Writing advice for PhD students. Part 3

In this series of blog posts (part 1 and part 2), I summarize what writing advice I would recommend my younger self. Although I’m not fully sure nobody ever told me this stuff but I just didn’t listen. Anyway, maybe somewhere in this series is some advice that speaks to you.

Work with your biorhythm

Probably my most important piece of advice on embarking on your first major writing project is to understand your biorhythm. This advice was given to me early in my PhD, but it’s only now, three years post-PhD, that I fully grasp its significance.

People, such as Cathy Mazak, often advise finding your optimal writing time. But I’d like to expand on that: writing a PhD thesis, or any substantial project, involves more than just writing. As you’ve heard in Part 2, there are different phases such as editing, which differ from the actual writing and research.

For example, I find that reading works best for me in the morning and at night when the world’s distractions are locked out of my mind. Because I generally try to avoid working late into the night, although occasionally it can be quite productive (but be mindful that “exceptions” quickly become the norm), I focus on early mornings and avoid checking emails before my deep work session. If that is feasible for you, I highly recommend not to check emails until midday. I find that my mind is much clearer before I let emails and administrative tasks in, so I need to get my deep work in as early as possible.

But it’s crucial to understand that a writing process is made up of more than writing and thus, you need to find ideal biorhythm times for each of those activities. For instance, reading and proofreading are best done in the morning for me, as they don’t require I log on to any electronic device or internet connection, which is always a little distracting (or massively distracting depending on how well you currently have this under control). However, relatively “dumb” tasks like finding new books or managing citations can be handled in the afternoon after my administrative tasks, as they require less concentration. Simple tasks like inputting edits from paper into a document are perfect for times when I can multitask with something like a YouTube video, though I try not to make that a habit and multi-tasking can often be a delusion where you just pretend to work. Sometimes it can help me to watch a YouTube video while doing edits to make it less daunting, but don’t make it a habit, because often when I’m watching something at the same time, it’s better than not doing anything when you feel like you really can’t bring yourself to do it, but it’s also not as effective as actually doing things properly. It’s easy to be a little bit deluded about how much you’re actually getting done while listening to an audiobook or watching a YouTube video in the background. It’s a tool that you can use as a treat sometimes but don’t overdo it. Make sure to ask yourself if you need a break instead and if yes, get a real break instead of this limbo.

The busy middle of the day, around lunchtime, is when I start to panic because I fear urgent things may have come up during my early morning deep work time. Also, I find that my concentration dips significantly during this time. As the afternoon progresses, I do tasks that require moderate focus, such as editing or researching, which are less demanding than my prime morning hours but still need attention. It’s not a super high-concentration task and you just need to get it out of the way. Outlining and initial drafting are tasks I reserve for the morning when my mind is freshest and I often get inspired unexpectedly.

When I feel tired or unmotivated (or am too busy for a deep work session due to appointments), I also sometimes like to do a “reading session” using Listening.com (where I chill, listen to articles and process them using the note features and custom GPT I created to help me in the process).

When it comes to actual writing, it still doesn’t happen as regularly as I’d like. Mornings or early afternoons would be ideal for writing for me but once I’m in ‘writing mode,’ I can write at almost any time of day, provided it’s not too early or late. Previously, I would rush to meet deadlines during writing binges in the evenings or weekends, but the quality suffers and so does your work-life balance. I try to not do this anymore and not to make exceptions a lot (as they can become the norm more quickly than you realize). Most of my writing occurs outside the office or during quieter times when the general buzz doesn’t disrupt my focus. If a writing project needs attention, I find that working from home has fewer distractions and allows me to focus better. If possible, I would recommend that you choose which days to be in the office based on your writing needs. For example, Fridays can sometimes be quieter and thus make it easier to get focused work done. But also, don’t put off writing until you’re tired at the end of the week.

Finally, recognize the value of *doing something* in short bursts. Even 15-minute sessions can be productive, although it’s important not to stress yourself by trying to fit in writing at every possible moment.

Now, what would I recommend you do in practice?

I currently do a little bit of research work every day and find the sense of accomplishment calms me down. I don’t mean that I force myself to write but rather, do some research-related tasks every day (such as proofreading, reading, using a text-to-speech app to “read”, outlining, finding new books, organizing my notes, etc). That way, like the somewhat cheesy book Write your Dissertation In 15 Minutes A Day says, you never lose touch with your project and it can even be an anchor of “me time” during a stressful day filled with administrative work. However, for that to be possible, you need to cultivate a good relationship with writing and you need to have strategies (it’s harder to get something useful done in 15 minutes when you don’t know where to start).

Look into the strategies I discuss in How to stop procrastinating on academic writing (it may be simpler than you think) and think about that biorhythm of yours. I didn’t tell you about how I do it so you can emulate me but rather to encourage you to find out what works for you (and that may be vastly different from what works for me).

So long and see you in part 4!

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