Get PhDone! Proven Strategies for Tackling Your Writing Roadblocks
Feb 29, 2024
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Dr. Briana Barner, an Assistant Professor and cultural communications scholar, shares her journey of overcoming writing roadblocks. She emphasizes the importance of nurturing creativity through personal activities to restore joy. Barner discusses practical strategies like setting writing rituals and using self-affirmation to combat self-doubt. Music, too, plays a crucial role in maintaining motivation. Finally, she highlights the importance of consistency in writing, especially for those balancing academic ambitions with caregiving responsibilities.
Reconnecting with pre-academic identities through hobbies and support systems is essential for mental health post-PhD.
Flexibility and self-compassion in writing practices, alongside visualization techniques, can significantly enhance productivity and motivation during challenging times.
Deep dives
Reclaiming Joy After Academia
After completing a PhD, individuals often struggle to reconnect with their pre-academic identities, as they can feel lost and overwhelmed. The process of reclaiming joy involves rediscovering hobbies and interests that have been set aside, such as crafting or reading for leisure. Engaging in activities that provide happiness and fulfillment is crucial for maintaining mental health, especially after experiencing a toxic academic environment. This journey of self-discovery emphasizes the importance of having a support system that encourages personal growth and reminds one to prioritize joy in daily life.
Navigating Dissertation Challenges During the Pandemic
Writing a dissertation during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic added significant stress, especially for those with caregiving responsibilities. The experience was marked by juggling work on the dissertation, remote schooling for children, and navigating postpartum challenges. Developing a routine and viewing the dissertation as a source of stability provided much-needed structure during this chaotic time. The struggle to finish the dissertation amidst such trying conditions highlighted the need for resilience and determination, as well as the importance of recognizing and managing one's emotional landscape.
The Power of Visualization and Intentions
Visualization emerged as an effective technique for maintaining motivation and focus throughout the dissertation process, particularly during unpredictable times. By picturing future successes, such as graduation, and framing the writing experience positively, individuals can counter self-doubt and enhance productivity. Setting writing intentions offers a way to acknowledge feelings and anchor one’s mindset before diving into challenging writing sessions. This approach fosters a supportive environment that encourages progress, even in the face of anxiety and uncertainty.
Flexibility and Self-Compassion in Writing
Success in dissertation writing often hinges on flexibility and the ability to adapt to life's unpredictability. Embracing imperfection and understanding that not every writing session will yield substantial results helps individuals cultivate self-compassion. Developing rituals, like lighting a candle or preparing a warm drink, can create a positive writing atmosphere and signal a shift in mindset. Ultimately, recognizing that writing is a personal journey and giving oneself grace can lead to a more rewarding and healthier experience throughout the process.
Are you facing writing roadblocks? There are many guides on how to make your writing match academic standards, so why aren’t there any on how to make yourself actually write? How can you get to PhDone if life keeps getting in the way? Can you get there if you are a care-giver? Facing illness, or work responsibilities? Dealing with anxiety? In the midst of a personal or a global crisis? What practical advice exists to help you get to PhDone in the real world? Scholar and author Dr. Briana Barner joins us to share the practical approaches that worked for her, and that can work for you, in this episode that breaks down what it takes to tackle and finish a big writing project in real life.
Our guest is: Dr. Briana Barner, who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland. She received a doctorate in Radio-Television-Film and a doctoral portfolio in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Texas. Briana also earned a Master’s in Women’s and Gender Studies from UT. She is an interdisciplinary critical and cultural communications scholar with research interests in Black podcasts, digital and Black feminism, digital media, Black cultural production and representation. Her work has been published in journals including Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, and Film Quarterly. She is currently working on a manuscript about the cultural production of Black podcasts.
Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator of the Academic Life podcast. She holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell.
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