Have you stalled out on your thesis or dissertation?

You may find that you will stall out at some point when working on your degree. You may feel as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, or encounter disappointments or unexpected setbacks. It is important to know that this is a common part of the process! 

It helps to put the entire project into a broader perspective. Completing a lengthy thesis or dissertation requires stamina, determination, shrewd negotiating skills, and a willingness to stretch your own intellectual and emotional capabilities.

Share your concerns about your progress with your advisor. He or she will not be surprised or disappointed to learn that you have lost momentum. Faculty will have seen the same thing in other students.

The following are tips for getting back on track:

• If you are still at the proposal-writing stage, determine with your research advisor the precise steps you need to take to prepare the final proposal for formal presentation to your supervisory committee. Determine a clear deadline for submitting your proposal, and stick to it.
• Arrange to meet regularly with your supervisor. Having to report on your progress will motivate you. 
• Take advantage of any program supports (e.g., workshops) on writing your thesis or dissertation.

Examine your time-management skills. Where are you wasting time? Work with a carefully-designed plan for developing and completing your thesis or dissertation, creating a well-organized listing or even a project flow chart of essential tasks that you must carry out on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Carefully prioritize your tasks by asking yourself, "What is the most important thing I can do right now?" Use your answer to plan your time and get back on track.

Do you find yourself procrastinating?

If you find you are procrastinating on major responsibilities, determine the reasons. Examine your personal work habits, patterns, behaviours, and feelings to see what steps you need to take to understand and reduce procrastination. Any of these factors may impede your progress:

• Fear of failure, which can result in a form of emotional paralysis or disabling anxiety
• Self-doubt or endless second-guessing about everything that you think or write
• Fear of success, which often arises from anxiety about what you will do when you have finished.
• Perfectionism, which can create an inability to either start or finish a major task. Perfectionists tend to be their own worst critics. Nothing is good enough. Constant self-criticism leads to paralysis and avoidance and will sabotage your progress.
• Exhaustion or illness related to ignoring your health.
• Preoccupation with other life problems such as relationships or finances.
• Feeling overwhelmed by the size of a required task, such as writing the entire thesis or dissertation or analyzing a large body of research data

Procrastination is a mental road-block that you can learn to overcome. Procrastinators tell themselves, "I don't feel like doing it now... I'll wait until I'm in the mood." Unfortunately, this doesn't work because waiting until you're in the mood may take a long time. Begin with action. Taking action reduces fear and has the effect of "priming the pump". Once you begin something it will encourage you to do more. You then feel better about yourself which motivates you to continue.

Here are some tips for getting started:

• Make the completion of your thesis a top priority. Do not waste time on points or questions outside the scope of your research.
• Forget about doing something perfectly, just get started.
• Seek out the information you need for making decisions.
• Try to focus on one aspect at a time.
• Ask your supervisor for help or direction with your project.
• Break your task down into a series of smaller steps and distribute these steps over a structured time frame. Taking the smallest step forward will give you satisfaction and increase your motivation.
• Begin with the tasks that you find the most interesting. Success there will motivate you to tackle less enjoyable aspects of the work.
• Know your personality and choose a working style that goes with it. For example, if you are a social person, you may want to work in a computer lab instead of at home.
• Know your distractions and schedule your work time when distractions are at a low level.
• Try out different schedules, for example, shifting from morning to evening hours.
• Set aside time for yourself, your partner and your children (negotiate the time together so that you will be available at the same time). It is important to communicate with those around you.

When it comes to writing a thesis or dissertation, it pays to create a personal "writing strategy" that enables you to develop a daily work pattern and a reward system for writing every day. 

Here are some tips for overcoming procrastination in writing.

• Spend some time writing your thesis at least five days a week. Even if you can spare only one hour on some days, consistent work will help you keep ideas and source material fresh in your mind.
• Recognize that effective writing involves time for reflection, mulling things over and sitting with your thoughts. This is a natural, creative process, not to be confused with procrastination.
• If you find you are having trouble beginning your writing, experiment with free writing - write about something unrelated to your academic pursuit - and notice your rhythm and spontaneity return.
• Try "talking" your dissertation, i.e., telling a friend or partner what you are trying to write. Expressing your ideas verbally will free up your writing.

Have you encountered difficulties in your working relationship with your research advisor?

• Lack of advisor availability. Your supervisor is not available for consultation.
• Micromanagement. You may feel that your supervisor is overly-directive.
• Lack of support. You may have a sense that your supervisor is unhappy with your performance or even critical.
• Divergent goals. You and your supervisor may have different goals for the research or want to emphasize or give priority to different aspects of the research program.

• You may find that what appears to be a lack of availability or support simply reflects work or personal pressures on your supervisor.
• If your advisor has some concerns about your work, ask him/her to give you some details about the problem and some suggestions for how they can be corrected.
• Make some suggestions of your own about what might help you and the research project.
• Keep the discussion focused on finding solutions and not on rehashing past grievances.

Are financial difficulties impeding your progress?

Be careful not to fall into a "work trap" in your final years of graduate study. A work trap occurs when a graduate student feels compelled to accept employment for needed income, but the work slows or even derails the student's progress in completing their degree requirements. This pattern can cost more money in the long run. Sometimes it is better to bite the bullet and borrow money so that you can finish up and get a paying job.

Are you thinking about changing direction in your studies or even quitting graduate school?