This is the second of 2 posts about prioritizing your work in progress. In Do you have too many writing projects? I explained why you need to limit the number of things you are working on at any given time and shared a free workbook to help you make those decisions. In this post, I […]
Read More »Focus
Do you have too many writing projects?
This post is part of a series on Optimizing Focus. Finding it hard to focus is normal. Self-flagellation does not work to improve your focus. Furthermore it takes time and energy that takes you away from your writing; it is another distraction. I firmly believe that you can approach your work compassionately rather than violently. […]
Read More »
Focus isn’t just a mind problem
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Focus isnt just a mind problem The idea of doing your writing work at home sounds lovely, easeful. But the reality is often like wading through molasses. The soft couch and soft cat call you to nap. Your partner’s loud on Zoom. Laundry and dishes are never done. Your […]
Read More »
Hyperfocus and intensive writing styles
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Hyperfocus and intensive writing styles Short writing periods regularly don’t work for everybody. @jovanevery thank god. Every time I see someone tweet that I think why doesn’t it work for me. I write 6 hours straight. Can’t do short. — M.M. (@ProfessMoravec) March 7, 2013 Or Tony’s comment on […]
Read More »
End of summer writing panic
As the long summer break nears an end and the beginning of the academic year looms larger on the horizon, you may have a tendency to panic about your writing and research. You wonder whether you’ve done enough over the summer. You fear that you won’t get to it at all once teaching, student advising, […]
Read More »
Motivating yourself to finish the damned book!
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Motivating yourself to finish the damned book Do you have a book project that’s been in progress for a long time? You are not alone. Over the years I’ve helped several mid to late career scholars who are weighted down by the unfinished projects they have lying around. Like […]
Read More »
Autism & Imposter Syndrome
A note from Jo: On 28 October 2023 Daniel Sohege posted a thread on Bluesky and Twitter about what they call “Autistic Imposter Syndrome”. I recognized much of what they described from conversations with an autistic friend. They kindly agreed to have me turn it into a guest post here. I’ve kept their name for […]
Read More »
Beyond accountability: co-working as support
When I started A Meeting With Your Writing, co-working groups for academics were practically unheard of Shut Up and Write didn’t exist yet. The most popular “accountability group” for academic writers, The Academic Ladder, didn’t include co-working. There is now a proliferation of options, both specifically for academics, and more generally. It is common to describe […]
Read More »
Making time blocking work for you
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Making time blocking work for you One of the strategies I encourage people to use when planning is time-blocking. It is what I am thinking of when I talk about boundaries as one of the principle elements of a good plan. Over the years I’ve realized that there are […]
Read More »
Starting a new project
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Starting a new project Once you’ve found and protected time for writing, your next challenge is to decide what to work on in that time. In Making Decisions About Your Writing, I talked about prioritizing amongst multiple projects. In this post, I want to talk about starting a new project […]
Read More »
Optimizing Focus when your project brings up difficult emotions
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Optimizing focus when your project brings up difficult emotions At the end of A Meeting With Your Writing one day, a participant shared how she’d managed her focus on a project that brings up difficult emotions… “I’ve been dealing with one thing that was very hard … with some […]
Read More »
Spotlight On: Grading Season
Jo VanEvery, Academic Career Guide · Spotlight On: Grading Season Grading is one of those things that many academics struggle to find meaningful or enjoyable, but is required by your employer. Grading is often constrained by policies you have little influence over and deadlines you don’t control. My work is focused on helping academics find […]
Read More »
