Lumpy Rugs and Dissertations
May 3rd is National Lumpy Rug Day! Why would we have a day for that!? And, how can lumpy rugs help me get my dissertation done? Read on, grasshopper!…
National Lumpy Rug Day is a day meant for spring cleaning! Shake out that old dusty rug, clean the floors, throw out things you don’t need, and get organized.
But Dr. Strickland, I don’t have time to do spring cleaning! I have a job, a family, and a dissertation to get done!
I get it. You’re busy. But, do you really think you’re getting your best work done when desk, literally and figuratively, is a complete mess?
You need to get organized. Best case scenario is that your work area is a dedicated space just for working on your dissertation. Realistically there are probably a few other things that will have to go on there, like paying bills or filling out forms.
The important thing is to stop it from becoming a cluttered mess. Clutter causes stress and inability to focus, and neither of those are helpful for completing your dissertation.
Here’s my solution:
I am always preaching that you are supposed to be spending 10-15 hours of diligent work to complete your dissertation. This translates to 2-3 hours a day 6-6 days a week.
That’s a lot of time. You need to start each work session with a clean desk.
If your desk is cluttered, set a timer for 15 minutes at the beginning of each work session to tidy up. Throw out any garbage (of course!) and make a box or caddy for “non-dissertation” items like bills so you can get them out of sight while you are working.
After 15 minutes, get to work on your dissertation! Don’t use desk organizing as an excuse not to work. Some of you will need to do this 15 minute routine for more than one day just to get your space back from the clutter, but don’t try to be a hero and do it for more than 15 minutes at a time.
At the end of each work session, spend no more than 5 minutes straightening your desk back up and writing yourself a note about what you want to accomplish in your next work session.
Before you know it, you won’t need that 15 minutes at the beginning every day because you will have a nice clean work space and a note reminding you where you left off!
No more lumpy rugs!
Notice the desk getting out of control again? Set a timer for 15 minutes and clean it again. Try it!
Are you having trouble getting organized with regard to your dissertation? Click here to schedule a quick, 15-minute chat with me to see if you’re a good fit for our Fast Track Your Dissertation Coaching Program. If you are, then I’ll invite you to join the fastest group of dissertation students out there and help you to reach graduation a good year or two faster than you would on your own.
