How to ensure a good writing process
You can do a lot yourself to ensure a positive writing process. Rikke Østergaard is a former career counsellor, recruitment consultant and author of several books on mental training. This is her advice to those of you who are about to begin your Master’s thesis.
Choose a topic that really grabs you
“It’s no use choosing a topic merely based on what your professors or anybody else finds interesting. Choose a topic that you really want to immerse yourself in and, preferably, take courage and choose a topic in a field that hasn’t been researched before. However, it’s important to keep in mind the practical context in which your work can be used, so it doesn’t become too detached from reality. This will also make it easier for you to find sources and materials. Also, remember to set boundaries for your topic so that you’re not trying to do everything at once.”
Collaborate with others
“Collaborating with a company is one of the best things you can do. There will be someone to ask you about your thesis, provide you with a space to work, give you research options and actually use your thesis for a concrete purpose. It’s phenomenal. But don’t despair of you don’t have a collaboration with a company. A thesis partner or study group to bounce ideas off can also be a great help. You can unload on each other and use each other’s academic expertise. Everyone has different strengths. So make sure to lean on each other’s abilities.”
Make a plan and stick to it
“Think of your thesis as a job with fixed working hours. It’s a good idea to get out of the house and work at a library or an office for a change of scene. Work in slots and take breaks. It could be one hour of concentrated work followed by a break where you allow yourself to do something else. Make sure you start writing as quickly as possible, just to get something down on paper. You’ll need to edit anyway and the act of writing can help you get started. Don’t hammer away for 12 hours at a time, no one can be productive for that long. Work for 7-8 hours, for example, including breaks. Remember to take time off during weekends and holidays.”
Turn off your phone
“I was recently teaching at CBS, and the students’ phones were constantly buzzing. That won’t do. Just the sound of a text will mean you need 65 seconds to re-focus. If you read messages or updates, it can take up to a whole hour to re-focus. Turn off your phone while you’re working. If there’s something you absolutely have to respond to, do so and then turn off your phone. You can also send a group message informing everyone that you will be writing your thesis over the next six months and therefore will not be responding between 09:00 and 16:00. Then you’ll have let people know about the rules once and for all.”
Focus your mind
”Work on shutting out all the mental noise whirling in your head. Be it the aftershocks from a fight with your partner, an angry text from a friend or something else. All of this generates stress hormones and derails your mind from what it’s supposed to be focused on. Try to take a bird’s-eye view and see what’s disrupting you, and then mentally pack it away. As previously mentioned, you can do this by turning off your phone or stopping yourself from checking your emails. If you can’t pack it all away for long, make yourself work for an hour and then deal with it.”
Pat yourself on the back
“It’s good to be ambitious but it can also add unnecessary pressure. Don’t compare yourself with others, it’s a waste of time. Maybe tone down how much you plan to get done one day if you can sense from the morning that things are going to be uphill. Give yourself a pat on the back and adjust your work plan so that it’s okay to only write 20 lines on a bad day. Everyone wants to be the best and get the highest grades, but the truth is, employers usually don’t care about grades. Focus on that when things get tough.”
Procrastination isn’t that bad
”Naturally, don’t let it get to the point where you’re suddenly spending more time doing laundry than working on your thesis. If you find it difficult to avoid procrastinating, it might help to work somewhere other than at home. However, sometimes procrastination can be used as a carrot to work towards. So, you can give yourself permission to procrastinate but only once you’ve worked intensively for a certain number of minutes.”
Remember to enjoy yourself
“Your daily plan should include taking a walk and getting some fresh air. This is also when inspiration often strikes. Perhaps bring a notebook with you. You can also meet up with friends and go for a run. Exercise and proper sleep are vital for your brain to function optimally. You’ll be better able to deal with your thesis if you continue to have a social life, so remember your friends. Our level of happiness and well-being increases the more time we spend with other people. That’s why it’s important to prioritise this when you need to keep up your work spirits.”
And a little tip about gratitude
“Many people go to bed and blame themselves for all the things they didn’t have time to do. Instead, try to write down three things you’re grateful to have accomplished or grateful to have experienced during the day. This is not something that comes naturally to most of us, but it’s a good thing to do and it puts a damper on stress hormones.”
Rikke Østergaard is a corporate sociologist, mental trainer, coach and keynote speaker.
She has written the following books:
- “Sluk emhætten – træn din hjerne og træf bedre beslutninger”
- “Tak” – on gratitude
