In her Chronicle Vitae article, Joli Jensen equates her daily writing time with walking the dog. That is, many people view their writing obligations as “wild beasts, lurking in the jungle, ready to pounce.” Jensen insists instead that you view your writing projects as pets, waiting to be walked every day. Sure, many days you don’t feel like it – the weather isn’t great, you’d rather be doing something else, you know you couldn’t possibly get as far down the street as you’d like – but you have the opportunity to spend that time doing just that one thing and it’s always the right use of your time.

Now that the semester is over and the summer months are on their way, how are you feeling about your writing now versus during the semester? Do you feel like you have more time to devote to it, or is the prospect of pools, cookouts, and family time pulling you farther and farther from your desk? Do you have something due in June, and then afterward plan on swearing off writing until August?

Jensen has another article that talks about writing in the summer. Essentially, that same daily chipping-away should still be applied over the summer, which can often be way harder to abide by! Jensen suggests blocking off time for both scholarly endeavors and relaxation, finding a productivity technique that works for you, contributing to an academic writing group – and more! Read the rest of her article here for more details (and links to some of her other posts).

About the Author

Screen Name

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

About Me

The Fighty Squirrel is very thin pseud for a molecular and cellular neurobiology type who runs a lab studying neurodegeneration. She is mother to a 14yo half child/half honey badger and 16yo half child/half border collie and a Reviewing Editor at Journal of Neuroscience. She also sort of a badass at air hockey. She speaks for herself unless her employer likes it, in which case it's patented.