Make Your Dissertation Your Priority

An important strategy for being productive is learning to truly make your dissertation a priority.

At first glance, this may seem obvious. You may already think of your dissertation as one of the most important priorities in your life. Yet priorities are ultimately revealed through behavior, not intention.

If I were to videotape you for a few days, would your actions show that your dissertation is a priority? While it may occupy a great deal of mental space, the reality of how you spend your time may tell a different story.

When Thinking About Your Dissertation Isn’t Enough

Many graduate students think about their dissertations regularly. However, when it comes time to actually sit down and do the work, other activities often take precedence.

Most commonly, dissertation work gets displaced by one specific category of tasks: urgent tasks.

Urgent vs. Important Tasks

In life, some tasks are genuinely urgent, such as:

• Grading exams before final grades are due

• Turning in coursework on time

• Paying bills

• Meeting job-related deadlines

Dissertation tasks, on the other hand, are typically important but not urgent. In most cases, there is no immediate consequence if you do not complete a dissertation task today.

Because of this, important-but-nonurgent tasks often get pushed aside in favor of tasks that feel more pressing, such as:

• Responding to emails

• Doing laundry

• Completing teaching or research duties

• Handling household responsibilities

Urgent tasks seem to shout, “Do me first!”

The “As Soon As I” Trap

Many students fall into an “as soon as I” mindset, telling themselves they will work on their dissertation:

• As soon as emails are answered

• As soon as chores are finished

• As soon as work obligations are met

Take a moment to reflect on your own behavior:

• Do you focus on urgent tasks to the exclusion of important ones?

• Does your dissertation consistently get postponed because something else feels more pressing?

Why Nonurgent Tasks Matter Most

Ironically, nonurgent but important tasks—like working on your dissertation—are often the ones that:

• Move you closer to long-term goals

• Provide the greatest sense of satisfaction

• Build momentum and confidence

Research suggests that completing important, nonurgent tasks leads to a stronger sense of accomplishment and fulfillment (Ditzler, 1994).

If you do not make your dissertation a priority, it will eventually stop being nonurgent. Instead, you may find yourself racing against departmental or university deadlines under intense pressure—a situation most students want to avoid.

Use an Action Plan to Protect Dissertation Time

Creating and using an action plan can help you:

• Identify key dissertation tasks

• Distinguish between urgent and important work

• Allocate time intentionally

I encourage you to plan time every day, when possible, to work on your dissertation—even if only briefly.

Consistent engagement is not only essential for progress toward earning your PhD; it also helps you:

• Feel more fulfilled

• Build motivation

• Maintain momentum from one day to the next

Balancing Urgent and Nonurgent Tasks

There will be times when urgent tasks demand more of your energy—such as family emergencies, grant deadlines, or peak teaching responsibilities. During these periods, it may be necessary to temporarily devote more attention to urgent matters.

Once those demands ease, aim to rebalance your time so that dissertation work again receives dedicated attention.

When you truly make your dissertation a priority, you will still complete urgent tasks—because they are urgent by definition.

“Write First” Whenever Possible

One powerful way to make your dissertation a priority is to follow Bolker’s (1989) advice to “write first.”

Writing first means making dissertation writing your highest priority for the day. Whenever possible:

• Write before checking email

• Write before doing chores

• Write before other academic or administrative work

Developing a “write first” habit can be challenging, especially at first. However, arranging your life so that writing is a central focus is a skill that will serve you well far beyond graduate school—particularly if you pursue an academic or research career.

References

• Bolker, J. (1998). Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day. NY: Henry Holt.
• Ditzler, J. (1994). Your Best Year Yet. New York, NY: Warner Books.

This article was written by Alison Miller, PhD, founder of The Dissertation Coach, a business dedicated to helping doctoral and master’s students successfully earn their graduate degrees.