How I Completed a Harvard Master’s Thesis Whilst Being a Wife, Mother, and Full-Time Employee!
I am often asked how I completed a Harvard Master’s thesis as a wife, mother, and full-time executive. The answer is simple: time management, organization, and nagging family members. In this blog post, I will share some tips and tricks that helped me succeed.
- Set Aside Time for Research, Writing, and Advisement
- Get an Early Start or Flex At The Speed of Reality
- Don’t Boil The Ocean, Until The End
- Seek Help and Receive Support From Loved Ones
- Take Breaks and Reward Yourself
1. Set Aside Time for Research, Writing, and Advisement
This is important: I set aside time each week for research and writing. I would block off four hours each Saturday and use that time to work on my thesis. This allowed me to stay focused and make consistent progress.
Then, during the week, I would meet with a volunteer at the writing center for an hour to work through sticking points from the project to date.
Finally, I would meet with my Thesis Director every two weeks to review her commentary on the segments I sent previously.
2. Get an Early Start or Flex At The Speed of Reality
Another important thing I wish I had done was to start my research and writing as early as possible. I was supposed to work on my thesis the summer before my final year of study, but work and life got in the way. I miscalculated the time it would take to complete the approval process for research involving human subjects. Then, the pandemic struck. I could not finish according to the original timeline.
So, I asked for an extension, recalibrated, and followed the path I shared above. The idea is: don’t stop; adjust and carry on.
