by Augie Morado
The first few weeks of the COVID-19 shutdown in mid-March this year were kind of fun. I learned that almost all of my work as a writing tutor and grad assistant could have been done from home this entire time, plus I didn’t have to commute, which meant saving a lot on gas. The best part was that the students I spent the rest of the semester working with caught on quickly to the new challenges of working and learning remotely, an easy learning curve for most involved. All things considered, life was good, and this felt like something I could get used to.
At the end of the spring semester, though, I found myself with no regular routine except for chipping away at my dissertation proposal and periodically responding to feedback from my director. In the meantime, I tried picking up some new hobbies, including working out and watching movies.
Nonetheless, this summer felt like one of the longest ever. Worst part was hearing clichés being echoed: “This is the new normal” and “During these unprecedented times…” and “The days are just running together.” However, that last one actually rang true; after a few months of having little structure, I was finding it hard to make significant progress on my dissertation or to motivate myself to keep up with workout routines. I went through stretches of days where I felt too bored to even unwind with a video game.
So, imagine my joy when late August rolled around and I was back to my regular commute for work. Most of my appointments are still remote, but it feels good to do somewhat normal things again like packing a lunch and going for walks during my break and stopping at Target or Jewel on the way home to get things I need. Best of all, having a set work routine means making the most of my free hours for important projects and activities. Carolyn Law, who directs the Thesis and Dissertation Office, has coined a helpful phrase for those writing their theses and dissertations: “hire yourself.” You’re working free from direct supervision, but you owe it to yourself to stay accountable to structure your day in a way that energizes you.
I have my morning workout every day before breakfast (I have a CNA friend who recommends this: your metabolism’s at its peak when you wake up), shower and dress, then walk my dog – it’s important to exercise your pets, too. Then I prep and pack whatever food I’m going to eat for the day, track it in my Fitbit app, and spend some time before my work commute getting dissertation work done. If I have downtime at work, I chip away some more at diss stuff as well as creative projects I do for fun – I’ve given up the mindset of being a stifled artist burdened by work in favor of being a worker first and a creative person second (less pressure that way, and more fun). When I come home, I usually watch a movie or play a video game before winding down for bed – by this point, I’ve accomplished enough during the day to feel good about relaxing.
While I can’t speak for other thesis and dissertation writers who have spouses, children, and other obligations along with work, I think it’s important to adopt a routine if you haven’t already. I’m not saying you need to devote every minute of downtime to work, but it’s helpful to set aside time for constructive tasks that energize you. Even if you’re not directly chipping away at something work related, you’re making things easier for yourself to do so later. For instance, working out helps me wake up for the day and start off feeling accomplished; packing lunch, washing dishes, folding laundry, and doing other mundane tasks helps me feel more organized and saves time and stress in the long run; and writing a page of story or playing guitar are good outlets for creative energy in addition to work. So, as we continue to hire ourselves through COVID-19, think about what energizes you and find ways to make time for those things.
