Parent to a College Student | Tandean Rustandy Esteemed Endowed Chair, University of Colorado-Boulder | PhD Project PAC 15 Member | Professor, Alliance Manchester Business School | TUM Ambassador
On finishing your dissertation (or three tips for breaking the mountain down into hills). I struggled in the final phase of my dissertation. I had a job. I had a place secured to live. I had it all. Yet. I could not muster up the energy to wrap it up. I was in a funk. So after an intervention by my advisor (who politely said, sitting in your office being sad about leaving isn't going to get this done) and another by my dad (who less politely said you need to work every day, if you want to be successful), I got to work. What did it look like? First, both my advisor and my dad suggested breaking what was left to be done into manageable tasks. Two examples. 1990s Example: Instead of viewing my dissertation as one enormous project, my dad suggested listing small, achievable tasks such as "read and summarize two articles today" or "write the introduction for Chapter 3." Modern Example: Use tools like Trello or Notion to visually track and tick off each smaller milestone, giving you a sense of progress and momentum. Second, establish a regular and realistic routine 1990s Example: Commit to writing for 30-60 minutes each morning before checking email or the news. Over time, this consistent practice turned dissertation writing into a habit rather than an overwhelming task. Modern Example: Designate specific times in your week strictly for dissertation tasks, such as every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, and communicate these boundaries to friends, family, and colleagues. Simply don't respond to email. Note: This is modern, bc responding to email quickly was not expected in the 1990s. Third, create accountability through social support. My advisor and my dad reminded me that I didn't have to sit alone in my office, I did have friends, lean on them a bit. 1990s Example: Meet weekly with peers at the same stage in your program, discuss challenges, and share progress. Mutual support can enhance motivation and encourage. This helped me get out of my office and fell less alone. Modern Example: Publicly share your weekly dissertation goals on your private feed on platforms like Twitter or Facebook, inviting feedback and encouragement from your academic and professional network. Note: I do not recommend sharing your dissertation troubles on a public feed. They can come back to haunt you. Eventually, after making progress, which built confidence, after forming a routine, which made it easier to write, after spending time with friends, which made it hard to feel even more depressed, I finished. And I found those habits of finishing a little each day, writing on a regular basis, and getting ut and around people, helped me as I moved into the next phase of my career as an assistant professor. Best of luck! #academicjourney #academiclife