Procrastination and perfectionism

Procrastination

It is normal to avoid doing tasks that are difficult or that you do not want to do. However, a doctorate requires you to undertake such a variety of tasks that it is unlikely that you will find them all equally easy and intresting. When you feel that you are procrastinating try some of the following approaches:

• break up each task into manageable smaller tasks as this will make it seem less of a mountain to climb
• start with the tasks you find easiest in order to gain momentum.
• try free writing. Put your pen to the page and just write whatever comes out for ten minutes and then see what you get. This technique can often generate a lot of good ideas
• use the three draft approach:

1. Get the big ideas down

2. Structure and fill in the gaps

3. Proofread

• set yourself SMART short term objectives
• vary writing with preparing figures and tables
• force yourself to sit at the computer even if you feel that you have nothing to say. Ban email, Facebook and computer games and you will often find that boredom drives you to work
• try getting away from your desk and do something else to allow your thoughts to settle.

Perfectionism

Beware of perfectionism in writing interim reports or your thesis. The number of people who are going to read them is likely to be small and they are going to be more interested in the content than style and presentation, small grammatical errors will not prevent you from passing. Perfectionism has an obvious place in preparing manuscripts for publication, but even then keep it for the final version.