Comments on: Focus Hard. In Reasonable Bursts. One Day at a Time. http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/ Demystifying Sustainable Success Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:34:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: brainypirate http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-11864 brainypirate Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:28:35 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-11864 I was fortunate in that by the time I was ABD, I already had written about half my dissertation in the form of final papers for my courses. (I'm in literature--maybe it's easier to do this in my field.) All my professors were happy to let me work on a diss chapter that fit into their respective course topics. I tell all the grad students I meet to do this: start writing towards the diss from the first semester. It will be a lot easier to revise and polish those chapters in the final year than it will be to try writing them from scratch. Moreover, by the time you get to being ABD, you have an idea of how your chapters will look, so the new ones already have a template. I was fortunate in that by the time I was ABD, I already had written about half my dissertation in the form of final papers for my courses. (I’m in literature–maybe it’s easier to do this in my field.) All my professors were happy to let me work on a diss chapter that fit into their respective course topics.

I tell all the grad students I meet to do this: start writing towards the diss from the first semester. It will be a lot easier to revise and polish those chapters in the final year than it will be to try writing them from scratch. Moreover, by the time you get to being ABD, you have an idea of how your chapters will look, so the new ones already have a template.

]]> By: paurullan http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-10304 paurullan Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:55:31 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-10304 In the software engineering field the «work hard for a long period» is usually a consequence of what we call a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_march_%28software_development%29" rel="nofollow">Death March</a>. Hint: they almost never end well. In the software engineering field the «work hard for a long period» is usually a consequence of what we call a Death March. Hint: they almost never end well.

]]> By: Study Hacks » Blog Archive » A Study Hacks Primer http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-10247 Study Hacks » Blog Archive » A Study Hacks Primer Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:21:34 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-10247 [...] Focus Hard. In Reasonable Bursts. One Day at a Time. [...] […] Focus Hard. In Reasonable Bursts. One Day at a Time. […]

]]> By: Mitch http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9657 Mitch Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:01:20 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9657 I agree with the effectiveness of hard-focus time. In your experience, is it best to have complete silence or is listening to music disruptive (subconsciously?)? Or is this something that varies from person to person? I agree with the effectiveness of hard-focus time. In your experience, is it best to have complete silence or is listening to music disruptive (subconsciously?)? Or is this something that varies from person to person?

]]> By: wow http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9594 wow Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:15:49 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9594 I think we've all been psychologically messed up a tad to more than a tad by schooling.. so many people, myself included, procrastinate and have weird complexes about the simple act of getting down to work. There's something wrong with our school system, because I'm pretty sure when we were kids it wasn't that way. I think we’ve all been psychologically messed up a tad to more than a tad by schooling.. so many people, myself included, procrastinate and have weird complexes about the simple act of getting down to work. There’s something wrong with our school system, because I’m pretty sure when we were kids it wasn’t that way.

]]> By: Daisy http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9580 Daisy Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:00:03 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9580 I'm actually doing my thesis now, and reading your post made me see I've been adopting this strategy without realizing it. Like you've said, though it is a huge chunk of work, the result is way less stressful than I expected it to be. It's also helped out by the fact that my thesis partner (our university makes us work in groups) has the same study habits as me. Not to mention the two of us are really interested in our topic. With my thesis, my partner and I started working on it everyday for a few hours (an hour or two) about two months before the proposal was due. We escalated the work to longer hours when the deadline was closer but it still wasn't anywhere near as long as the others were doing. The others started working on it about three to four weeks before the proposal due date though. Results? We aced the proposal without feeling as stressed as the others seemed to be, and got the highest grade. :D There's still a lot of work coming up but I think if we keep doing the whole focus-hard-in-reasonable-chunks-of-time thing, we won't end up too scarred by the experience. I’m actually doing my thesis now, and reading your post made me see I’ve been adopting this strategy without realizing it. Like you’ve said, though it is a huge chunk of work, the result is way less stressful than I expected it to be.

It’s also helped out by the fact that my thesis partner (our university makes us work in groups) has the same study habits as me. Not to mention the two of us are really interested in our topic.

With my thesis, my partner and I started working on it everyday for a few hours (an hour or two) about two months before the proposal was due. We escalated the work to longer hours when the deadline was closer but it still wasn’t anywhere near as long as the others were doing. The others started working on it about three to four weeks before the proposal due date though.

Results? We aced the proposal without feeling as stressed as the others seemed to be, and got the highest grade. :D There’s still a lot of work coming up but I think if we keep doing the whole focus-hard-in-reasonable-chunks-of-time thing, we won’t end up too scarred by the experience.

]]> By: Susan Pinochet (spinochet) 's status on Tuesday, 25-Aug-09 15:01:05 UTC - Identi.ca http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9570 Susan Pinochet (spinochet) 's status on Tuesday, 25-Aug-09 15:01:05 UTC - Identi.ca Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:01:13 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9570 [...] Write a dissertation without destroying your life http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/ [...] […] Write a dissertation without destroying your life http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/ […]

]]> By: Jon C http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9556 Jon C Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:45:08 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9556 I'm curious to know why people think dissertations have to be made hard. Is it the school, peers, social networks? I had the view that you learned and refined skills (as an undergrad) on how to write a paper and then apply it to a larger and longer paper that you feel is important. Why is sitting for about 11 horus a day, all week, for several months an option? Maybe I over simplfied it? I’m curious to know why people think dissertations have to be made hard. Is it the school, peers, social networks? I had the view that you learned and refined skills (as an undergrad) on how to write a paper and then apply it to a larger and longer paper that you feel is important. Why is sitting for about 11 horus a day, all week, for several months an option? Maybe I over simplfied it?

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9552 Study Hacks Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:21:41 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9552 <blockquote>Hey.. great blog. Everything you say is completely true, from my experience in university thus far. I found myself in a lot of the unproductive habits you describe, but you have given me an alternative. I bought your two books because of your blog and I’m looking forward to practicing the techniques next year. Best, Khadija</blockquote> Thanks. I'm glad you found us here. <blockquote>This isn’t very relevant to the post. I’m a loyal rss feed follower of Study Hacks and I’m just wondering when Cal Newport’s next book will be published. </blockquote> July! I'm just finishing up the manuscript. I'll have a lot more to say about it once the editing dies down and I enter the long phase between being done with the book and the book being published.

Hey.. great blog. Everything you say is completely true, from my experience in university thus far. I found myself in a lot of the unproductive habits you describe, but you have given me an alternative. I bought your two books because of your blog and I’m looking forward to practicing the techniques next year. Best, Khadija

Thanks. I’m glad you found us here.

This isn’t very relevant to the post. I’m a loyal rss feed follower of Study Hacks and I’m just wondering when Cal Newport’s next book will be published.

July! I’m just finishing up the manuscript. I’ll have a lot more to say about it once the editing dies down and I enter the long phase between being done with the book and the book being published.

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9551 Study Hacks Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:19:35 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2009/08/20/focus-hard-in-reasonable-bursts-one-day-at-a-time/#comment-9551 <blockquote>1. I am unclear about one thing. I understand that you work 9-5:30 every day (probably 8 hours-correct?) but how many hours do you work on weekend or do you take a break on both Saturday and Sunday?</blockquote> I usually didn't work on weekends. But there were exceptions. Like the few weeks leading up to my dissertation defense, and, back when I was taking classes, when I had Monday due dates or tests. <blockquote>2. Any tips for writing especially making it academic worthy?</blockquote> It's a game of practice. <blockquote>3. Any tips for taking the candidacy exam?</blockquote> This differs too much between programs and schools for any one piece of advice to work.

1. I am unclear about one thing. I understand that you work 9-5:30 every day (probably 8 hours-correct?) but how many hours do you work on weekend or do you take a break on both Saturday and Sunday?

I usually didn’t work on weekends. But there were exceptions. Like the few weeks leading up to my dissertation defense, and, back when I was taking classes, when I had Monday due dates or tests.

2. Any tips for writing especially making it academic worthy?

It’s a game of practice.

3. Any tips for taking the candidacy exam?

This differs too much between programs and schools for any one piece of advice to work.

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