I should have written my CS master's thesis in 2015.
Wrote a book and hundreds of articles since then. Still can't bring myself to do it.
I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
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Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#92If you're not just making slow progress but literally unable to make a single bit of progress, my goto strategy is similar to what writers call a vomit draft. For writing it conventionally means means writing words without stopping to plan or edit, no corrections allowed, the rule is you just have to keep typing, no matter what. It's about something being better than nothing, creating momentum, and also avoids being…
There's something there, corroborated by two examples in cinema and litterature: Finding Forrester (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zLBEFvMkQCo) and in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, with the rhetorics professor facing 'my students are stuck write even the simplest essay' problem.
Yes, write something, anything, then edit. These are two different states of mind, two completely different personality parts, and I wish we taught the first one better (and the second one too...). Shut down the critics part when writing. Should down the ego part when editing.
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#93... and now I'm making blog posts about it.
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#94That is not procratination. Procrastinators will avoid a task to verz best end and then do the least minium to get the job somehow done. You avoided and anvoided and then quit. I think this is a personality disorder called (anxiously) avoidant personality disorder. And I am not saying that to label or to fret you but to help. If you know the name and shape of your enemy it is easier to fight it. Please go and talk to a psychiatrist. A behavior therapy can help immensly.
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#95The mindset that helped me work through my master's thesis, was thinking that I'll do a better job next time. Focus on getting something/anything done in the given timeframe, and stop worrying about quality. Let go of the idea that it must be good quality. Do a better job in the next project, whatever it might be.
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#96Supervisor could do more to help I think. Help the student break it down into manageable weekly chunks. Not just say “get better at time management”
The supervisor is responding to the BS he's being told. OP isn't telling the supervisor "I have emotional problems that lead me to procrastinate as an avoidance mechanism". He's telling him something like "oh yeah I'm totally making progress with task X you gave me, I just didn't finish it because I went into task Y and made progress there instead".
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#97> And him saying that it's okay, to take my time, to be compassionate with myself.
Maybe this is part of the issue. In my CS department, when this happens, the advisor has to raise up the problem. Then a concrete solution must be found. For instance, defining concrete steps and deadlines, and possibly stopping the PhD if things really don't go forward.
A lot of people are subject to procrastination, so it's not about blaming and making students feel guilty. But they should be helped, as it's not making the student a favour to let the situation drag forever.
Personally, I also had months of procrastination during my PhD (and still suffers from procrastination, I think it's anxiety related and imposter syndrome). But somehow, I managed to get it done, even though my PhD could have been much better than what it was. I think what helped me most was to have extra tasks to get the ball rolling. For instance, teaching a class: there's a well-defined scope and deadline.
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#98After reading the other posts on your blog, I'm not entirely convinced that procrastination is your real problem. You've already seen a therapist, I think you should continue doing that. And ... if something makes you truly unhappy, don't be afraid to let it go.
Hey, I'm the author. I fully agree procrastination isn't my main problem, but I think it stems from my inability to regulate my emotions properly. I've started journaling and meditating to try and take back control of my brain. Therapy is also something I'm considering taking up again. This blog started as my hidden corner of the internet to cry into the void (and practice pure css web design) which is why my posts a…
(I've not read the above mentioned content but as a general principle:) It's worth noting that emotional regulation is a part of ADHD that doesnt get talked about as much as other aspects and is one if the things that the meds help with.
https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-medication-emotional-dysreg...
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#99FWIW I couldn't get myself to start my writing thesis until I had signed the contract for my postdoc with a solid start date. That was the craziest 10 weeks of my academic life. Nothing like a real deadline to help focus the soul, at least for me
Re: I've procrastinated working on my thesis for more than a year
#100Are there any perfectionists around here that have experience with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)? It sounds like perfectionism-induced procrastination: it's better to give up than to play because playing may mean losing, and the chance of losing is unacceptable.