I once asked a young dissertation writer whether her suddenly greying hair was due to ill health or personal tragedy; she answered: “It was the footnotes”. Joanna Russ As a graduate student, you know that research, writing, and formatting can be a real challenge. But fear not, because in 2023, there are more apps than ever before to help you perfect your academic writing. Here are 10 of the best apps to help make your writing process more efficient, less stressful….and, yes, even enjoyable. 1. Grammarly – This app is a must-have for anyone working on a dissertation. It ..read more

Completing a doctorate degree is extremely challenging for anyone, but it can be especially difficult for students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Increasingly, I have dissertation coaching clients coming to me for extra support after receiving a ADHD diagnosis. I’ve noticed that in many cases, graduate students feel a sense of relief after being able to put a name to the cause of the challenges they have faced for years. (Check out this excellent article on all things ADHD.) After receiving a diagnosis, students may still be unsure of how to best ..read more

Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be our best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it’s a shield. Brene Brown There are diverse reasons why students struggle to complete their dissertations and other academic goals. After working with hundreds of students over the past couple of decades, I’ve heard them all. From external realities (jobs, children, finances) to personal challenges (mental health, stress load), the truth is that many graduate students find finishing their projects much more daunting than they originally expec ..read more

It’s easy to let your dissertation writing routine fall apart during the holidays. You’ve made it this far, after all. Isn’t it time to let go of the reins for a while and fully enjoy the festivities? The shorter days and colder temperatures foster this mindset. Important projects like finishing your dissertation can get a “wait-til-next-year” pass and then start to gather dust on the proverbial mental shelf. The problem with this kind of seasonal delay? Returning to your thesis in the new year can become even more of a dilemma, as you attempt to reacquaint yourself with your own wor ..read more

Whatever form of writing you’re engaged in, including the complex task of writing a doctoral dissertation, there are some general rules (A.K.A. gems of advice) that are worth repeating and heeding. Frank Bruni, long-term cultural, social and political critic for The New York Times, published responses he gave to an interview about the art (and task) of writing. “Keep sailing” past the first draft. Bruni reports that the greatest lesson he’s learned as a writer is that your first draft is often precisely that, and it can be terrible without ..read more

If nothing was expected of you during the cold winter months–no dissertation, work or family obligations–what would you do? For many, the answer would be: Sleep. Eat. Drink. Nap. Watch TV. Read a book. Repeat. While these responses may sound a lot like depression, they are also just a natural reaction to the realities of winter. The days are short, the nights are long and (for many) it’s colder. Physiologically, it’s hard to be motivated. Our tendency is to “bear up” and hibernate, whether we want to or not. With that said, SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is very rea ..read more

Happy New Year, Dissertators! As a dissertation coach, I see firsthand the backlash of negative feelings graduate students experience when they don’t complete their stated goals. This self-blame often stymies them even more, creating a negative ripple effect that can last for weeks, and sometimes longer. Many of my clients come to me initially because they are locked into a continual cycle of procrastination, avoidance and guilt – affecting not only their dissertation process, but their esteem, relationships and careers. We have the best of intentions when creating resolutions for the new year ..read more

Hi there, Think of your favourite athlete and what he or she must do to prepare for a competition. It goes beyond a physical skill and extends into areas of nutrition, sleep and mental health. When it comes to completing your dissertation, consider yourself an academic athlete. All areas of your health need to be in peak condition to perform optimally. We recently discussed the need for proper sleep while going through the dissertation process. Now, let’s discuss the critical importance of nutritional needs when working through your Ph.D. Eating for Peak Mental Acuity My grandmother used to re ..read more

Move over New Year’s resolutions. October is the new January. A Pinterest study revealed that the majority of us think of autumn as a popular time for starting over (again), taking care of long-awaited goals and making needed personal changes. It makes sense, right? Gone are the days of summer, where recreation is more at the forefront of our minds – even with the current pandemic-related challenges. As the nights get longer and the temperatures begin to drop in many parts of the world, we go more inward. Tending house is in order, both metaphorically a ..read more

Hi there! Writing your dissertation can be a long and arduous process, albeit one with significant rewards. It can also cause a serious amount of apprehension and anxiety…enough to interfere with our sleep. Here’s the catch: unless we’re sufficiently rested, not only does it affect our ability to learn but our ability to retain what we learn. Hence, a critical part of effectively and efficiently navigating the dissertation process is good sleep hygiene. According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School: Research suggests that sleep helps learning and memory in two dist ..read more