There's a relatively common occurrence in doctoral studies: doctoral candidates postpone finishing their dissertations . In many cases, this is because they fall prey to their own idealized notions of what it means to undertake such work. The moment of defending their work before the dissertation committee naturally produces nervousness.
However, you cannot aspire to make a work without any type of error. Your work can be improved, it is that of all doctoral students. And that doesn't mean they haven't done a great job.
If you have a grant to carry out your research, then the end of the grant period can serve as motivation to also finish your work and focus on the job market.
How to finish your job on schedule
1. Talk to your thesis advisor about your goal of finishing the work by that date. You need their support since they are the one who reviews the work. Communicate your intention to complete it.
2. Define your goals . For example, specify the date by which you will have each chapter completed. It's helpful to break down a large project into smaller sections.
3. Set your own daily goals . For example, write 1500 words a day. Writing is often the biggest challenge for doctoral students who get stuck when faced with the blank page. If you're in the thesis revision phase, then congratulations, because you've already done a lot of work. However, you still have a long way to go to polish the text by removing anything that doesn't add value, correcting any typos, and adding footnotes.
4. Your workspace should be located where the main bibliography you consulted for your work is found. For example, in the university library.
5. Work harder now so you can rest later. If you're in the final stages of your thesis, this can be a good work philosophy . Your days may stretch on endlessly, but the main reward for this effort is the sheer joy of finishing.
6. Mark in red on the calendar the date on which you want to finish your thesis. Look at that date as a turning point in your life. Take this at face value, that is, look at the time after that date as a time to commit to other projects. Start thinking this way because true motivation comes from mental attitude.
Commissioned doctoral theses
Sadly, the black market has also reached the field of doctoral theses, as shown by the example of those companies that have writers who are in charge of writing theses for other people in exchange for financial compensation. Erase this possibility from your mind: your thesis has to be yours, if it does not have your essence, then the title does not make sense.
Stop making excuses: “ It’s not perfect ,” “I could add more bibliography,” “I think it deserves more time”… For a perpetual perfectionist, the work is never perfect enough. Therefore, assume that the panel members will give you constructive criticism, but instead of seeing this as something negative that reflects shortcomings in your work, see it as a positive. These observations will help you improve.
But the most important thing is willpower. If you've made it this far, think that the best thing that can happen to you is to finish this job.