Hi All:

I'm new here, so have patience if this topic has been previously covered. I'm currently reading (and trying to stick to!) Joan Bolker's "Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day."

Everyone knows that 15 minutes a day isn't actually enough - its just the effort to work consistently as part of an everyday routine that matters. I am really struggling to hold myself accountable, and I thought I might reach out in order to find support - and support others.

It would be great to find and connect with other people also trying to work daily on their dissertations, in order to provide some online accountability. Basically, I am looking for a fellow ABD who is willing to check in with me 5 X a week (every weekday) around the progress of my writing. I vow to be completely honest with them (and myself) about where I am and how much I'm getting done. In return, I would do the same for someone who is also struggling to remain consistent with their progress.

It would be great to get a whole group of us together, so that we can really support consistent, honest, everyday progress!

hello! another fan and reader of the Joan Bolker book!! hurrah!!! I like you already :)

where do i sign up!

Hey Lara!

Happy to meet others who enjoy the book too - its been a real source of motivation for me! If you're interested, we could set up and accountability schedule with each other (perhaps email is best for that), and let others join in/partner/rotate as they want.

My first idea was that it would be great to have someone check in with me 5 x a week (every weekday) by email, instant message, Skype, what-have-you. Basically - just someone familiar with my writing goals who can hold me accountable through their gentle reminders. I will do the same for them - nothing too time consuming for either one of us (just quick messages). Just enough to encourage to keep on keepin' on.

sounds good!!

how about just doing it here?

me and jojo have a writing up diary, where we report at the end of the day exactly what we accomplished.

maybe in THIS thread. we can have a sort of

THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH TODAY (aims today)

and at the start of the day, everyone puts down their AIMS.

and then at the end of the day (whatever time they finish their work)
they log on and state exactly what they did in accomplishing specific aim they had stated in the beginning.

what do you think?

i tend to check this forum, during my 5min breaks during the day. acts as motivation and encouragement to get back to working

if you prefer msn, that's fine too. or email.
just a suggestion. but your the boss, whatever you decide, i will go along with it.

Anthropolaga, fascinated about what you do..... I'm an archaeologist-cum-anthropologist specializing in African pastoralism..

Count me in

erm what does ABD stand for?

Always Being Distracted

Always Being Distracted

Or is that just me?

hehe cute. that does make sense

Eh - sorry - ABD - All But Dissertation!

Great ideas Lara - lets use the board to keep each other on track!

okay great!!! shall we start tommorow then?



how about tommorow morning, whenever we get up, to put down our personal aims, and then at the end of the day (midnight for me personally) confess exactly what we did.

this is going to be fun. hehe

does that sound okay?

Hi Lara
I've just been reading your diary thread and found it really helpful to hear someone else having the same highs and lows! My deadline is 15th September, do you mind if I join in with the accountability idea as maybe having to publically write what Ive achieved throughout the day will help me to curb the procrastination!!?

Sounds good. Although, I plan to start Monday AM with my posts and accountability. See you all then!