TADA! Do it Now: Join Us in the 'On-line Dissertation House'

It's That Time Again to Join the TA-DA! Summer Break Challenge (July 6-27, 2008)

Mark Victor Hansen, Ph.D. co-author to the Chicken Soup Series writes "It's not the size of the step that gets you there. It's the fact that you're taking the step."

What is it you want to cross off your to-do list this summer instead of rolling over to next summer's list? Perhaps you are looking forward to making significant progress on your thesis or dissertation before the end of the year. Be specific. How many pages/chapters would you have to finish for you to feel like you have made significant progress? At TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished™ we believe that a good thesis or dissertation is a DONE thesis or dissertation. TA-DA!™ provides you with the tools to make that happen.

A group of students in the University of Maryland System (UMBC, UMCP, UMB) will be participating in "Dissertation House on Campus" for three weeks. Some will be participating on-line and others will meet daily from 9:00am-5:00 pm. Join us, as we work on our proposals, theses, or dissertations.

Many people use the TA-DA! Summer Break Challenge to take a step on getting one thing accomplished and setting a schedule to get that one thing done. They get that one thing done and then are able to enjoy their break without the sense of guilt looming in the background. Other people set out to see how much they can accomplish in 21 days.

Many of you already work with deadlines. If you're joining this challenge, your deadline is July 27, 2008. Let's see how much can you get done in 3 weeks! Are you ready?

On July 6, 2008, Join us On-Line by:

1. Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
2. Logging in to the blog
   
3. Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:

• What will you work on?
• How much time will you spend daily working on it?
• Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
• At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Here are some helpful tips:

• Take the first step. Make a commitment to yourself using our TADA!™ Certificate online. Print it out and use it as a daily reminder of your commitment to yourself.
  
• Breakdown your tasks into bite-size manageable chunks and make a list and post that list in a public space.
• Make a daily commitment to work on your thesis or dissertation. Set aside a reasonable amount of time each day to work on your thesis or dissertation. You can get a lot done in 15 minutes a day.
• Work within your limitations . . . if you are a morning person by all means make yourself some coffee and spend 15 minutes with your dissertation before everyone else rises . . . if you are a night owl . . . turn the TV off 15 minutes earlier and write for 15 minutes.
• Celebrate small victories when you accomplish your tasks for the day. Spend the rest of the day guilt-free enjoying your Summer Break knowing that you have done something (no matter how small) on your dissertation.
• Whatever you do, don't spend the week constantly worrying and saying to yourself 'I really should be working'. Above all, enjoy your Summer Break