Christmas break comes with two competing emotions, which are relief and guilt. Relief because now, finally, you have time to rest, and guilt is there because it is standing in the corner whispering “you could be doing more”. But if you are thinking about dissertation planning, then good because will not have to turn your break into tuition classes, and ruin them. The key is not to ruin your Christmas break but to use it strategically. Little planning now will save you from the amount of stress tomorrow. This blog is a guide to “planning your dissertation” during your break without ruining it with stress. Take small steps now so you do not have to work harder in the future. There is a saying of Martin Luther King: “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”.

CHRISTMAS BREAK AS YOUR DISSERTATION PLANNING

Do you know why Christmas break is ideal for your dissertation planning?

It is ideal not because you have endless time, but because you do not have any pressure of deadlines or expectations. So, your mental space is perfect for thinking during your holiday break. Dissertation planning requires clarity rather than perfection, and clarity can be achieved easily when you are not under pressure or in a rush. During your vacation break, you can easily think about your topic, sketch your ideas, and you will know what you actually want in your dissertation. Planning during holiday break will make a huge difference from planning and working during the semester because you are relaxed.

RESETTING: WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO

Before starting, let’s make one thing clear about the things you do not have to do in dissertation planning during your holiday break.

You do not need to finish the chapters of your dissertation.
You do not need to finalise your research question.
You do not have to give up rest and your family time.

The goal of dissertation planning is thinking and direction, not to immediately work on it and give output.

It is a saying of John Lubbock that “rest is not idleness”. So, do not think that you are wasting your time by resting because it is important for your mental health. A brain that is fresh because rest is much better than a brain that is continuously thinking but still not working strategically.

A GENTLE MINDSET FOR YOUR PLANNING

A healthy and positive mindset is important in dissertation planning. Sometimes a project feels intimidating and massive, but planning will help you shrink the project and make it manageable for you. Think about your dissertation as a series of planning and a process. It is not something you will get right immediately, but you will work on it by having multiple ideas, questions, and sketches. You just have to begin with planning, not to produce your dissertation.

CHECKLIST FOR YOUR DISSERTATION PLANNING

Here is the checklist, which will help you in your dissertation planning. You do not have to complete these; even doing half of them is a great sign of a win.

Reflect on your topic in which you are interested.
Re- read your proposal.
Identify the key themes you are expecting to explore.
Create a rough planning schedule.
Do reading, not deep analysis.
Start making a simple reference list.
Make a draft of the research question, not the final one.
Make a sketch of the chapter structure.

Small steps are better than taking no step. Even little progress will keep you stress-free and motivated.

LIGHT READING

Reading is one of the easiest and stress-free ways to start with your dissertation planning. You do not have to do a deep analysis; you just need to focus on reading articles, reading recent studies related to your topic, and reading methodology examples similar to the methodology you will use. While reading, you have to avoid note-taking, trying to understand everything perfectly, and reading for hours. As I said earlier, reading is not for a deep analysis, so don’t need to pressurize yourself and get stressed by doing things you should avoid while reading.

“The beginning is the most important part of the work”.

Begin with reading, and instead of putting yourself under the weight of stress, do light reading in light, relaxed sessions. If you want to take notes, write about the things that are grabbing your interest and confusing you.

CREATE RESEARCH SCHEDULE

Creating a research planning schedule should be simple, not like a strict timetable. It should not be detailed, but it should have three points:

What should be focused on and done first?
What can be left behind or wait until the term starts?
How much can you work on without getting stressed?

Your schedule should be simple and not detailed while answering these questions. If your schedule is able to answer these three questions, then you are free to go, you just have to start working on it without any tension or pressure, because you have already planned what and how to do it.

SETTING GOALS

One of the most important and useful thing you can do is setting goals for your dissertation in the next semester, which should be broad, not specific. Good goals include clear direction and make you feel confident about your topic. You do not need to make goals like finish a chapter or two, reading multiple sources, etc. Success is the sum of small efforts so; try to set small goals which will be achievable for you in the future without being stressed.

CHRISTMAS BREAK TIMELINE

This is just a suggested timetable for your holiday break without ruining them. You can make your own timetable; this is a suggestion on how you can make your Christmas break enjoyable as well as productive. For instance, you have three weeks of Christmas break, so according to that, if you make your timeline week-wise, then it will be useful for you. Such as in week 1, rest properly, go through your dissertation guidelines, think about your topic, and write down the ideas as they come to your mind related to your project. Then in week 2, do light reading, make a simple reference list, and make a rough research question. Lastly, in week 3, sketch your outlines, create a planning schedule, and set goals for next semester. This is how you can divide your dissertation plan easily without getting stressed and pressurizing yourself.

BALANCE BETWEEN REST AND PRODUCTIVITY

Breaks are neither for complete rest nor for complete study sessions, but it is about doing the right things at the right time by keeping a balance between rest and output. For this, a simple rule to remember is that “if it energizes you, then keep going; if it drains your energy, then stop”. Some days you will not want to do work, and sometimes you will feel motivated enough to do the work. In both cases, it is normal. Both cases are creative in their own way; it is your task to keep the balance between both.

MISTAKES TO AVOID

Although you are well prepared with everything and have planning schedules for what and how to do, but still there are still some mistakes that you should avoid in your dissertation planning. So try to avoid:

Do not compare yourself and your progress with others.
Do not turn your planning into procrastination by wasting time only in delaying and thinking, but not working on it.
Do not expect perfection from the very beginning because clarity is much more important than perfection.
Do not feel guilty for resting because it is also necessary.

Just remember that your dissertation planning is for direction, not for excellence.

CONCLUSION

Students who do dissertation planning during Christmas break, they are more confident and motivated than others because they know where and how to begin. The key point is thinking and organising your ideas. There is a saying that “well begun is half done”, so do not delay your work, just begin with simple and small steps, which is better than not even starting. Planning your dissertation during Christmas break is not about sacrificing your rest and celebration, but it is actually giving your future self a gift. Having a proper research planning schedule and setting goals will support your future project and keep you calmer. So, keep in mind important points and a proper timetable, and it will be productive as well as strategic. Best of luck with your future project!

Written by: Ansa Ishtiaq