How to finish a PhD thesis quickly | 5 simple tips to write a thesis in two months!

How do you finish a Ph.D. quickly? Well, it takes a lot of dedication and ruthlessness towards how you spend your time. Follow these 5 tips and you'll be able to finish your Ph.D. thesis in record time!

It may not easy but it is doable with the right focus and support around you!

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▼ ▽ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction
2:00 Own your day! Focus on the activities that get you 80% of your results!
4:20 Get buy-in from your supervisor
5:50 Set mini-goals along the way
7:40 Progress over perfection - your new mantra!
9:00 Build in rest evenings or days (depending on your personality)

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▼ ▽ TOOLS

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[animals]

PhD sucks when your supervisor ain't interested. Its 1 year & he hasn't given back my 60 pages write up of my phd dissertation ( that's two chapters btw) Blocked & depressed at the moment. On bed & watching this video while thinking how lucky you are to have had a good supervisor. Phd depends a lot on the supervisor!

[dsulabs]

My one tip. Start organizing your data right after you start getting results.
The first thing you can do is “Start writing your experimental chapter from day one”. Yes Then results and discussion. Leave the intro to the end.

[mortalkomment]

the 5 simple tips in here:

1:57 Own your day
4:16 Buy-in from supervisor
5:48 Mini goals
7:40 Progress over perfection
8:55 Rest

11:02 Not really a summary

[adrianafayad]

My supervisor couldn't care less and my phd has no classes to attend, it's "just" the research, therefore I end up feeling brutally alone and lost. Don't have anyone to whom exchange ideas with, what would really totally help. On top of it, don't have any grant and I'm an immigrant in Portugal, so I have to work in a job I hate for minimum wage and I have two kids, divorced. Not gonna miss these times when and if I manage to get my thesis aproved. Have 7 months to deliver and defend it. Not one chapter writen so far, just one computer for three students (my daughters and me). I should give up, although mothers are almost naturally multi-tasks people, life doesn't help a single mother who tries to work in science. It's not the lack of free time. It's our mind who is so exhausted of being the one who has to work, take care of the family and write a thesis, all without any help at all... I really don't know how I'm gonna do this but I must.

[loisdouglass-alston]

Awesome advice - currently feeling 'stuck' and very overwhelmed!! Appreciate the info & encouragement!!

[chaimite]

Just two months to get the thesis done and came across your tips. So helpful.

[PhDCoffeeTime]

Ideally, we could do a lot DURING the PhD! I didn't realize how important it is to write DAILY, even for 30min-1.5hr a day, it's still a lot better than 2 months crunching in the end (I mean, pretty incredible you were able to do that)!

Your illustration from WORD looks awesome, for more complex Chapter 1 figure, students could consider the free software Inkscape (I introduced it from one of my videos), it's great for irregular shapes.

[KuyaKuya]

I just passed my candidature defence and I got many insights and inputs from the examiners to add to my thesis, I also have ADHD which always bother my concentration and focus in writing, this could help me and watching ur videos gave me motivations. Thanks!

[juliacardon]

Great video! My way of creating "little goals" was writing up a detailed index and colouring it with green (when done), yellow (when working on it), and black (when undone). I didn't use red because it stressed me out.

[badasaboru]

I aspire to commence my PhD in 2021. In sha Allah. I have got useful tips through this channel. Kudos

[taktingotaktingo]

5:48 Mini Goals are an amazing strategy to trick your mind against procrastinating... Thanks.

[ShmerahPasschier]

You're so kind & gentle & humane! Thanks for taking the time & effort to demystify this ordeal for us mere mortals. I'm having the Phd process equivalent of a "nervous breakdown". Working full time & Phd-ing nights & weekends...

[myrhh]

This is the best advice about finishing the dissertation I have heard. Thank you.

[qijwhgc]

Progress over Perfection is the point I needed to hear! I've just finished my 1st year of my Law PhD. It's part time, but career responsibilities also mean I should be doing continuous writing. I've only written half of a chapter, which was near Perfection in terms of requiring little revision now going forward.
But my supervisors have been urging me to just write a chapter concerning a very wide and endlessly debated theoretical topic. The topic fascinates me, and as a result I'm trying to read too much before writing. The irony is because the topic is endless Perfection in this area will never be achieved!
Thank you for a great video

[heatherransom]

This is a great video. Thank you! I’m submitting my PhD thesis next month and will be watching your videos as I head up to my deadline!

[keneuoethibello]

Thank you so much Andy Stapleton for this video. I am in the second of my Ph.D. (writing phase) and I have been all over the place. I am ready to put in the work and focus. I am a full-time candidate. I guess I will adopt your way of working literally every day because when I pause for a day it translates into weeks. I have wasted almost 3 months

[RyanMacOfficial]

First year PhD student here, thank you so much for your videos!

[axin]

Pursuing my PhD in humanities (history) here. Thank You for all the tips, appreciate them all!

[KeithCasey]

One really difficult part I find writing is going back and rereading. It’s very tough to be sure you didn’t make a silly mistake in writing or sometimes I notice an idea I want to completely rework. What can be tough is then making sure that idea still leads into the next portion congruently. Sometimes I spend days rereading and redeveloping ideas alone, but I suppose that comes with improving. Peer revision must be a big help that I should implement. Great video

[mayzinthu]

Thank you for sharing! This is very helpful. I love your final message! GET WRITING NO EXCUSES!!