Completing a PhD with a Family (Part 3): Organizational Strategies

This whole series is about strategies you can implement while completing a PhD with a family, in order to maximize your time with them.

This is installment 3 of a 5 part series.

Here is a link to the first blog about schedules and the second blog about involving the spouse and kids.

At this stage in your PhD journey, organizational strategies might be the last thing on your mind, but I guarantee you that it should be one of the first.

In this blog we're going to depart from the typical business-type strategies that may include words such as vision, priorities, and, action plans.

Instead, I discuss organizational considerations that will help you stay mentally focused through the process, which will ultimately lead to maximum productivity.

First up....

Be Philosophically Organized: Epistemology and Ontology

I know these terms are not what anyone wants to read in a blog about organizational strategies, but I would argue that they are the epitome of organizational strategies. Without a sense of these two facets of research, your dissertation is going to be all over the place.

If your dissertation is going to be all over the place, you are not going to be in a good frame of mind to spend time with your family.

So hear me out...

As epistemology relates to your dissertation, it is the idea of answering the question, how do I know what I know as it relates to my thesis? Being able to answer this not-so-simple question will save you days, if not weeks of reworking in your writing.

As ontology relates to your dissertation, it is the idea of answering the question, what about my subject do I know to exist, and how do these things relate to one another? This is also a not-so-simple question to answer.

Here's the practical application: Before you enact your schedule, remind yourself what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how everything relates. Epistemology and ontology don't have to be complicated--they have to be realized.

When you realize them, you are able to to stay the course.

By taking the time to be philosophically organized, you will waste less time figuring things out and more time producing.

Pro Tip: Ground all your assertions in the existing literature.

Second...

Be Systematically Organized: Methodology

No matter the mode of doctorate (hard science, empirical social science, humanities, etc.) you will be guided by your methodology. Additionally, stay true to your research questions, your hypotheses, and/or your thesis statement.

In reality, your dissertation should contain no more information that what is necessary to answer its focus. If the original knowledge gap that you recognized is important to spend 3+ years of your life on, then don't lose sight of that.

If you do, you'll be like the Israelites wondering around the desert for 40 years.

Here's the story...

In the Book of Numbers, God tells his people that they need to enter the Promised Land, The land of Canaan. Twelve spies were sent to the land. All but two of them were appalled by what they saw and recommended not going into the land. The remaining two were the only ones from that generation who were allowed in the Promised Land after wondering in the desert for 40 years.

You see, the Israelites were going to the land of Canaan one way or another. Since they decided to deviate from the path instead of following the path set ahead of them, they just wondered around, bickered, and--ultimately--wasted time. So much time, in fact, that an entire generation died (except the two spies, Joshua and Caleb).

This is a story of "Biblical proportions," but don't let this be you!

Everyday, use the guides you set for yourself to get you where you need to go despite the fears and uncertainty that may lie ahead. Do not deviate! Your epistemology and ontology inform your methodology. Your methodology will lead you to the promised land.

You could waste hours, days, weeks, months and--yes--even years wondering around the proverbial desert if you do not stick closely to the guidelines you have given yourself through your research questions et al.

Pro Writing Tip: Write an outline of topics for each paragraph under a section heading. Test your prose against your outline. Does it fit? Now, if you need to move things around (e.g. a paragraph or whole section), you can see it clearer.

Pro Statistical Analysis Tip: Write-out the steps you need to test a hypothesis with your particular method. Do not deviate. If you need to explore a bit, still plan-out your steps.

Spend less time wondering in the desert and more time staying the course.

Trust the process...

Third...

Be Theoretically Organized: Theory

Like epistemology, ontology, and methodology, theory drives your dissertation.

The theory is the lens with which you are framing your argument.

It is the vehicle that is going to drive you from point A to point FINISHED.

The thing about a vehicle--even a motorbike--is that it is confined to its own space. It has boundaries. Swerve too far in any direction, and there is a crash...or worse.

The use of theory in your dissertation is what gives it purpose. It shows that the work you are doing is grounded in established ideas. Without theory, your dissertation would derail quickly and ultimately not make any sense.

Learn to work within the confines of theory, and you will quickly realize the limits of your research. For the task of completing a PhD with a family, that is a good thing.

Pro Tip: Choose a theoretical lens that is profoundly steeped in the literature. Write-out the boundaries and limits of that particular theory and stay within those lines.

Some Final Thoughts...

These tips are helpful for the typical PhD student.

These tips are crucial for the PhD student with a family.

In the context of the dissertation, your mental organization counts more than you even know. When you focus on a specific task, be purposeful in your organization of the dissertation. This will allow you less time wondering and more time with your family.

Remember: A PhD is an approximately 3-year commitment. Your family is forever.

If you lose your way during the process, the 3 years will turn into 4, 5, 6, 10 or--worst of all--not finishing. Every second you spend on your PhD in purposeful organization is a second more you get to spend with your family.

Coming Soon in this series:

• Maximizing productivity

• Becoming a student of the PhD