Tips and Tricks (possibly banal and/or obvious but still helpful)

I've been thinking about the Berman lecture and the question that Averyl posed to Kathleen and Hsuan yesterday [to paraphrase]: "What practical advice can you give me for getting my (frequently insurmountable-feeling) work done in 6 years?"

I can't promise you that you will get the work that you need to get done in 6 years. Sadly, I am even less able to promise you that there will be a job that you will be happy with after you are done with your PhD. However, in the vein of Kathleen's promise to you that you will receive support throughout your process, I can give you some possibly banal, probably obvious, but nevertheless helpful tips and tricks for getting the work done. Know that I myself took far longer to get many of these tips through my thick skull than I should have, and I'm still training myself to follow some of them today. But it is never too late to start:

1) Make lists. Digitally, manually, both. I have Google calendar reminders, reminders on my phone, documents on my computer, and a collection of post-its all over my workspace with to-do lists. Some of these (post-its and calendar reminders) are lists of what I need to do this week, or even one day out of the week. On my computer, I have word docs of lists related to writing/research projects, broken down into several steps. Note that you probably can't list all the steps, since you don't know what they will be yet. But you can make a general list or notes about what you know you need to do now.

Some to-do lists, such as the ones where you list your teaching prep, meeting, and laundry needs, are probably self-explanatory. But the research/writing ones might not be.  So here's a sample of one of my own -- a current writing/research lists that looks something like this:

ARTICLE REVISION
(for an article on "Their Dogs Came With Them" by Helena Maria Viramontes that I've received feedback on and need to submit to a journal during Winter qtr.). Note that this list is not necessarily in order. Note too that I also already have a draft of this article -- a first draft would probably require a different kind of list. And finally, be aware that I should be writing during this entire process -- I wouldn't be able to or feel the need to complete all of these steps on the list before revising parts of the article. 

1. Read/take notes on articles/book chapters collected on "Dogs."

2. Collate notes and see what I agree with or what supports my argument, and what I disagree with or will position my argument against .

3. Rethink central argument about practices of translation and mistranslation in the novel. Go through novel again and review/rethink quotes that support my argument.

4. Think about how I will consider/situate my argument about the novel in relation to the field of Latina/o Studies more broadly. Review my notes on articles/book chapters in order to consider this.

5. Go through my own article again, and write up new notes/outline for it. Pay attention to each paragraph and find the main point of each. If there isn't one, fold paragraph into another one or omit it. Be sure that article flows as a coherent narrative.

6. If necessary, write up outline again.

2) Related to the list-making: Find the times in your week when you will be working on research/writing projects. Schedule these times in the same way you might schedule an appointment or a meeting.

Ideally, you should be working on these at least a little bit every week-day, though obviously you will be factoring in other times as well. Sometimes this might mean 30 min per day, sometimes it might mean an entire weekend.

I have found that "binging" on research and writing DOES NOT work for me. At this stage in my life, it isn't even possible -- even if I wanted it to be -- due to family/personal needs. You may well be at another stage in your life. But regardless, it will benefit you to practice, enhance, or begin "regular" work habits. This doesn't mean that you will never "binge" again, but at least you will have some practices to fall back on when you are ready.

3) Exercise. It doesn't matter what this looks like. Some people swear by running, others do weekly yoga, others walk or bike. It will clear your mind and break you away from your computer. It is an excellent way to think through a project or problem. I have had some of my best ideas while on long walks or while running. Be ready to make a note about any of these ideas when you are done!

4) Carve out time to pay attention to yourself and others. Whether this is an outing with friends, time with a partner, a walk with your dog, or a playdate with kids, make time for these activities just as you make time for your students or for your research/writing. Related to this: whatever your responsibilities might be to a partner, children, pets, AND your own self-care, treat this time as "non-work" time to the extent that you can. If you schedule in your work time, it is easier to schedule in your "me" time.

5) Form working groups with other grad students.

Last week the grads who've taken their prelims discussed "prelim reading groups" that they've formed with other students; many other students form writing groups at the diss. stage to exchange their work. I cannot stress this enough. You will feel camaraderie and accountability, both of which are helpful for the often-solitary pursuits of academic study.

6)  On the lists/scheduling: DO NOT abandon these efforts during the summer. Your lists and scheduling may be far less intense during the summer months, but they should still be present.

 I realize that some people might be more naturally "organizational" than others. I also realize (believe me) that such forms of organization can feel confining and even "corporate" in the vein of EVERYTHING that I disliked about Berman's lecture. [Bartleby's "refusal," anyone?] Perhaps these organizational skills can even feel antithetical to (often highly mythical) notions about creative license or the creative process.

But the bottom line is that we all must wear multiple hats as intellectuals, academics, and PhD candidates, no matter what career or life path we land on in the end. And I have found that such attention to time and schedule helps me preserve the passion for creativity, for intellectual study, and for my students. And it also helps me function as a person with a life to lead.

Again, however, I cannot stress enough the importance of study/research/writing groups with your peers. You need companionship, solidarity, and connection through your intellectual endeavors. This is the SINGLE most important thing that I learned in graduate school, and I still regret that I didn't stick to a consistent writing group then. It can feel terrifying or embarrassing to share material you are not sure about or that you feel isn't ready. Do it anyway. Your peers will welcome and forgive drafts or pieces of drafts because you are all in the same boat, doing the same thing. And the accountability is just a bonus.

I hope this helps! (and I hope I don't sound too much like your mom might have) :)