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Know that even if you have the most detailed, thoughtful plan imaginable, you might discover that your project is headed in the wrong direction. Perhaps your preliminary laboratory test results don’t show what you think they will, or the archive you visit doesn’t have the evidence you think it has. Maybe, after extensive research, you realize that you’re asking an unanswerable question. This is not necessarily a crisis. Most graduate students have to adjust their dissertation plans in some way. It is quite common from the final dissertation to differ significantly from the prospectus/proposal.  As you research, the direction of your work may necessarily shift or change. The dissertation process can be an isolating one: you’re researching and writing alone, sometimes for years at a stretch. You may find that no one is checking up on your progress. Make sure that you contact your advisor and other committee members with updates on your work and any questions that arise. This will prevent unpleasant surprises down the road – if, for example, a committee member does not like a new direction that your project is taking, it’s better to know that early than to find out when you submit your manuscript. It can be overwhelming to start working on page 1 of what will ultimately be a 300-page (or longer) manuscript. Try to think about one chapter (and even one sub-division of one chapter) at a time. Even before your research is complete, you can start outlining and writing small parts of your dissertation. Do it! A year in the future, when all you’re doing, it seems, is writing, you will be very, very glad that you did. Don’t assume that you need to start with your first planned chapter and move straight through the projected manuscript. If your first solid research yields something that speaks to your third chapter, start there! Move back and forth between chapters if that’s what works best. You may be able to set your own schedule, or you might need to work with your advisor to come up with an appropriate timeline.  Be flexible and realistic when necessary, but try to meet major deadlines.  Many people find a reverse calendar quite helpful for dissertation writing. Are you a morning person? Write for an hour or two as soon as you get up. Are you a night owl? Promise yourself you’ll spend two hours writing during that window. Whatever your most productive time of day is, use it for your most difficult work. If you try to work on your dissertation in bed or on the couch in your living room, you might be easily distracted.  Having a space that is limited to productive work can help you focus and be in “work mode.” Don’t wait until you have a completed draft to solicit feedback. At the very least, send chapter drafts to your advisor as you finish them. Even better, share chapters-in-progress with other grad students or trusted mentors in your field. Many departments offer writing workshops for graduate students. If yours does, take advantage of it! This is a great way to get feedback on your work during its earlier stages. Ideally, you’ll want to aim to take one day a week completely off from your dissertation work. You’ll have time to recharge, and you’ll return to your work with more energy and a fresh perspective. So get together with friends or family, go to the movies, take a yoga class, bake something delicious – whatever makes you feel rested and happy. Consider building larger breaks into the process. If you wait until your dissertation is complete to celebrate your work and take a break, you’ll have a long, grim road ahead of you. Take a three-day weekend when you finish a chapter draft! Celebrate the end of a long, difficult research trip with a week of relaxation! This time off might feel lazy or frivolous, but it’s not – it’s necessary for your well-being. Doctoral candidates are notoriously unhealthy. They suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression; they eat poorly, skip exercising, and don’t get enough sleep. But you will be stronger and more productive if you take care of yourself, so don’t fall into this trap!  Eat well. Get enough protein, fiber, and vitamins, and drink plenty of water. Avoid sugary junk, fried foods, and excessive amounts of alcohol – all of these things will make you feel worse. Maintain an exercise routine. You may think you don’t have time, but if you make it a priority, you can carve out thirty minutes a day for some kind of exercise – running, biking, even just walking. Get enough sleep. Don’t be a martyr to the dissertation cause: you can get it done without staying up all night. Get your eight hours, and you’ll feel much better.
Be flexible. Keep in touch with your committee. Break the dissertation into more manageable increments. Write regularly. Set a schedule. Utilize your most productive times. Create a dedicated work space. Share your work regularly. Take time off. Stay healthy.