Not too long ago, when my adult son mentioned how busy his work and life have become, my husband was reminded of an annual planning session he had attended at which a facilitator presented a workshop on how to organize your time. As my husband drew a diagram from that workshop, I realized that he [...]
Archive for the ‘children’ Category
How to Meet Your Writing Goals
Posted in academic, accountability, advisor, children, choice, deadline, demands, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, distractions, email, exercise, family, finishing the dissertation, focus, getting started, goals, grading, habit, perfectionism, perseverance, planning, productivity, reasons for not writing, relationships, research, restart writing, restarting, self-care, showing up, strategies, success, take charge, time management, time theft, writing schedule, writing to a deadline, writing, dissertation, tagged dissertation coach, dissertation writing, make time to write, meeting a deadline, meeting goals, planning to write, planning writing session, protect your time, schedule, showing up, Stephen Covey, time management, what's important in your writing life on April 23, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Trying to Write? Put a Door between You and Your Kids
Posted in academic, accountability, boundaries, children, determination, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, distractions, family, productivity, self-sabotage, writing, tagged assuming control, dissertation writing, juggling writing and children, producing text, productivity, setting boundaries on August 5, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
In a recent blog, I sang the praises of writing whenever you are taking a plane somewhere. The quiet, distraction-free atmosphere makes flying perfect for writing, or so it seems to me. I heard from a dissenting reader. She said, “I’d love to be able to devote myself to writing while on a plane, but [...]
Mom’s in Maine – Marking Boundaries for Space to Write
Posted in boundaries, children, choice, commitment, determination, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, distractions, family, perseverance, planning, reasons for not writing, strategies, time management, writing, writing schedule, tagged assuming control, dissertation writing, juggling writing and children, Maine, making space for writing, producing text, productivity, setting boundaries, summer writing, work identity on July 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Are your children home on vacation from school? And you’re trying to keep an eye on your children, as well as make headway on your writing project? How’s that working for you? During the school year, most academics teach and try to write. Both teaching and writing are critical for an academic’s success and are [...]
The Writer’s Downfall: Time-Sucks and Lack of Courage
Posted in children, decluttering, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, family, fears, finishing the dissertation, getting started, housecleaning, planning, reasons for not writing, relationships, self-care, self-deception, self-discipline, self-sabotage, time theft, Uncategorized, writing schedule, tagged ask for help, carve out time for writing, get motivated, make time for writing, mindless activities, moms writing dissertations, negotiating, restart writing, time-sucks, writer’s downfall, writing on September 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Many times writers hire me to coach them because they’re stuck. They haven’t made substantial progress on their dissertation for months. What stuck often means is that the writers are having trouble claiming a chunk of time for the writing because of time-sucks. Time-sucks come in all sizes and shapes. Facebook and email will be your [...]
What do ABD’s want from their parents? Unconditional food
Posted in academic, children, coaching, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, family, relationships, tagged ABD's, food, graduate students, parents, support on August 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
“There’s a certain amount of humility that comes with being 30 years old and a graduate student. The stipend is paltry, the housing less than prime,” writes Hinda Mandell. Like many graduate students, Hinda knows where to find cheap or, better yet, free food. The best place to shop free is at her parents’ home, [...]
Find Motivation in a Dissertation Boot Camp with its Elements of a Hard Deadline
Posted in academic, children, commitment, deadline, demands, dissertation writing, family, getting started, mental toughness, perseverance, structures, time management, writing, dissertation, tagged dissertation boot camp, Getting ready for Christmas, hard deadline on December 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Christmas with the intensity of family, gifts, and travel can blot out everything else. Just Sending Cards can balloon into a fast-paced skit that ends with husband driving wife to the Post Office while wife continues to stamp, apply return label, and seal the final 15 cards that could possibly arrive before Christmas. Christmas is [...]