It is that time again: the time of too much chocolate and coffee, of frustration and greying hair (at least metaphorically) and a blinking cursor upon a white background that refuses to stop. In other words, thesis writing time. I am most likely not the only one in this situation at the moment and I take solace in the fact that my classmates are, from time to time, just as despaired as I am. Being in the final throes of your master’s studies brings along a lot of stress. Not knowing what kind of job you might find afterwards or even in which country you might be living can be nerve-wracking. Which is why I have decided to primarily focus on my thesis at this point in time. Call it procrastination or survival instinct, but I don’t think I am ready to look behind what comes next just yet.
Having said that, the thesis alone can be stressful. I am exceptionally good at procrastinating important tasks to the last possible minute, which is – especially remembering the process of writing my bachelor’s thesis – not the best or advisable way of doing things. Granted, I work quite well under stress, but there is only so much my poor heart can take. Which is why I have learned from writing my bachelor’s thesis and now try to keep to some tips and tricks to make the writing process a little bit more smooth and less stress-inducing. Here are three small points that have helped me so far, and that I would like to share with you.
1. Set small goals for yourself
And by small goals, I mean really small goals. Setting goals you were not able to keep can be very frustrating and demotivating, but fulfilling a target, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, feels rewarding and pushes you forward. As I have mentioned, procrastinating is a skill I am very good at. The bigger the things are I need to do, the less motivated I am to start tackling the daunting workload. By dividing a big pile into small pieces, the work becomes much more manageable. And, who cares when all you did on one day for your thesis was to proofread a couple pages or so? You have completed your set goal and are one step further in the process.
2. Make time for other things
Most important aspect of this one: Do not feel guilty about it! No one can constantly work on the same topic continuously without feeling trapped from time to time. Remember to take breaks, go out with friends or even make a trip for a couple days to a different place. Procrastinating does not count as taking breaks. At least for me the mental stress of not doing anything never goes away during procrastination. Fulfilling small goals after small goals and then consciously taking breaks and time away from my laptop feels different. Then you know you are making progress and you know that you do not need to feel guilty when you are not constantly thinking about your thesis project. I realise that the last part is probably the most complicated challenge. Theoretically, there is always something you could be doing for your work, but that is no reason that you should!
3. Appreciate how far you have come
I know that this tip might raise the one eyebrow or the other, especially when you are like me and feel that your thesis project is at this point still a confusing mess of data and notes. But, no matter how far you have come, you are further than you were a week ago and a whole lot further than when you started. Sometimes, taking a step away and looking back on what you have achieved this far can be unbelievably motivating and refreshing. No matter at what stage you are on – even if you started your research yesterday – you are no longer at zero. And, as frustrating as it sounds, each setback might have been confusing, but they brought you to the stage you are now and shaped your project. That is something to be proud of.
So, to everyone working on their thesis or tackling any writing project right now, keep on pushing through. We can do this, of that I have no doubt!