I have learned some lessons about writing, getting things done and managing multiple responsibilities over the last couple years. I just finished peer review, wrote my dissertation, proposed, defended and all, on top of regular work teaching, committee work at more. I owe my son some time, and my wife that and more for putting up with this. I also owe my body some delayed maintenance (though I’m 5 lbs from my target weight from all the stress). But I’ve been thinking about how what I learned applies to my students.
A class I went to on “how to get your dissertation written” offered the following:
- find a space where you can write. It has to be your own space – a room with a door and a lock is essential if you have children.
- set aside at least an hour a day to write – it should be in the morning. People generally concentrate better early in the day – that’s why you don’t want to get surgeries done late in the day.
- Write something every day.
There was some other advice, but this stuck. It didn’t seem that brilliant at the time, but turned out to be super important.
If you can’t create a space to write in your own home, find a place outside your home. For me, clean well-lighted spaces that were essential. I can handle some ambient noise, as long as it isn’t directed at me personally, but the quieter the better. I’m thinking of doing a photo essay of places I wrote later this week. It will include a non-descript diner near my house – very blue – collar, Watson Library on KU’s Lawence campus, the Lawrence public library in the basement, and my office at JCCC.
One thing was clear – my house is too small, and lacks the doors and locks for me to work at home.
This makes me think of how I have students every semester who turn in disorganized mechanically messy papers when they have plenty of time for rewrites, but then turn in decent work in in-class writing assignments. Talking to students about this, we noted that in the in class essay – they had little to no distractions. That is huge. I also imagine that the 50 min or so I gave them was in some cases more time than some of them spent on the essays assigned months in advance and discussed repeatedly in class. Shouldn’t be surprised that writers procrastinate and blow off homework that contributes to the assignment.
Holding ourselves accountable to deadlines is the right, good and proper way to deal with procrastination, though it may not feel that way when late work isn’t accepted.
Writing assignment for my students – where do you write? What are your distractions? How do you deal with those? What helps?
