I get a lot of questions about work/life balance in my classes, so this is roughly the advice I share to cover a range of concerns, then if learners have more specific concerns they share with me, we can discuss strategies to tackle those:  

One thing that helps is to identify which hours of the day you are at your best intellectual functioning, and try to preserve those for working on your dissertation as much as possible. Some people find that they are most productive in the early morning, some feel like they are the most productive late at night when the kids are asleep: Play with it to figure out when your best times for mental work are so that you can try to schedule activities accordingly.

Some people find it helpful to try to balance out that mental work from their dissertation with engaging in very different activities with their family. Sometimes you can create activities that serve multiple purposes, such as planning to go hiking or playing a sportsball game with the family. This gives you exercise which can help mental and physical wellbeing, get more oxygen flowing to your brain and increase your energy overall, plus it gives you quality time interacting with the family. Some people like to read their articles while on the treadmill, which is still serving a couple purposes at once.

One of the pieces of advice that I got during graduate school was to pick some activity that you love doing that really helps charge your mental and emotional batteries and make the time to do that activity without fail every week. Put it into the schedule and don't be tempted to cancel it because of a looming deadline: Taking the time to do things that renew your energy is important to reduce burnout and keep yourself productive. Besides, there's that whole 1 Corinthians 16-17 thing about how your body is a temple. You need to do things to maintain that temple, so in all your list of obligations, make sure you take the time to fill your own needs as well.

To put it differently, think of the instructions on airplanes on what to do in case the oxygen masks fall: Adults are supposed to secure their own mask before putting a mask on their child. If they try to put on the child's mask first, it can result in the adult passing out before they are able to help the child effectively, and then both people have their survival in jeopardy. Taking the time to invest in taking care of yourself is not an act of selfishness, but rather can be a necessity to make sure that you can support other loved ones effectively. There is a big difference between spending quantity time with the family, and spending quality time with the family. Taking care of yourself may reduce the quantity of time you are spending with your family if you can't find ways to combine self-care with activities you can share with the family, but there is a big payoff in terms of increasing the quality of time you spend with people when you aren't stressed to your limits during the time you do share with them.

Also, stay in contact with your chair (or instructor) and your student services advisor. If you are struggling with life challenges, let them know. Sometimes deadlines can be adjusted, and your student services advisor in particular may be able to refer you to additional services at GCU that can provide better support for you in the specific challenges you are facing, as well as letting you know about options such as taking a hiatus if you need it.

Remember that if you have mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, ADHD and so forth, these can also let you qualify for disability services. A lot of people think of disability services as just for physical conditions such as people who have blindness or hearing impairments or carpal tunnel that makes it hard to type, but disability services is broader term that includes anything that is impairing your ability to learn. Some people are hesitant to seek out disability services out of feelings that it will somehow mean that they somehow failed at doing their dissertation on their own. It really isn't like that. It is more like with glasses: I need glasses in order to be able to read papers and such properly, so I get the glasses that I need to perform my best. It says nothing about my intellectual abilities to use the tools that are available to make it so that I can perform to the best of my abilities. Disability services provides tools for people who need them in order to help them perform to the best of their capacity, and there is no shame in using such tools if you need them.

Once you have your chair assigned and begin working with your committee, many learners also experience feelings of isolation. Many don't have other people in their lives who are working on their doctorates, so sometimes it is hard to share the trials and triumphs with others and have them really get what you are going through. Especially when you are going to residency, but also in any of your classes like 847, reach out to other learners. Establish some connections and exchange contact information. These connections can help you avoid that feeling of isolation.

Hi Genna - This is an excellent posting. We are living in challenging times, and people need a mental break. Yes, we must recharge our batteries. This approach is good for everyone's mental health and wellness.  How do your learners respond to this posting?

Hi 

Obtaining my Doctorate was a challenge as I lost my home in a fire just two months before going to defend. And all my materials were lost too!! 

Maintaining a good relationship with my chair helped me tremendously. I was about to give up but he helped me rebuild my confidence and told me to call if I needed anything. 

Another tip: getting another set of eyes read your work. Each section/book should be reviewed from perhaps a Language Arts/English professor. I tend to write faster than I think and after a while the words/text seemed to run together. 

Take some "me" time to develop a clear perspective every week if only for an hour! Your "passion" will be there when you return.

To obtain doctoral students, finally, make sure the dissertation topic is a passionate one. As the learner writes and even defend, the passion will be evident and the dissertation a success. Dr. M. S. James 

The biggest change is the move from getting specific instructions on all aspects of class in a master degree to becoming a doctoral learner. Doing research on how not to just report findings but how to synthesize data and positions. Doctoral learning need to not expect an instructor to tell them exactly what the learner needs to do to improve as the tools are there to become a scholar.  I remember one instructor marked down a paper for improper reference format with the note “not APA format”. I looked over my references and could not find the issue. Three times I submitted the work and three time I got the same feedback and an increasing amount of points deducted. Finally I found one of my references did not have the volume number I was not in italics.  The message back from instructor was “ references now to APA standards”.  The lesson was I need to be detailed and grow as a learner and develop the ability to think differently. No one even mentioned to change in thinking or approach and providing that feedback early would help doctoral learners 

Greetings all,

When pursuing my doctorate, my twin sister and I was each other’s accountability partners.  We set aside two to three days a week and worked on our dissertation during odd hours so not to interfere or take away from time from our jobs or with our family (husband and children). We would wake up around 2:30 am and work for a couple hours when the house was calm and quiet. One other technique I found helpful was taking a weekend and staying at a hotel and spend the entire time researching, organizing, and developing my chapters. I hope this is helpful  

Many blessings,

Wanda, thanks for a great reflection and for the others also.  Even though I was teaching, I had been out of school and its routine for almost 10 years and so going back to school for a PhD in my late 40s was a real challenge.   

I had to deal with the new technology and then the fact that one of my courses required 1 book a week to read.  I am a slow learner on both technology and reading.  As a side, I was well into my dissertation when my computer spit out that my disk was blank.  I had lost 240 pages!   Thankfully I had a hard copy of 200 pages.  My one computer friend asked if I had made a back up and when I said no, he said when you do call me.

As I took my classes I was overwhelmed with books piled all over the dinning room table and floor and frequently questioned what I was doing and if it were worth it.   So what finally dawned on me was that I was struggling from my weakness!   So once I figured that out and began to work from my strengths everything turned around.

So work from your strengths; make many back up copies, and don't be afraid to ask for help.

I had the chair of the department call me into his office for a paper I had written.  It had come back all covered in red markings reminding me of grad school.   After he ripped it to shreds, he said:  Now if you do this, I want you to submit it for publication!   I was dumbfounded since I had never had anything published in a professional journal in my life!

Vernon Meyer

I try to keep my students engaged in their dissertation journey by posting weekly helpful information in the announcement section in the Lou Cloud.  Also, I schedule and facilitate group conference meetings for my doctoral students who are working on their dissertation. This helps keep the learners engage. Furthermore, they get to hear from their colleagues the challenges they are going through and share tips and tricks that are working for them.   

Well, I am relatively new to the Doctoral community and although I am looking forward to serving as a doctoral faculty member in the future, I beleive the primary problem that many may encounter relates with work, life and academic separation. The process is rigorous to say the least and I beleive one of the primary challenges for students is their perception as to whether or not they can finish the program. Factors that may challenge students seeking a PhD./Doctorate are often external to academia such as major life transitions (employment issues, childcare issues, caregiver issues) which all can be a major road block say, when working on a dissertation. Based on my experiences and observations it appears that a good way to help them through this rigorous process is to help them focus on this journey as being their own (something that is completely theirs); this journey may not translate to others very well and many may not understand why someone is going for a doctorate. Equally, I feel that the best way to support students in challenging situations is to remind them about the end state goals, discuss what it is they would like to do after they complete their degree and these helpful discussions can help keep them focused. Also, if the students think about the end state goal enough they will begin to take steps towards completing their respective program, while perhaps reducing any self-doubt. These steps can help to rule out any self doubt and perhaps to help them overcome those life obstacles which are quite common.

Hi Marsha - Thanks for your post. yes, doctoral earners need ongoing confidence building. Balancing life experiences on top of doctoral work can be overwhelming. As a SDA chair, I often have to keep my learners motivated. It is easy to give up.

Hi Steven - Feedback helps to pinpoint mistakes/errors. When learners seek to find answers to questions, it enhances their learning. There are times when seeking the answers can be a good thing; however, professors should use this approach as needed.

Hi Fecelia - When doctoral learners utilize their time wisely, much can be done. Blocking out time each day to work on doctoral studies can help to move faster through the program. Learners must be willing to make the needed sacrifices.

Hi Vernon - Yes, when one recognizes his or her strengths things become easier. Use the skills that you have to get things done. Often, we focus so much on our weaknesses and do not use our strengths to overcome adversity.

Good morning,

I definitely think the comments about stress and recharging batteries was salient.  I would like to see more discussion on scholarships and fellowships on scholars who are doing innovative research that other schools are not doing, such as infusing our theories and methodologies with our university doctrine.  While working on my PhD at ASU, it was rather taboo to mention god in methodology and/or theory.  I think this is lacking in research and I think some funding to help assist scholars in those areas would help stress levels.  School is expensive!  At ASU, I had a Fellowship.  I have looked into going back to school at GCU and it is cost prohibitive and stressful just trying to figure out a way to pay for it!  I mean recharging batteries is a great suggestion but if finances is being held over learners' heads, how does one recharge batteries?

Have a blessed day,

Felicia Van Deman

Discussion: Barriers for Doctoral Students in Dissertation Classes

My name is Dr. Wanda Fernandopulle, and I will be facilitating the discussion in this thread as a part of Faculty Training and Development. As a Senior Dissertation Adjunct Chair (SDA), I often see some of the daily struggles doctoral students face. The balance of work, family, and a rigorous doctoral program can be challenging for some learners.  A rigorous doctoral program requires learners to hone their writing skills. What resources will help doctoral students to develop their writing abilities?

Greetings Scholars!

Do have an interest teaching doctoral courses and serving as a reader/reviewer on doctoral dissertations. 

I believe that doctoral candidates must have a structural organized approach toward completing their doctoral courses, comprehensive exam and doctoral dissertation defense. If one is not organized with a structured plan in taking an utmost serious approach to their higher education learning then completing a doctoral degree will never be in the future for that doctoral learner. The only one that can complete a doctoral degree is the one going for the doctoral degree and must take a serious approach to a rigorous high-caliber degree. Some great tips and tricks that I would like to mention would be for doctoral mentors:

1. taking a proactive stance by communicating frequently with doctoral learners.

2. understanding university guidelines regarding acceptance of a doctoral dissertation to be published on ProQuest. This one’s a huge one!

3. providing doctoral learners with great research protocols on the dissertation chapter 2 known as the literature review takes a lot of time. This one can be tricky with doctoral learners not having the proper knowledge and abilities regarding this section of the dissertation.

These are just some of the few points off the top of my head that I would like to share right now. Hope this information finds everyone enlightening regarding these discussion boards. Thank you for your previous engaging doctoral points in these discussion boards everyone.

Take care,

Lee Demuth

Hi everyone

I agree with all the comments. great advice!

I try to be a role model for the students through telling them about my running. I know that promoting health and exercise will help them be more productive. 

The other thing I do which is quite simple is to give out my cell phone number and to tell students to call me anytime. Many of them do! Many of them work long hours and sometimes are only available in the evenings so they can reach me just to check in. None of the students have imposed on my time or been a nuisance. It's just another way for them to know that they are supported. 

When providing feedback to the students, I make sure to give them the big picture. I believe there is good in every proposal and I look for it. It is easy to criticize yet I think it is important to also give praise. Otherwise, we will lose our doctoral students. 

Best wishes, Annette. 

The doctoral journey Is one that takes tedious, persistent, and a made up mine to complete. As many have shared, this may not be a journey for the light or faint at heart.  Yes, completing a doctoral degree is not always easy but needless to say well worth the effort expended towards the completion. Yes, this doctor journey requires a commitment of both time and energy and that may be putting it lightly. During the time I was completing my doctorate degree I was working full-time and had  3 young children.  Time management was key  and because of this I felt very isolated and lonely at times because I allowed very little time for recreational purposes; a break.  There were times when I actually felt angry... this should not have been.  However, I cheated myself because I didn’t allow time for “me”... I would advise that all instructors encourage students to take time for themselves, family, friends;  in other words, there has to be a balance. Doctoral learners need to recharge their minds by permitting activities that are social, and interactive with others. Thanks, Joyce

Hi Wanda, 

I think my learners take the suggestion about self-care very well.  Most have already been cutting out self-care by the time they reach the classes I teach. Many hold the attitude, though, that time for self-care is inherently selfish so it is easily sacrificed.  By pulling in the authority of the Bible and providing the example about the airplane I think it puts the value of self-care into perspective.  

I'd like to support what Annette said too about the importance of making sure that the learner feels that it is okay to reach out to their chair when they need to. I remind learners that meeting once a month on zoom is a minimum requirement, but that we can meet more often if it would be helpful for them (This also helps for students who find themselves motivated better with smaller, more frequent deadlines). For learners in the AZ area, I like to suggest the monthly face-to-face meet ups for doctoral learners Each meet up is led by either a doctoral chair or methodologist, and in addition it is an opportunity to interact with their fellow learners and share the trials and triumphs of the journey.  They have the listing for the meetings online in the DC now. Here is the link: https://dc.gcu.edu/phoenix_local/documents/01_resources/study_groups_saturdaysdocx

On the smaller, more frequent deadlines idea, my SDA team also requires learners to post in their LDP twice a week: once with goals and once with their accomplishments for the week.  This can help to make sure learners are making steadier progress rather than leaving it up to the last day on those deliverables. It also helps me catch problems with their goals before they waste a lot of time going in directions that are not going to be productive at that particular point in their doctoral journey.  I think it is important, though to make sure those goals for the week are specific, like "I am going to focus on revising the sources of data,  data collection and data analysis sections of my prospectus" as opposed to learners who give very vague updates about "I'm going to work on my prospectus"... and post the same goal and accomplishment every week without really giving me a good sense of how they are moving forward each week. 

What a great question!  While I do not teach in the doctoral program, here are a few thoughts from my own experience of pursuing a PhD:

• Pursuit of a doctoral education requires family support.  Prepare family in advance that this will be demanding.  Talk about the stages of the process so family members can measure your progress too as you complete coursework and dissertation stages.
• Identify one quiet, private location for study/writing.  The family knows when you are in your 'study space' that you should not be interrupted.   You may even want to post a sign on the door indicating when your study time will end.  That helps family to know when you will be available.
• Use vacation or PTO/PDO time as needed when major assignments are due.   The extra time away from work is an amazing gift.

Thanks for asking this question!   Hope these thoughts are helpful.   Karen

I think if one has a family, they need to sign a formal written agreement with their spouse outlining the time requirements of completing a dissertation. The issue is it is hard to just pop in and do a little work on your dissertation. It takes uncluttered and undistracted quality time to complete, especially if it is a quantitative study.  That way everyone agrees and there is accountability. Dr J

Hi Araxi - I think Zoom meetings work very well with most doctoral learners. I use them often, and students are better able to process committee feedback. These one-to-one conferences keep them engaged.

Hi Mike - Thanks for the post. Having students think about the goal is a great way for them to keep their eyes on the prize. Students must think about how hard work pays off at the end.

Hi Lee - Organization is so important. As a SDA Chair, I see where a lack of organization results in delays.There are times when students rush through the process and do not pay attention to organization. It is important for doctoral learners to block out time to work through revisions.  Learners cannot see their way through the forest if they cannot see the parts.

Hi Annette- We should support doctoral learners, and encourage them as much as possible. Students should feel at ease when they reach out for help. When support is given, learners will stay engaged.

Hi Joyce - Doctoral learners must learn how to manage stress.  Exercise and spending time with friends and family can help learners stay relaxed. Proper rest is also important. More and more research is being done about the importance of sleep. 

As a doctoral student and single mother of twin teen girls with autism, the work/life balance is real.  However, that's not what keeps me up at night.  It's my lack of experience in the research field that does.  I'm looking for resources. The resources I need are not for writing (I'm published in peer-reviewed publications), but instead for the research process.

Also, I have not found funding for my doctorate.  My institution has only one resource for partial funding after I pass my comprehensive exams.  So if you know of any great resources for funding, that is an obstacle for me that would prevent me from continuing.  I had to take a one-year break for this reason.  So it definitely impacts retention.

Hello Everyone,

When approaching the work/life balance with my doctoral learners, I sometimes recommend they schedule their academic activities much like we schedule other appointments and responsibilities. I also encourage them to include the members of their support system when making those scheduling decisions. Furthermore, I encourage them to schedule time with family/friends and engaging in self-care activities. If the times are planned with consensus of important life-stakeholders then self-care guilt and academic guilt can be reduced.

Hi Everyone:

Thank you for your insights and very insightful comments. Someone should put all this together as part of the doctoral handbook. 

I require that my doctoral scholars (I call them scholars rather than learners) create a time management plan that they share with me (and share on the LDP with the committee) using one of these or any other suitable template:

http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/timemgmt-schedules.html

http://www.mytimemanagement.com/time-management-forms.html

https://the7minutelife.com/tools/

http://stress.lovetoknow.com/time-management-chart.

I recommend that they schedule no more than 3 - 5 hours every week (any time over and above, during any one week is just gravy or icing). But, to faithfully meet that time commitment. Hopefully, because they know the time is limited, they will not dillydally but spend the precious time, productively. By limiting the amount of time they spend on the dissertation, it also helps prevent burnout by more effectively balancing life/work/school.

Lisa

Hi Karen - Family support is surely needed. A rigorous doctoral program requires family support and understanding. When I was a doctorate students ages ago, I hardly ever saw my parents. They understood that I was busy trying to get my doctorate and I was appreciative for their support. Everyone needs a cheerleader. 

Hi Jeff - Yes! Learners need quality time to complete the doctorate. It is easy to get distracted and to get lost during the process. Learners need that quiet time to read and to process information.  A quiet place is needed.  This can be challenging though when your family needs so much of your time. 

Hi Melani - Try going to the American Psychological Association'e website. I believe that they post funding opportunities periodically. That is a great place to start.

Hi Amanda - Doctoral learners need lots of support. They need support at home, at work, and at GCU. The doctoral process can feel overwhelming for learners, and they need ongoing encouragement. Many students get frustrated with the writing intensity.

Hi Lisa - Thank you for sharing this information. Time management can be challenging for everyone. When students get organized and find a method that works for them, they can see their way through the process.

My name is Dr. Wanda Fernandopulle, and I will be facilitating the discussion in this thread as a part of Faculty Training and Development. As a Senior Dissertation Adjunct Chair (SDA), I often see some of the daily struggles doctoral students face. The balance of work, family, and a rigorous doctoral program can be challenging for some learners.  A rigorous doctoral program requires learners to pay attention to details. What ways can we help doctoral students to better understand the importance of critical thought and analysis?

Greetings Everyone, 

I am Dr. Jacqueline E. Mitchell.  Based on my experience, I focused on things that were relevant to me, my job and increasing my professionalism.  Therefore, the ongoing learning and time that was spend balancing work, school, and family was not something that I viewed as a task.  

With that being said, I learned to view things in away that drew me to the task.  I focused on short term goals, having realistic expectations, positive attitude, and often evaluated the end results of what I was trying to accomplish.  Most of the discussions took place in group studies that were developed with others that was in school or working on similar task.  

Also, I would read and listen to positive affirmations, quotes and discussions that took place with successful people......  I enjoyed my journey.

Hi Jacqueline - Thanks for your post! Yes, it it best to not look at the whole but to look at the parts. Students can get bogged down into all of the expectations and forget to focus on the small steps/chunks. Also, surrounding yourself with positive energy is always a plus.

My name is Dr. Wanda Fernandopulle, and I will be facilitating the discussion in this thread as a part of Faculty Training and Development. As a Senior Dissertation Adjunct Chair (SDA), I often see some of the daily struggles doctoral students face. The balance of work, family, and a rigorous doctoral program can be challenging for some learners.  A rigorous doctoral program requires patience and good listening skills. What ways can we help doctoral students to better understand the importance of being patient and having effective listening skills?

This forum is very interesting.  I was wondering if we should code everyone's reply using MaxQDA qualitative software?  Perhaps the insight obtained could be the basis of an interesting article?

That is a great idea Dr. Berman!

Hi Dr. Berman - Great idea! You always offer the best suggestions.

Discussion: Barriers for Doctoral Students in Dissertation Classes

My name is Dr. Wanda Fernandopulle, and I will be facilitating the discussion in this thread as a part of Faculty Training and Development. As a Senior Dissertation Adjunct Chair (SDA), I often see some of the daily struggles doctoral students face. The balance of work, family, and a rigorous doctoral program can be challenging for some learners.  What techniques do you use to help retain doctoral learners?   

Hello Everyone,

When I was a doctoral student, I was teaching full time and bartending (needed to pay back student loans). There were many times I wanted to quit, but I developed some techniques that helped me and that I pass onto my doctoral learners. One is to make sure to take time for yourself, family, and friends. All too often we get too involved in school and this can cause burn out. The second one is to learn to say no to friends and family. This can be difficult because there were times that my friends would be doing something and I felt guilty saying no. However, it is completely fine to say no and know that our friends and family will understand. The third technique I used was SMART goals. I still use them today for personal and professional goals. This a great tool to have students focus on the smaller goals to reach the big goal. The last technique I used was having students purchase the book by Joan Bolker, Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day. This book helped me to complete my dissertation in my desired time frame. I tie this in with the SMART goals I have students set for themselves.

Hi Nicole - Thanks for sharing your post. I will look for this book because it may help other doctoral learners too.  You also addressed some important points. It is important to stand firm on decisions. Doctoral learners need family and friend support. The doctoral journey can make you feel isolated, but having people who understand what you are going through really helps.

Discussion: Barriers for Doctoral Students in Dissertation Classes

Thank you for participating in this great and worthwhile discussion! We are always looking for ways to help retain doctoral learners. Many of you shared some great points: recharging your battery, confidence building, feedback, using time wisely, using our strengths, Zoom meetings, goal setting, organization, support, managing stress, quiet time, doing things step by step, and learning how to say no sometimes to family and friends. I look forward to continuing this discussion in the near future. We can surely learn more about the doctoral journey, and the steps to the finish line.