I won't get blocked/bottled up again.
I see some people taking the idea of behavior modification to such an extreme these days. They're like little productivity robots and I don't want to be like that. Well, I want the productivity, but not the robot. It's that middle ground I want, I guess.
I'll coach. I have been through all of this also and I relate. This is why coaching is in my best interest, it is a way of coaching myself.
Delete(I was thinking earlier today, I wish I had some teenagers still just too young to drive themselves, that I was responsible for entertaining this summer, so I would just have to take them camping and things like that, that I secretly want to do myself. In a parallel manner, I will just have to write and stay sane, because of you.)
I wish I had some younger kids to borrow, for things like feeding the ducks and kite-flying, which are just much more fun with youngsters along!
DeleteI borrow my niece and nephew for trips to the aquarium, where I push them out of my way to see the hippos, and days at the beach or the park or the waterpark. You can't really go to the waterpark by yourself because it's just too weird.
DeleteWhat wonderful ideas of doing playful things. I used to live in a city where people enjoyed visiting and I got to be a tourist in my own town quite a bit. It was a great opportunity to get out of the chair and into the world.
DeleteTips for organizing your research program:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2012/11/28/lupton-30-tips-writing/
Two weeks ago: Be clear on what I want to work on and what I plan to achieve when I come back from my trip to Paris, and start adopting the right frame of mind over the next few days.
ReplyDeleteAccomplished: I am finally going to start working with my new supervisor and goals are becoming much more concrete and easier to define. I have clearer marks and know what I want to achieve. The trip to Paris was inspiring and I am in the right frame of mind to go back to work productively. I have to let myself think of my project every day and be creative as I enter this new phase of my dissertation at a different university.
Next week: 1) write first thing in the morning and 2) work on my PhD for at least three hours a day.
Comment: I started slow this term and then energy built up before crashing down (I had the flu and then a cold...) but what matters is that I've made it through a tough time and have succesfully been transfered to another university where I'll start working with a new supervisor. Now I think I'll be back on track and should start writing more and drifting less.
My favourite academic "coach" is Tanya at Get A Life: http://getalifephd.blogspot.ch/ - she helps me retain my sanity.
I also appreciated the advice of two books in particular: Silvia's How to Write a Lot http://books.google.ch/books/about/How_to_Write_a_Lot.html?id=SmtoQgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y and Bolker's Writing Your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day http://books.google.ch/books?id=q5bGvErV1lgC&dq=bolker+dissertation&hl=fr&sa=X&ei=S0dhUaDcJqrY4QTb-IGIBw&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA
Profacero also influenced me when she wrote: "It is not that I must protect my time and project with management and discipline - it is that I must allow my time and project to protect me" (13/08/2012)
Sounds like the trip went well! It's great that you got your transfer and are getting back on track. Good luck this week!
DeleteI like Tanya, too, and, of course, The Thesis Whisperer. http://thesiswhisperer.com/
That's a great quote from Profacero. I now have this image in my head of my dissertation as Secret Service/CIA/FBI/MI5 types, surrounding me and my calendar.
Yay, you got your transfer! I hope you took your day off to celebrate, as you planned way back whenever??
Delete@JaneB - I did take a day off but still have to plan a little outing to the restaurant to celebrate. Also, my first trip to the new uni (since I'm not moving) will feel great!
Delete@Jodi - Yes, the quote is from her blog and I love it. Dissertation as secret service! I need to learn to teach in a way that helps protecting me, too, rather than letting students step all over me as I often have this year.
Goal: paper written
ReplyDeleteAchieved: Yes, and presented on Friday
Analysis: as always, I struggled to write this paper until the deadline meant that I just had to do it. I hate feeling like I'm only motivted by external deadlines, but that does seem to be the truth. The paper wasn't great, but it did force me to put a good nimber of ideas down on paper, and, as always, they triggered new ideas. So, conceptually, very worthwhile. The paper doesn't really warrent being turned into an article, but it might very well form the basis of one of the chapters of the next book.
New week: Again, I have an external deadline, this time to submit a draft for an edited collection. So, the goal is to produce the fullest draft of this paper that I can.
Congrats on getting the paper written and, perhaps more importantly, the new ideas that sprang from it. Good luck next week.
DeleteLast goal: submit final draft of companion-piece. Continue at least one hour of research a day, 3 lines of transcription and 50 of translation. Return to MMP-1 and write another 2-3 paragraphs.
ReplyDeleteAchieved: (A) Not yet submitted, but revised. Am waiting for (1) possible input about a difficult MS reading from a 3rd person and (2) one more run-through with the journal's style sheet. (B) Yes. (C) Have not written, but have done more family-history research, including acquiring two more wills to read.
Commentary: Now it's clearer to me why I delayed revising the companion-piece; I'd like to get the MMP-1 out so that they can refer to each other in the notes. But I'm going to have to let that go. Maybe they'll allow me to turn a note about "in progress" into "forthcoming" at page-proof stage, if things work out well. Translation-polishing is less satisfying and harder to quantify than rough drafts, so I have to think about how to set that up: it can take hours to get a single tricky line right, and on the other hand, sometimes 100 lines take very little effort. I don't know why I didn't get these wills sooner. I've been wondering if the National Archives recently simplified their catalog, or added a bunch of stuff, or if it's just that I wasn't thinking about the significance of this generation before. Or maybe it's just that having finished the IPM I need something to take its place. :-) The wills, unlike the IPM, are in English, so I might be able to use them in a class someday. That would be cool.
Next goals: At least one hour of research a day. Focus on polishing translation chunk; finish grooming companion-piece and send it in. Further MMP-1 work would be desirable but not essential this week.
Congrats on getting the companion piece revised and getting the transcription done early!
DeleteLast week's goal: T/R 7hrs and MWF an hour
ReplyDeleteAchieved: MWF 30-60 minutes. T/R maybe 2-3 each. Sat. 4hrs and so far this morning 1hr.
Commentary: I continue to struggle with anxiety/depression. Maybe it's the weather. I've broken out my vitamin D and HTP5 and let's see if that helps.
I got some work done this week. No major leaps, but some thoughts down. Three more weeks in the semester and we are done.
Next week: T/R 7hrs each. I should be able to finish the chapter.
That is a lot of work to accomplish with your struggles, so I'm impressed!
DeleteI don't know what your strategies are for coping with depression and anxiety, but one thing that really got me out of the depressive cycle was MBCT training ( http://www.mbct.com/ ). Since we're talking motivational coaches, I also like Eric Maisel's work, especially Rethinking Depression and Space to Write. Although the self-help style does get on my nerve, I've learnt valuable things. Good luck!
DeleteGoal: Begin the survey question creation for article B.
ReplyDeleteAccomplished: well, I wrote some questions, so I guess I "began." I did not write as many as I should have done.
Commentary: I really hate survey questions. I show my humanities bias when I have to do something so "social-sciency," even though I recognize the utility in this case.
I have been concentrating on getting through my review. Now that I have been renewed for two more years, I can change focus back to the articles.
Thank you all for your suggestions for "coaches." I have promised myself that I will get a personal trainer type of coach once I return to the dissertation. In the meantime, I plan to check out everyone's suggestions.
Next week: Finish the survey questions for article B, and do half of the questions for article Q.
Forget the "should have"--you met your goal! Celebrate! And then build on that success next week.
DeleteListen to Amstr! You met your goal and you can do more next week. Woohoo!
DeleteThank you both for reminding me to look at the half-full glass!
DeleteYay me! *grin*
Last week's goal: Read through Kzoo draft; fix what's easy; list what needs doing.
ReplyDeleteDone: Got through about 1/3 of the draft. Husband out of town, Mom visiting, babysitter sick--you get the idea.
Next week: (Repeat:) Read through Kzoo draft; fix what's easy; list what needs doing.
And now I need to prep for tomorrow!
Oh no, what a week! Good luck with the Kzoo draft!
DeleteLast week's goals: Finish drafting Frameworks presentation; draft BE discussion
ReplyDeleteAccomplished: Have a messy (but complete) draft of both.
Analysis: Much better to have smaller goals for this week. Life wasn't unbearably busy but I'm finding it hard to keep up the pace that this semester (really the entire year) has demanded. I am seriously thinking of downscaling all expectations for next year.
Next week's goals: Revise Frameworks & BE drafts; get back into MS analysis.
A draft is a draft. Let yourself enjoy that success, especially when you feel like you're struggling to keep up the pace.
Deletegoals: a) continue to do something research-like first every day, b) write up what I've done so far with the simulations, outline what the next step is (I am embarrassingly bad at parking computer stuff on a downhill slope) and outline the paper they're going to turn into and c) finish the damn draft of the wretched paper with the MSc student.
ReplyDeleteachieved: none of those things. Well, I did do something research-like every day, not always first. I got waylaid by things that had to be done before the start of the second part of the semester (grading! Next academic year's timetable and approvals paperwork! Gah!), by other people's needs, and by a research-visitor (this last is a good thing - a grad student from another country who is here for about nine weeks to learn and carry out some data analysis - not only is it just fun to help someone and work with someone enthusiastic and different, but I'm really hoping it will spur post-doc F into some sort of ACTION, as she has lots of data that's not quite ready to be analysed using the same methods, and it would make SO much sense if I was training both of them at once (OK, probably I'll be doing a lot of PDFs actual analysis, but if she prepares the data that would be really helpful)). BUT visitor-registration-bureaucracy took HOURS (and is not complete).
Analysis: I've been doing this for YEARS and I still never seem to be able to work out what is feasible for more than a few days at a time. One of those skills that;s particularly hard to achieve, for me... on the one hand, I like the variety and unpredictability of academic life. But right now I'm all out of the energy needed to adapt to the day's demands... and student stress is very, very wearing (for me) and unpredictable...
goals for next week: same as.
topic:aiee. I guess keeping going is all I can advocate. One foot in front of the other is the only way to get anywhere. Stop/look up just long enough to check your bearings, because if you stop too long you get distracted or your muscles sieze up or you are totally daunted by the size of the mountain in front of you, unless you are actually going well (it seems counter-intuitive to step away from work that is going well, but for me that;s the only time when overviews and planning can be done in a positive way, without self-recrimination setting in). Celebrate small bits of progress, be glad for what you did not mad about what you didn't. Spend time with your pets - when they interrupt your work, focus on them for five minutes and make a big fuss of them, you'll feel better for it.
Amstr:
ReplyDeleteGoals: Re-park on downhill slope.
Accomplished: enough
Analysis: I spent some time returning to Belcher's scheduling practice, and I've got my articles sorted and in one place. I'm looking forward to working out some of the ideas early in the week so I can get writing. My goal is to have a full draft of the chapter to my writing partner within a month. My defense will have to be sometime over the summer, but I'd love to have the complete draft done before the end of the school year (early June).
Taking the week away--lovely beach towns, visits to family, a super fun wedding--has gotten me relaxed enough to move into a more disciplined schedule without getting stressed. And I no longer have lots of men working in my yard. The interruptions to my work time should be much fewer. And I have a beautiful new yard to work in!
Goals for next week: 1) revise abstract and outline, send to writing partner; 2) read 2 articles, 3) skim a pile of articles and organize useful quotes by topic. Bonus: write some of the draft.
Sounds like you are rejuvenated and ready to go again. Good luck this week and enjoy the new yard!
DeleteLoving this week's theme - my desk is covered with Academic Coach Taylor quotes too!
ReplyDeleteLast week's goal: make brain register the existence of writing project for at least 5 minutes per day. Even that was a bit of a struggle, given the piles of stuff I had to get through last week, but that made it the perfect goal, because it kept me engaged with the ideas even if I didn't have time to write.
Given that, I'm setting the same goal for this week (pet the project 5 minutes per day). I really think I'll be able to get back to real writing after that, but in the meantime this will keep the wheels turning in the writing part of my head.
Oh - and what a fantastic picture of poor Tank! So glad he's recovering well.
You made your goal, despite the struggle, so Glow of Achievement for you!
DeleteLast week's goal: make continued progress on writing and/or research, alternating back and forth as necessary (and switching off with preparation for the mid-April lecture). get the tax tasks completed well before April 15th.
ReplyDeleteAccomplished: nothing on the chapter; a bit on the lecture; I'll have everything tax-related that absolutely has to be done before April 15th done by the end of the day today.
Analysis: I decided the taxes, and not being sure exactly how long the absolutely necessary tasks would take (but knowing that, each time I sat down to work on them, small tasks took far longer than I thought they should), were really weighing on me, and spent some significant time on them this weekend (including skipping church, which I almost never do, and am still feeling a bit funny about). That was time well spent, I think. I also got some relatively mindless but time-consuming prep for the lecture -- downloading images for a powerpoint -- done at a point when I was too tired to grade. So for the next week I need to juggle grading and lecture prep (the chapter is just going to have to wait until after the lecture, especially since I also have an annual activities report due).
Goal for next week: make progress on lecture & grading, finish annual activities report (not really "writing," but necessary, and may pave the way for finishing the chapter in the last 2 weeks of the month).
Topic: Like JaneB, I'm in the "just keep plugging along" camp. Since I'm allergic to team/spectator sports (and sports references), and to motivational quotes in general, I don't think Coach Taylor is going to do it for me (though my grad roommate and I did once consider needlepointing a pillow with "a done paper is a good paper" on it -- apparently the goal posts in this, as in many things, are now set a bit higher, and "good" is no longer enough of a goal. Besides the just-plugging-along approach, and setting reasonable goals (i.e. taking past performance as a reasonable measure of likely future capability), I've found it useful to try to identify what may be creating noise/tension/distraction in my head, even if it isn't theoretically the highest priority, and taking care of that (see taxes, above). I'm increasingly realizing that I find tasks the duration of which I can't predict (usually from lack of familiarity), and/or ones that simply take longer than I think they "should," especially stressful, and sometimes worth eliminating just to clear the brain space.
Desk-clearing, especially involving something so dreadful as taxes, is valuable, just to also clear your head space. It lets you focus, in the future, on the big things that matter, not the piddly little things that pile up to big distractions.
DeleteLast week's goals: 1) 5 12-minute sessions; 2) 1 ms. submission; 3) 1 mag submission
ReplyDeleteAccomplished: Well, this was a weird week. I had time and I ended up writing and submitting an Op-Ed as well as working on some poems. I probably spent close to 5 hours writing. Thank you, spring break. The other goals, I didn't even start. There isn't a pressing place to submit the ms. right now, and I'm dithering about the next mag. submission.
Analysis: Spring break took a week to kick in, I guess.
Next week's goal: Okay, this week ahead offers very little time to steal for writing, and I am traveling over the weekend, but I think I can commit to: 1) 3 12-minute sessions on TWTh and to being open to whatever interesting thoughts might visit me while I am traveling.
Wishing everyone a great week!
Have a great week and enjoy the travels!
DeleteLast week's goals.
ReplyDeletetask: Complete the requested revisions for the article. Time: 30 mins TWTh and 1hour Friday.
Achieved.
time: 45 minutes revising on Tuesday; task: revisions not completed
Analysis/comment of what worked and what didn't.
Wednesday and Thursday saw some massive procrastination that had more to do with my personal life than work. I did not take advantage of the opportunity to procrastinate productively by working on the ms.
On the self-care front, though, I ran a 10K this morning. The self-care is more that I've been running twice a week than the race itself. I can now report that running ten kilometers slowly on a Sunday is less exhausting than an elementary school carnival on a Saturday, possibly because my son was with a babysitter while I was running.
Next week's goals.
finish revisions on Monday; 1/2 hour writing on Friday.
Holy smokes! I'm impressed. I'm not a runner and, even in my best shape, I would have hated running a 10K, out of boredom more than inability, although now it's definitely about inability. Good luck with the revisions this week!
DeleteLast week's goal: Write conference proposal on new shiny topic.
ReplyDeleteAccomplished: Lots of notes and brainstorming, but haven't written the proposal yet.
Next week's goals: Write the conference proposal, order sources from ILL, make a plan for the next couple of months, do taxes!
Analysis: I was at a conference this week, and it was great. Really good panels and papers, and I spent a lot of time with my PhD supervisor (both working and playing). It was all very inspiring, and now I don't want to go back to teaching and service. I just want to work on the dissertation. Alas.
We've got seven weeks left of school, and it's about to get crazy! Now that I have the partial draft of Chapter 5 that I was aiming for, I want to make some plans for how to approach Chapter 3 and, in general, what to do next.
It's great that you're feeling inspired again! Conferences can be wonderful for that very reason. Good luck with the planning!
DeleteI'm so glad it was a great trip! Sorry the teaching and service gets in the way of the real fun. May your students write A essays, and may everyone agree in meetings.
DeleteOK Jodi I will learn to run and I will coach you so as to coach myself. I am writing random coaching posts but I think I should compile a page of pithy writing group pearls of wisdom, by me and others. Let me know if you have any you want me to be sure to include.
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! I'll think about it and see what I can come up with to include.
DeleteI found this helpful and encouraging: http://www.publicationcoach.com/solving-writing-problems/
ReplyDeleteAll her solutions start with, "Identify your own problem first."
She makes a good point! You can't find a solution if you aren't clear on the problem.
ReplyDelete