Simple Strategies, Vol. 1, No. 4, 2004 (© 2004)

SIMPLE STRATEGIES FOR CONQUERING PROCRASTINATION
WHILE WRITING YOUR DISSERTATION OR THESIS

 Jeffrey W. Braunstein, Ph.D.
ResearchConsultation.com

Many dissertation and thesis students struggle with getting started on their dissertation or thesis.  Other students have difficulty with successfully navigating past a certain stage of the dissertation process. Procrastination greatly hinders dissertation and thesis students and interferes with their ability to get to the next step of their dissertation or thesis.  This issue of Simple Strategies will address ways to overcome procrastination during the dissertation and thesis process.  The techniques reviewed in this article for overcoming procrastination while writing your dissertation or thesis are drawn from various cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques that have been successfully used by others to conquer procrastination in other areas of life.

Why Am I Procrastinating?

I typically hear dissertation and thesis students report many explanations for why they procrastinate while writing their dissertation or thesis.  Explanations and justifications without evidence (such as excuses) are “irrational” and can only hurt your motivation for working on your dissertation or thesis.  Irrational beliefs are ways of thinking that are responsible for causing us to feel badly and to behave in ways that are self-defeating.  The irrational beliefs that you tell yourself can make you feel overly frustrated, anxious, angry or depressed.  As a result of feeling overly frustrated, anxious, angry or depressed, you might elect to throw your dissertation or thesis materials in the closet for yet another semester.  Now your dissertation or thesis materials are conveniently out of view, helping you to “forget” that you haven’t made progress on the most important project of your academic career.  Here’s an example of what happens to a lot of students during the dissertation or thesis process:

A Typical Example of The Procrastination Process

While Writing A Dissertation or Thesis

Below are common irrational beliefs that cause procrastination for dissertation and thesis students.  Use these examples to identify your own specific irrational beliefs that are responsible for causing your procrastination.  Identifying and challenging these beliefs can help put you back on the path to being productive and one step closer to finishing your dissertation or thesis.

Common Irrational Beliefs That Cause Procrastination For Dissertation

& Thesis Students & Ways To Challenge These Beliefs

1. I feel so overwhelmed by my dissertation or thesis.  I don’t know where to start.  I’ll never figure it out.  I might as well not try at all!

Challenge:  You’ve already invested an enormous amount of time and money into your education and have successfully navigated through very difficult classes.  Conquering your dissertation or thesis is very similar to passing a very difficult class: with a lot of time and patience your chances for successfully completing your dissertation or thesis increase exponentially.  Giving up or avoiding your dissertation or thesis will only make the process a lot longer.  Your dissertation or thesis chairperson and committee members can provide you with guidance and support to help you negotiate through the difficult parts of the dissertation or thesis process.  If your dissertation or thesis committee members are unavailable, you can consider using a consultant to help you negotiate through the difficult parts of your dissertation or thesis.

2. I can’t stand doing research like a dissertation or thesis.  I shouldn’t have to do a dissertation or thesis because I’m not going to do research when I graduate anyway.

Challenge:  If you don’t learn to “stand” and cope with the dissertation or thesis process, you will be ABD (All But Dissertation) and would have invested a lot of time and money and will have nothing to show for it.  It’s probably in your best interest to break the more difficult tasks of your dissertation or thesis into smaller, more manageable tasks.  Even though you may not choose to conduct research after graduation, you need to accept that the dissertation is a necessary hurdle that needs to be completed in order to receive your degree.  Convincing yourself that you “shouldn’t” have to do a dissertation or thesis will only make you feel more frustrated and will diminish your motivation and focus.

3. My classes and other requirements are taking away from my time to work on my dissertation or thesis.  I just can’t seem to find enough time in the day to work on my dissertation or thesis.

Challenge:  Scheduling, time management and setting boundaries between your professional and personal responsibilities are important skills to learn early in your career.  Learning these skills now will help you to manage more responsibilities later on in your professional career.  After graduation, you will have to manage multiple projects when working in your chosen profession and may experience greater time demands than the challenges you are currently experiencing.  The dissertation or thesis process helps you to learn these time management and problem solving skills early in your professional career.  Refer to the time management and problem solving skills section of this article for additional suggestions.  

4. It’s the summer and I should be enjoying myself. I shouldn’t have to work on my dissertation or thesis when the weather is so nice!

Challenge:  Just because you have to work on your dissertation or thesis doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your summer.  You can choose to work on your dissertation and thesis slowly for a couple hours a day.  Constructing a regular schedule to work on your dissertation or thesis during the summer may actually help you to enjoy your summer more because you won’t feel guilty for not working on your dissertation or thesis!!!

Time Management & Problem Solving Skills to Overcome Procrastination

While Writing Your Dissertation or Thesis

Time management and problem solving skills are essential for successfully managing both professional and personal responsibilities.  These same skills can be applied to managing your time and solving problems when work on your dissertation or thesis.  Below are some suggested skills that can help you to effectively manage your time and resolve problems while writing your dissertation or thesis.

1.      Determine what time of day you are most alert to work on your dissertation or thesis.

2.      Find an environment that is conducive to concentrating on your dissertation or thesis. 

3.      After you determine the best time of day and place to work on your dissertation or thesis, schedule a regular time to work on your dissertation or thesis every day, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

4.      If you find yourself stuck when writing a specific part of your dissertation or thesis, break each portion of the dissertation process (e.g. literature review, method section, results section) into smaller, more manageable parts.  Remind yourself that dissertations and theses weren’t written in a day.

5.      Use positive reinforcement and reward yourself with something pleasurable after every time you have worked on your dissertation, regardless of how much you’ve accomplished.

Using these Simple Strategies can help you conquer procrastination and manage the anxiety commonly experienced by students who are writing their dissertation or thesis.  Practicing good time management skills, having a lot of patience, and asking for assistance when reaching an impasse are important skills to practice throughout the dissertation or thesis process.  

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