My Dissertation 100 Hours at a Time
A while back I wrote about several 100 hour projects I would to do at some point to basically be a happier person. I just wondered how I could start given the black hole of time and effort I’ve believed my dissertation to be. I’ve been psyching myself out with self- talk like: “I hafta finish my phd” “I don’t have time to do anything but this dissertation.” “I won’t have much time for eating well, adequate sleep or quality time with family.” But none of that is true. I wish I’d realized that years ago. I might have been finished and a much better person. And while life has been good these last few years I would’ve have had the good sense to cherish it and be in the here and now instead of regretting the past and dreading or daydreaming of the future.
But life is about learning and growing and this time is helping me to identify things to improve my character. I have new perspectives on life that I could not imagine gaining had I not gone about my graduate studies that way I have.
I’m almost finished listening to “The Now Habit” on Audible. My main takeaway so far is that I can a live a fuller life right now and still make time to do this very hard thing. There will be more to come on this, but this is a good start I hope. And that’s what counts, that you keep starting until it’s good enough.

