Have you ever been in a situation where you begin to question your ability to write an academic paper?
That’s what happened to me when I was working on my PhD thesis. In the middle of being surrounded by different research papers and a diary filled with well-organised notes, I was still struggling to figure out how to complete those half-written paragraphs.
If you are in a similar situation, you can use these effective tips I used to break the writing slump without hassle.
I Set a Daily Target while Covering a Smaller Word Count
When I was motivated, I used to write more than 1000 words every day. But I gradually began to feel like I was losing motivation.
To avoid feeling unsure about what to write, I reduced the word count to 300 words and focused on small sections where I already had detailed notes. Because these sections didn't require much effort, I could complete them without feeling overwhelmed.
In addition to writing only 300 words, I took a 5-minute break after every 30 minutes of focused writing. This approach helped me stay focused.
It helped me feel less overwhelmed. Plus, I could stay focused even when I had no motivation.
Breaking My Thesis into Smaller Tasks Helped Me Prevent Feeling Pressured
Is treating your thesis as a single task a bit overwhelming?
For me, this was one of the biggest reasons I couldn't maintain focus, making it hard to figure out what I actually needed to write. I contacted an assignment writing help service to understand how exactly I could break each task and ensure I completed it on time.
For instance, proofreading the entire draft was a bit challenging, so I broke it down into one chapter at a time.
Instead of the entire literature, I began by comparing two case studies at a time.
Also, rather than finishing the entire methodology at once, I focused on one subsection at a time.
I Created an Easy-to-Maintain, Distraction-Free Writing Routine
Earlier, I used to work on my thesis only when I felt motivated, but what I did not realise earlier is that I was losing significant time to my deadline. Then, I stopped relying on motivation and chose a specific part of my day for thesis writing when I was most focused.
Dedicating specific hours instead of trying to work all day helped me feel motivated, improved my focus, and allowed me to start writing without any hassle.
Since mobile phone notifications were distracting, I switched the unnecessary ones off and kept my phone farther away from my study table so I couldn’t reach it without reason.
Moreover, after I finished a session, I decided exactly where I would begin working the next time. It helped me start instantly next time rather than wasting time staring at a blank page.
With this predictable routine, I no longer had to spend time figuring out what I should start next.
I Wrote the First Draft Without Proofreading It
Do you also proofread every sentence after writing it?
I made this mistake when I began writing my thesis. However, I realised sooner that this was interrupting my flow, which made it feel more difficult to write. After that, I treated writing and proofreading as two completely different tasks and worked in two sessions.
During the first session, my only focus was on transforming my ideas and arguments into words and supporting my claims with credible sources of evidence. Throughout this time, I did not spend even a minute fixing an error or making the sentences sound perfect.
Similarly, I only focused on eliminating all errors and proofreading the content during the second section.
Even during both sessions, I took short breaks after proofreading each thesis chapter to avoid burnout.
Later, I sought PhD thesis writing services after proofreading it once myself. Additional help from an expert allowed me to identify and fix errors without interrupting my writing flow.
Wrap Up
Looking back, beating writer’s block was not about suddenly becoming an outstanding writer. Instead, I was able to overcome this challenge because I stopped using the approach that made it harder.
When I began writing freely, dividing my thesis into smaller tasks, seeking PhD thesis help for proofreading, and building a distraction-free routine, my thesis no longer felt like a big challenge.
If you are a Malaysian PhD student like me, these strategies may help you regain your writing focus so you can complete your thesis.
Good luck!
