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Invited talk to the Groningen Students in Medical Science PhD Council, May 2014. Presents practical strategies for PhD students to combat the blues while writing their theses.
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Beating the Dissertation Blues
©James C. Coyne, Ph.D.Department of Health Psychology
University Medical Center, Groningen [email protected]
Preventing and combatting the blues
Productive and Unproductive Blues
Can the blues be your friend?
When you should not beat the blues, but embrace them…
Constructive Disengagement
The benefits of stepping back and taking a break. Confidence in your own patterns and cycles.
Taking a Break is Working.
Working on Thesis in B,B,B
Bed
Bathroom
Bars
Question is whether the blues are persistent and
impairing, or only transient.
Life is one damn thing after another, but depression is the same damn thing over and over.
---John Weakland
Radical Behavioral Theory
A PhD thesis involves a long and persistent behavioral output in the absence of immediate reinforcement.
Context of writing a dissertation can become aversive and induce avoidant behavior.
Preserve a reward structure that does not depend on progress.
Control yourself by controlling your environment.
Overcome Avoidant Behavior
Structured Procrastination
Butt in Chair Technique
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
-Louis L'Amour (1908 -1988)
Behavioral Activation
Rely on Overlearned Routines
Writing daily is hard, but viewing it as a process that will ultimately become habit--a really rewarding one--is important. The incentives of writing daily mirror those of exercising daily, and even if analogies between "muscles" don't really work, writing daily and write often as possible are important goals.—Joe Betz
Commit Yourself to Write 200 Words a Day
Can be anything as long as it contributes to the complete draft
One big idea
Single block quote
Explication of the previous day's block quote
Working out an idea that you know you want to include but you are not sure where it will fit
The rule of 200The rule of 200
Zero DraftShitty First Draft
Zero draft (Based on JR Trimble, Zero draft (Based on JR Trimble, Writing With StyleWriting With Style))
The key thing is to keep everything moving. After a bit of babble you will find yourself starting to make sense.
Even then, of course you can count on running into new mental logjams, but don't panic. Simply force your typing fingers to nakedly record all the confusion and inarticulateness you’re feeling.
Cognitive Behavioral Theory
A PhD thesis can introduce irrational thinking in people otherwise not predisposed to it.
Catastrophism and Perfectionism
Catastrophizing
Nobody will like me, everybody will hate me, I should eat some worms.
Perfect is the enemy of
done.
Everyone wants to write the perfect thesis article but no
one ever does.
Realistic Thinking and Goal Setting
Set parameters for marking series of small successes.
Interpersonal Theory
Regardless of how depression comes about, understanding and resolving it involves interpersonal relationships.
Dutch PhD students have the burden of increasing the impact factor of their advisors and department.
May need to get explicit expectations from advisor and renegotiate if unrealistic.
Relationships and Social Support
Most Dissertation Students Could Probably Benefit From a Wife.
Recognize That Dissertations Can be Difficult for Relationships and
Partners.
If your partner has never worked on a dissertation, process may be
difficult to understand.
Working hard on the thesis
"It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing." --Gertrude Stein
Don’t let set unrealistic deadlines just to placate your partner.
“In the event of a decompression, please adjust your own oxygen mask before trying to come to the assistance of others.”
Often better to talk to your dog about the
specifics of your thesis than to your
partner.
“I am doing the best I can at the moment. However, this is not my best moment.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Ask for slack nicely
Use Peer Support, Buddy Up, Use Social Media
There is no need to fear the [thesis] will go on forever. One of three things will stop the process: deadline, exhaustion, or satisfaction. With experience and luck, authors will reach satisfaction just before the other to catch up with them. – Peter Morgan, Editor, Canadian medical Association Journal (CMAJ). 1986.
Thank you for your Thank you for your attention.attention.
Follow me on Twitter @CoyneoftheRealm
Publically accessible Facebook wall (James C. Coyne)