We know that it is difficult to stay motivated when working on a large project. The goal seems unreachable from afar, often leaving you frustrated and directionless. However, when it comes to writing a dissertation, the process can feel even more overwhelming.
It is important to find strategies for coping with negative feelings in moments when you feel lost and need a little bit of inspiration. To help you in this endeavor, we decided to compile a list of strategies for staying motivated while working on an academic project. Continue reading to learn more!
7 Best ways to stay motivated while working on your dissertation
1. Ask for help when needed
In the modern era of hyper-independence, many students feel that they should do everything on their own. In this way, they can earn more points and feel more accomplished. Let us disappoint you. There is nothing wrong with asking for help from others when you feel stuck. Getting a fresh perspective can inspire new ideas and renew your motivation.
So, when you run out of ideas or need a little guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Get advice from one of your professors, scientific advisers, or fellow students. Alternatively, hire an essay helper to guide you through the writing process or buy a dissertation at EssayPro. Expert writers can help you create an outline, draft your thoughts, proofread, or edit your academic research.
2. Schedule your writing sessions
When it comes to writing a dissertation, a lack of organization is your greatest enemy. You should plan out your writing time and avoid waiting for writing inspiration or the perfect moment to start. Scheduling regular writing sessions is what can lead you to a completed academic project.
First, including writing sessions into your routine can help to make it your habit and get more motivated to complete your dissertation. Second, by having writing in your schedule, you will hold more accountability for it. If you set aside some time to work on your dissertation, it’ll help you avoid procrastinating or coming up with excuses.
3. Pay daily attention to writing
Another strategy that will make your academic writing easier is paying daily attention to writing. Practicing writing every day, even if it’s just for a short period of time, can help to improve your skills and develop a consistent habit. By doing so, you can make steady progress and feel a sense of accomplishment, which will motivate you to continue the work. On top of that, you can keep your ideas fresh and prevent writer’s block.
Make the process more organized by giving yourself a daily word goal to strive towards. This will make writing less overwhelming and help you see your progress better. All because you will reach smaller, more manageable goals and gradually build up to larger ones.
4. Break your big goal into small tasks
A common rookie mistake is aiming toward the big goal but neglecting the importance of breaking it down into smaller tasks. When you first start writing your dissertation, the end goal may seem out of reach. This can leave you feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. Whenever you start working on dissertation, the enormity of the task looms over you.
However, breaking your goal down into smaller tasks will help you tick the boxes more often and feel more accomplished. Plus, you can better track your progress when you have smaller tasks to focus on.
For example, you can set a goal of conducting scientific research and break it into smaller tasks. It could be conducting a literature review, collecting data, analyzing it, and recording the results.
5. Overcome writer’s block
Since you’re not a professional writer but just a student trying to finish your dissertation, you might face writer’s block. It’s the condition when you are not able to produce a new sentence or paragraph or come up with ideas for your writing.
Being stuck for long periods of time can quickly kill your writing motivation. While this can happen to anyone, expert writers usually know the tricks to conquer a blank sheet of paper. You should know them too in order to overcome writer’s block.
One effective method is to start by brainstorming and writing down any ideas that come to mind. Another approach is to try freewriting. This is writing without stopping for a set period of time (5, 10, or 15 minutes), where you let your thoughts flow freely onto the paper. Additionally, you can turn to the best dissertation writing services for help. Professional writers can draft you a high-quality piece and provide guidance on your dissertation writing process.
Read More - Top 10 Best Email Writing Tools6. Write out of order
Another difficulty in writing a dissertation is the pressure to write everything in order. However, no one cares in what order the ideas were initially conceived. You are safe as long as your paper is coherent and well-structured.
Our advice: if you struggle to write an introduction, leave it for later. Likewise, if you find it difficult to formulate the ideal methodology, don’t stress about it and move on. It is often more effective to start with the sections that you feel more confident about and then work your way back to the difficult parts.
Writing out of sequence can make you feel more in charge and in control of your writing process. It can also make you more flexible and productive, ultimately increasing your motivation.
7. Don’t strive for perfection
People who struggle with perfectionism often get stuck in a cycle of drafting, writing, and deleting their dissertation parts. This can make the process of finishing an academic project impossible. Yet, you should remember that done is better than perfect.
Such a simple insight might be shocking to some people. However, it can help to break free from the perfectionism trap. Your ultimate goal is to finish the dissertation, and not make it absolutely flawless. In fact, striving for perfection can stop your progress and lead to unnecessary delays.
Focus on writing the dissertation in the best way you can. But don’t let your perfectionism get in the way of completing it. Prioritize progress over perfection. And remember that our mistakes are what helps us learn and grow.
8. Don’t neglect rest
Last but not least, you must allow yourself to rest. Many students believe that working non-stop will lead to better results. In fact, it can have the opposite effect. Long study sessions can decrease your efficiency and kill motivation at the root.
To keep yourself in good shape, schedule breaks and give yourself time to rest. This way, your mind will have time to recharge and will produce better ideas afterwards. Also, you can keep your focus and motivation high by incorporating breaks into your writing routine.
Bottom line:
After all, motivation is what can keep you afloat during your dissertation writing process. Keep it high using our practical tips and don’t forget to celebrate small milestones. Completing a dissertation is no small feat, and every step forward is a reason for celebration. Good luck!
