ONLINE COURSE
The Thriving Scientist
Build the system to finish your papers, get your most important work done and still have time and energy at the end of the day …all with a mindful and more human approach to academia.
Writing is the key to thriving in academia.
YOU DON'T NEED A PAPER IN NATURE OR SCIENCE.
But you need papers, good and normal ones. Experimental papers, reviews, and articles for the general public.
The question is…
How can you carve time for writing in the middle of your busy life? How, when you spend the full day putting fires off and when you sit to write you´re basically exhausted and cannot focus?
Let’s say it… Writing is hard.
And managing all your tasks as you advance in your academic career is even harder.
Beautiful, yes. And still…hard!
But finishing those papers you have stuck can make the "break or make" moment in your career. So it's time to write them!
Does any of this sound like you?
You’d like to finish today this draft you have in your screen …but there you are, staring out of a window. You're constantly distracted. Email notifications, WhatsApp, your partner when you're at home and your colleagues and students at the office
Focus is not a problem. And you used to enjoy writing! It's that there is too much to do! Write papers, analyse data, do experiments, supervise students, teaching, and even some admin work! How is it possible to do it all? And now, all those meetings…
You feel you're too slow. While everyone around you seems to manage…It doesn't help that you have a backlog of papers that are impossible to finish during your working hours. So you have to work at nights and weekends. So yes, you're exhausted!
IF YOU’VE ANSWERED “YES, THAT’S TOTALLY ME!” TO ANY OF THE THINGS LISTED ABOVE, LET ME TELL YOU TWO THINGS:
- You’re not alone. Many scientists feel the same way. Just, it's not something we speak about!
- You can do something about it. Managing your time and projects, and writing your papers in an efficient way, are skills. Skills you can learn. And the sooner you sharpen those skills, the easier your academic life will be.
So for you who is reading this, I'd like you to take action. And to motivate you, think of...
What are the consequences of not taking action and staying where you are now?
What brought you here is not gonna get you to the next thing.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW ALREADY THAT YOU NEED TO GET ORGANIZED. YOU CANNOT KEEP PUSHING HARDER, WORKING EXTRA TIME, TO GET YOUR JOB DONE. YOU NEED A CHANGE 🎊
You may feel you know what needs to be done. But you just don’t manage.
You know some of the strategies that could work. But there is no time to implement them.
And you start getting delayed with everything… sending the review of a paper to the journal, sending the next version of your paper to co-authors, and a list of emails that wait for an answer.
Until one day you realize that all your emails start with “Sorry for the delay”.
And sooner or later, your mind starts getting full of unhelpful thoughts that say things like “What if I am not good enough to be a scientist?”
(if this sounds very real, it’s because I’ve been there)
If guilt is often present in your life, coming together with impostor syndrome thoughts, procrastination and a fear of failing that paralyses you, enough is enough. Now it's the moment to change that so you can gather the confidence you need to finish your papers and boost your career!
AND, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING...
It’s not your fault.
Academia is an institution that was mostly designed by white males who were good at focus and writing, and who had housewives at home taking care of their kids. Things are changing. But still, if you don't belong to this demographic, it's normal feeling like you don't belong.
And those thoughts may come from some common myths you hear...
Myth #1: It’s not possible to have a life and a career in academia
After being in academia for 15 years and working with hundreds of scientists from pretty much every research field, this is what I’ve seen:
You can be a mother, father or care for family members AND thrive in academia.
You can get your most important work done, leave on time AND have the energy to pick up the kids from school, go to the gym, or go for dinner with friends.
You can take all your holidays, enjoy your free time AND still have time for experiments, go to conferences and write your work.
The idea that you need to choose one OR the other is simply not true anymore. I agree, we don’t have enough role models of what is possible. And this is another reason why academia needs you!
And yes, to secure your next job, or to get a tenure, you need to show the papers. So now, finishing them has become urgent!
Myth #2: To succeed in science, you need a high-impact paper
Ok, this one needs to go!
You don’t need to publish that flashy paper in Nature or Science that will be all over the media and get you invitations to all the conferences.
Yes, it will help. Yes, it would be very nice. But it’s not essential.
And it’s no surprise that several funding agencies and institutions are changing their rating criteria to stop overvaluing achievements that have a big luck component.
Instead, focus on doing high-quality research, publish it well, and keep working on those other aspects that make you and your work excellent (that is not perfect, here we also don’t believe in perfection ;))
Myth #3: You need to say “Yes” to all the opportunities
Uf! To this… no, no, and no. This myth is what is keeping many scientists overwhelmed and burned out. The belief that you need to take every opportunity that you get offered, even when many of those are not aligned with your goals.
Sometimes out of fear of missing out, because it sounds very nice! Other times out of wanting to please the person who asked you, even when you suspect that the opportunity is not such a thing! And often you say yes because you’re scared that otherwise, they won’t offer you this type of opportunity again.
This is especially a problem when you start your postdoc project or a new tenure track position. And sure, you should say “yes” to some of those opportunities. But only to the ones that are aligned with your GOALS, STRENGTHS and VALUES.
So we need to get clarity on those to know to what to say yes, or no!
Now, pause for a moment and…
Imagine how would be to finish writing that backlog of papers from past projects, and have a plan for your next academic goal. So...
You look at your watch and it's 17.00. And you feel so awesome about yourself that you just want to scream. Because you've finished all your the priorities you had written for the day.
Send that manuscript to your co-authors. Meeting your student. And even started analysing your data.
And you're not even that exhausted. So finally, you go home with a smile on your face thinking how tonight you'll enjoy dinner time, and then chill on the sofa while watching Netflix.
You look at your planner for the next 3 months and feel confident that can be done. Especially because then your funding will run out and you need to finish several papers to secure your next job.
You realize your to-do list is becoming smaller and finally feel you are managing your time (almost) like you always wanted!
So when that collaborator proposes to write an opinion paper together, you say a big “yes” to that new opportunity.
Because you have the time and the energy for it.
When the days and weeks go slow, and you cannot focus, you identify that this is a void.
But this time you don't feel guilty for not being "productive".
Now you understand your productivity cycle, so you rest, recharge, and do those activities in your list that will make your work easier later.
Now, you are trusting the process, knowing that you'll come out of that void.
AND IF WE HAVEN'T MET YET...
Hi! I´m Ana.
I'm the founder of "I focus and write", where we help scientists like you focus and write with a mindful approach. One that got us published in Nature here and here. Since 2020 we've worked with hundreds of scientists from different fields and at different stages in their careers.
I've taken everything I've learned from more than 15 years of doing research as PhD and then postdoc, and from supervising master students and Ph.D. researchers. Collaborating with top researchers in the fields of Ecology and Entomology in Spain and The Netherlands. Through my courses, writing retreats, and free materials like this, we follow a mindful approach to getting things done. But the things that matter to you!
Here I combine all that with my own struggles. Feeling small covered by an impostor syndrome that peaked when I started as a postdoc, as a non-native English speaker, surrounded by excellent scientists. Unable to focus around the distractions of being a new mum. Or lost in uncertainty about what should I do with my life every time my contract was about to finish.
But I've also learned something crucial: productivity and writing are skills. You can learn them. And that's what I want to help you with.
My mission is to make this world better by helping scientists to have a more productive, more creative, and happier research life. Should we start?
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BY NOW YOU'VE PROBABLY REALIZED THAT...
There is not a single way to thrive as a scientist.
But what everyone agrees is that you need a system. And after working with hundreds of academics in the last years, I've seen that this simple system has 3 components:
- A scientific writing system
One that helps you write your papers with confidence, knowing what goes where. Having this system allows you to have a broader strategy of which papers to write first, where to start, and how to gather the energy when you lack the motivation to write.
- A productivity system
One that starts with your needs, your strengths, your values…because it is inside where you’ll find the motivation to finish your work when things get hard. A system customised to your needs, and flexible enough to adapt to the changes in life! And a system that includes the often-forgotten energy management ✨
- A support system
Yes, you cannot do this alone. Academia is like an Olympic sport. Beautiful, hard, and you need people around you that show you the way, people that hold you back when you feel like falling. And people who inspire you of what is possible. It's about that human connection and creating moments of excitement that supplement the steady rhythm of the writing and productivity systems.
WHEN YOU’VE GOT ALL 3 OF THESE STRATEGIES IN PLACE, YOU CREATE A SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT ACADEMIC LIFE
And you’re in luck because I’ve made something for you. Now let me introduce you to...
The Thriving Scientist
Build the system to finish your papers, get your most important work done and still have time and energy at the end of the day …all with a mindful and more human approach to academia.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
The Results
✨A time and project management system that is based on YOU as a human, and respects your energy, so you are not constantly putting fires off anymore.
✨A finished paper, and more on the go
✨ Clarity about your strengths, values, and “why”, so you can have clear priorities, make fast decisions without regret, and gather back motivation when it seems to be gone.
✨ Strategies to stop procrastinating and stop feeling like an impostor, especially when writing.
✨ Skills to say NO without feeling guilty. Because you are now the priority!
✨ A step-by-step process to write your papers where you know exactly what and how to write it
✨ Confidence about yourself and your approach to doing research, knowing you can plan your time and get things done.
These are real results that my students from any career stage tell me in their feedback forms. And you know what´s fascinating? That they used pretty much the same words
Does this sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not!
I’ve taught hundreds of scientists to do that. And see what some of them say about our courses:
Erika Diaz-Almeyda
Assistant Professor
New College of Florida, USA
@ErikaDiazAl
After taking this course, I am now more compassionate with myself. The examples in the lessons are so specific to the life of a scientist that now I realize some things that before were not so evident to me. I am good at what I do! Only I’ve been surrounded by unrealistic expectations, which made me believe I was not good enough. A clear outcome of taking this course is that now my productivity is more consistent, and those moments of not feeling “good enough” have almost disappeared!
Yang Song
Post-doctoral researcher
Utrecht University
The Netherlands
I'm not a planning person, I just do what I feel like. It used to work but often I ended up continuously working for 12h and totally break down the next day. Now I make time for things that really matter…those that are in line with my priorities and my values. This course has opened my eyes that many things I often do are just procrastinating or perfection-seeking. I definitely should have done this course earlier. I'm having a better work-life balance after this course.
Elena Lloret
PhD candidate
Institute of Marine Sciences - CSIC, Spain
@ElenaLloret3
I liked everything about this course. It has fantastic lectures and you can rewatch them as many times as you want. Not to mention that the tips that were shared during the course were amazing and I have already implemented many of them in my daily work. And last, by not least, Ana is such a joyful and positive person, she helps you feel engaged and motivated while learning and improving. I will definitely repeat a course with her and would recommend this writing course to everyone in the early, and not-so-early scientific path!
Jordi Gamir Felip
Assistant Professor
University Jaume I, Spain
@chori11
During my lab years, I was pretty organized, but I lost the habit along the way. And this lack of organization and distractions did not let me focus. This course has helped me to plan my work again. And more importantly, to identify what are those tasks that are moving my career forward and prioritize them! This course can suit different types of people… Those who are not organized will learn how to plan and set goals (among other things!). People who are organized will learn how to apply many concepts that may be familiar but did not know how to implement (my case).
Jess Kansman
Assistant Professor,
Montana State University, US
@jesskansperson
My main struggle was managing stress and anxiety while writing. In this course, I have learned how important writing in a relaxed state is for my productivity. Now I exchange scrolling on my phone for reading a book, taking a walk, or doing a meditation. I feel since then I have better ideas, make fewer mistakes, and enjoy the process more. I feel like I have a writing plan that I can implement- and that helps me a lot! Now I have a true approach and philosophy around writing that I am confident about.
Here is what is waiting for you inside The Thriving Scientist
1. Mindful Scientific Writing
Build your scientific writing system, one that takes into consideration not only writing skills and the key parts of an impactful paper but also your mindset blocks during writing and how to structure your writing during your busy schedule.
The result? Papers written in record time and keeping the impostor's thoughts under control. Plus having a framework to use while you supervise and give feedback to others 🔥
This is the main content of each module :
Module 1
Introduction
- Putting your paper pipeline in order
- Creating the right environment and mindset to start writing
- Fundaments and mind traps of writing style
- On finding inspiration
Module 2
Methods
- Time management and productivity
- Handling multiple writing projects
- A marketing approach to writing your title and abstract
- The end of procrastination
Module 3
Results
- Edit and revise your full manuscript
- Scientific integrity
- Designing impactful visual materials
Module 4
Discussion
- Open data & publication
- Writing with others & setting deadlines
- Dealing with impostor syndrome and other mind blocks
2. Mindful Productivity
Mindful Productivity for Scientists is not just a project and time management course (although you'll also learn all about that!), but a unique curriculum that connects the practical aspects of being a scientist, with the mental and energetical aspects of being a human being.
The end result? A productivity system that works for YOU, with proven strategies of time and project management: goal setting, priorities, projects, tasks, and planning! And an "instruction manual" of how to use those tools and in which moment. So you can switch from feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list, to being excited about finishing your daily and weekly tasks.
This is the main content of each module :
Module 1
About You
- Limiting beliefs to overcome resistance
- Do less to be more productive
- Find your strengths to thrive
- Boost your motivation with your values & your why
Module 2
Project Management
- Setting goals the right way
- Understanding your projects and tasks as a project manager
- Setting priorities so you work on what truly matters
- Your decision-making process without regrets
Module 3
Time management
- Plan your weeks and days to get things done
- How to focus and unfocus more to be more productive
- The Pomodoro method to manage your perfectionism
- Understanding the cultural aspect of time
Module 4
Energy management
- Define your productivity-energy framework
- Cyclical planning to boost your creativity and ditch the guilt
- Understanding your yearly & monthly energy to plan better
- Boundaries and saying NO to others so you can say YES to you!
Once you join The Thriving Scientist, you get lifetime access to all of the course materials inside Mindful Scientific Writing and Mindful Productivity– which means you can go at your own pace, or take a break and come back to it when you’re ready. Past students keep telling me they love having the materials to go through again!
3. Your support system
The third key system you need to build to thrive in your academic career is your SUPPORT SYSTEM. And that's what we'll bring you with our co-working and community Sustain. Where during 4 MONTHS you'll be supported through different components.
Co-working sessions
These are sessions designed for you to FOCUS. You can use them to watch the lessons and do the exercises, or to advance on any other tasks that are a priority for your career. Some students write their papers, grant proposals, job applications or analyse data!
They are 2-hour sessions where we meet via Zoom in a group setting, and in silence, we work. There are 3 sessions per week (below you have a schedule), facilitated by me or one of our editors. And one non-facilitated.
There are 5 sessions to offer several opportunities for you to join, but the most common is to join 2 per week (like the gym, don't think about all the classes you cannot attend, look at the ones you can go to!).
Mentoring with me
I'll facilitate one co-working session each week, and at the end of the session, we have a group Q&A session for ca. 20 min.
We'll also have 1 mentoring group call each month where we discuss the topics you raise. If you cannot attend this call, you can send me your questions in advance and you can watch later the replay video.
Last but not least, we'll also have a private Slack channel with all the students where you can share thoughts, ideas, or ask any question! People are enjoying now the asynchronous coaching, where via voice audios you can send your questions or blocks and I'll answer back.
The community
The courses of "I focus and write" keep bringing together a really nice community of scientists. From PhD candidates to Professors. And you'll be part of that community where you will not feel alone anymore in your struggles! This aspect is something that past students love! (you can read more in their testimonials). You'll interact in Slack and during the co-working sessions!
Revision of your writing
💥 ONLY AVAILABLE in the MEDIUM PACKAGE 💥
We, are also Alison Haughton and Judith Pell, two amazing editors with a unique experience behind their backs. Alison and Judith have more than 15 years of research experience (working in Rothamstead, UK). They have supervised their own PhD candidates, are currently editors in the journals Weed Science and Biological Control, and have edited dozens of papers as freelance science editors.
You can have Alison’s or Judith's feedback in a short piece of text each month. Examples are a set of titles to help you choose the best one, an abstract, the first or the last paragraph of the Introduction or Discussion, highlights of the paper, or a model paragraph of the results.
Then, you can also schedule one 20-min private call per month with whoever revised your text to discuss any writing doubts or the feedback you got on your text (highly recommended!).
The Schedule
Here below you have a sample schedule. But for the updated version, you can have a look here. The indicated times are CET (Amsterdam), you can have a look at your time zone here. In JULY, AUGUST, and DECEMBER the sessions will be non-facilitated and do not count towards your 4 months of support. And you can join now and start the SUPPORT period whenever suits you best!
And see what our past students say...
Gesche Blume-Werry
Assistant Professor
Umeå University, Sweden
@gescheBW
In the days before this course, I felt like my job was putting out the most urgent fires around me. I found it hard to prioritize and concentrate. During these weeks I’ve learned what are the things that hold me back, and how to tackle them. Much of the struggle to be productive comes from a fear of not being good enough, and being organized is a big help! One of my big "a-ha" moments has been to prioritize tasks to achieve more of my personal goals instead of others’ priorities, while still feeling a good teacher and mentor. For me it was very helpful to have a teacher in this, and a peer group with similar struggles. I would not have implemented these things without the course, I needed the kick in the butt!
Katja Hoedjes
Assistant Professor
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
When I joined this course I had just started a tenure track position and I felt utterly overwhelmed. I was just working like crazy, but not having time for my own research. I felt that I couldn't enjoy any time off because I hadn't achieved enough for my work. The course really helped me get clear on what my values are and what I should give priority to. Even if this means that I have to say no to others. I really liked all the videos, which were very clear, funny, and useful. And I love that I can continue to watch them.
Lena Neuenkamp
Post-doctoral researcher
University of Alicante, Spain
@LNeuenkamp
Before the course, I felt stuck and worried about not advancing in my work tasks – my first own Marie Curie project in a very productive group and a backpack with tasks from my previous postdoc. A big result has been to understand that I need to set boundaries and ask for help, so I can protect my own time and energy to do the work I want to do. Not feeling alone felt very comforting and encouraging. And last, I simply liked the atmosphere and people!
Gbadamassi Dossa
Associate Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences
@GouvideDossa
This course was a game-changer for me. I can proudly say I am now better equipped to write more efficiently but also know better how to guide my students. I used to struggle to write consistently, stay focused and to write powerful introduction and discussion sections. Now I’ve learned that these sections have a structure that eases their writing and empowers their content. And finally, I now have tips at each step to boost my writing, and do it mindfully. My favourite aspects were the video calls which gave plenty of time to ask questions. And also know that my struggles were not specific to me only but common to anyone in academia. I feel motivated when others facing the same struggles are overcoming them…I then realize that I can do it as well!
Plus I love to share extra bonuses that give that extra help in different situations!
4. The bonuses
Meditations
to overcome your impostor syndrome and procrastination
Meditation is probably the simplest thing you can do to take care of your mental strength while boosting your focus and creativity.
You will have 10 guided meditations to help you overcome the most common struggles scientists suffer: fear of failure, impostor syndrome, lack of inspiration, uncertainty about the future, and creativity.
And don’t worry, you don’t need to have meditated before! I even published this article in Nature to help you with a simple your meditation routine.
Yoga
To stretch and relax during your mindful breaks
As part of the mindful aspect of the course, moving your body is crucial as a self-care act. Yoga can provide you with unique benefits, especially after working a full day in front of a computer.
I have designed for you several classes for all levels including 10 office yoga classes of less than 15 min to do behind your desk, one slow-flow class to start the day with movement, or a more relaxing class to end up the day and reset your mind.
Demystifying the publishing process
In this bonus mini course, you’ll have an insider view of the publishing process from submitting your article, and handling reviewers' comments, to having it accepted and beyond.
I’ll share the common mistakes I often see as a reviewer and editor of Journal of Ecology, so you won’t make those mistakes that often delay the publication process.
And you’ll have a template of a cover, rebuttal and appeal letter!
Bonus masterclasses
to expand your learning!
You'll have recordings from past masterclasses from experts, and I'll keep creating new ones. Examples of the past ones, and future ones:
1) Why do we procrastinate (and what to do about it)? With Dr. Gayanee Kedia, psychologist and academic coach.
2) The myth of R Learning Curve, with Luka Negoita, PhD.
3) Social media for academics who feel like impostors, with me!
And... we have some very special new bonuses!
Bonus #1: "Mock" Peer Review Mondays"
During my co-working session on Mondays, I'll ask you to do a writing exercise about one of the key sentences/paragraphs of your paper. Then, at the end we'll discuss in a group some of those pieces, evaluating what is good and what needs improvement.
This is an amazing experience because you'll learn from your and others pieces of text 🔥
Bonus #2: Focus day- a 1-day virtual writing retreat
Every month, usually on the last Thursday, we run a 1-day virtual writing retreat. You plan ahead what you'll write during this day, and we give you the accountability to block your schedule. Our retreats are a highlight for many of our clients. So we decided to do this every month so you can boost your daily writing 🎊
Bonus #3: Your custom-built GPT
This is a GPT that we have trained in all the teaching frameworks, examples, and hours of classes from The Thriving Scientist. Not to give you general advice that you can find simply using ChatGPT. But to help you implement The Thriving Scientist in your writing 🎊 This will be an ever-evolving tool and you can access it while you´re in the program.
WITH THE CURRICULUM, COACHING, FEEDBACK, AND BONUSES, THE TOTAL VALUE OF THIS PROGRAM IS WELL OVER 3,000 €
But right now, you get everything for
Only 1200 € +VAT
If you enrol now you can start going with the online curriculum on your own, and we start with the support the first week of the month you choose to start. It's also possible to pause some months, and in December, July and August, we pause.
GROUP PACKAGE
1200€
+VAT
✨ Lifetime access to the complete Curriculum
✨ 4 months of 4x weekly co-working sessions & group mentoring
✨ 4 X Focus days
✨ Access to our custom AI GPT
✨ An amazing community in Slack
✨Yoga & meditation
✨ Guest Masterclasses
✨ Feedback and discussion on 4 small pieces of text with our editors
✨ 1 x private coaching call with Ana to define together your strategy plan
MEDIUM PACKAGE
1700 €
+VAT
✨ Lifetime access to the complete Curriculum
✨ 4 months of 4x weekly co-working sessions & group mentoring
✨ 4 X Focus days
✨ Access to our custom AI GPT
✨ An amazing community in Slack
✨Yoga & meditation
✨ Guest Masterclasses
✨ Feedback and discussion on 4 small pieces of text with our editors (of ca. 300 words each)
✨ 1 x private coaching call with Ana to define together your strategy plan
VIP PACKAGE
3500€
+VAT
Get everything from the medium package...
... plus receive :
✨ Feedback and discussion of 4 x revisions of text of ca. 2000 words with our editors
✨ 2 extra x private 1-on-1 coaching calls & text feedback with Ana of1h
This is the kind of package my private clients who want extra support get. Ideal to go through writing a medium size project, an important publication, or a set of a few papers.
Fully booked!
SO, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Here's how it works:
As soon as you enrol, you’ll be sent a welcome email with your username and password to access The Thriving Scientist on the online platform where all the videos and materials are hosted.
You’ll be invited to join our private Slack group where you’ll meet me, and get to interact with all of your fellow mindful scientists that are already in there.
The course is designed so you can go at your own pace, first watching one of the lessons, and then implementing what you've learned with the help of the workbook and extra materials.
Then, everything is yours & you can get started right away!
If you join now, you can start watching the videos and then on the first MONDAY of every month (except July, August, and December), we start with our Introduction call. If you need to miss this, no worries, I’ll send the replay when we finish! If you prefer to start with the support later, you can delay the start of the supported part.
From there, you'll get started with the Start Here Module, access our weekly co-working and Q&A for support, and start to work together on your writing and productivity!
Do you want to have a look at the behind-the-scenes of The Thriving Scientist?
Here you have a video to see what the online platform looks like! (the phone may cause problems, please watch this on your computer)
SEE MORE OF WHAT OUR HAPPY STUDENTS SAY ABOUT US!
Anna Feit
Assistant Professor
Saarland University, Germany
@AnnaFeit
When I joined this course I was struggling to keep up the motivation for writing and all my other tasks. Now I’ve learned to prioritize important tasks like writing, rather than checking emails and working on quick reward tasks that have little impact. The course (among other things like my daily meditations) also helped me at being nicer to myself, accepting the imperfect, and realizing what I achieve every day. After this course, I changed my work schedule, got more organized, and feel more motivated!
Dr. María Piquer-Rodríguez
Junior Professor
FU Berlin
@MariaPiquerR
When I started the course I thought I lost my capability of concentrating. I was very disperse and experiencing high anxiety. I had a compulsive need to constantly check emails which wasted my time enormously. Now I have a system in place, I can prioritize my work in a structured way (because I value it), and work calmly focused and looking forward to it.
Ximena Cibils-Stewart
Adjunt researcher,
National Institute of Agricultural Research, Uruguay
@XimeCibils
This course has helped me with my main struggle to organize the ideas I wanted to write and work more productively during the writing progress. I’ve learned how meditation and positive feedback are important for my process of writing mainly by helping with my impostor syndrome. I loved to identify my golden hours, to fight against anxiety and impostor syndrome, to organize my thoughts, and most importantly to STOP multitasking to improve my productivity. The Pomodoro method and meditations have helped me a LOT!!!! Thanks :)
Elly Morrien
Assisstant Professor, University of Amsterdam
@MorrienElly
I joined this course because I was struggling to find time to write. And I have learned how to create that time, and write effectively. Especially practicing free-writing, which has been very productive for me!
Saioa Legarrea
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Georgia, USA
@Saioa_LI
When I joined this course I was facing big uncertainty which made it difficult to focus on the manuscript and stop procrastinating. Now I have become more self-conscious of the writing process and I gained valuable tools for a better writing experience. Also, I managed to change some lines of thought that were not positive for me and instead, focus on the progress of writing.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? HERE SOME ANSWERS!
FAQ
THIS COURSE WOULD BE A BIG INVESTMENT FOR ME. IS IT REALLY WORTH THE PRICE?
Absolutely. Most early-career scientists end up suffering a delay in defending their Ph.D. thesis or finding the next job later on. And issues with writing and time management are often at the core of that delay. If this course helps you to avoid even a one-month delay (and it will help you with that and far more), the investment is fully worth it. And if you're more senior and you're job is not a risk, just think about the time and frustration that will save you. Now, just do the math.
HOW MANY HOURS DO I NEED TO INVEST IN THE COURSE?
I totally get this question because if you're reading this, you're probably quite busy already! The curriculum of this program has around 20 hours of video lessons, which would be about 1 hour per week. The nice thing is that most videos are short, and you can watch them in your low-energy moments. But with the support aspect, we'll have many more hours together. The best is that those hours will be mostly to do your most important work...writing, planning, and coaching you around your struggles.
I AM A PROFESSOR/ POSTDOC AND HAVE WRITTEN SEVERAL ARTICLES ALREADY. IS THE THRIVING SCIENTIST SUITABLE FOR ME?
If you came all this way, it is! Right now around 60% of our members are postdocs and tenure scientists. The more senior scientists mostly join us, interested in the productivity aspect. But the component of Mindful Scientific Writing will help you in two ways: 1) will make you a more efficient writer; 2) will show you frameworks and advice that you can use when supervising and giving feedback to the early career scientists in your group. That's what our more experienced scientists tell us!
I'M FINISHING MY PHD. CAN I JOIN?
Absolutely! This program is especially useful in the last phase of your PhD project, where you need to manage the writing of several manuscripts/chapters while starting to do other tasks like supervising students or starting to find your next job. What I don't recommend is that you join if you don't have data yet to write a manuscript.
WILL YOU REVISE FULL MANUSCRIPTS?
No. First, our amazing editors will be revising the text in the medium and VIP packages. Then, in the medium package, you can get personal feedback on key parts of the manuscript, but not the entire paper. If you want feedback in a full manuscript then I recommend you to go for the VIP package.
IS THIS COURSE SUITABLE FOR ANY RESEARCH FIELD?
The principles of the course apply to any research field, similar to what happens to most scientific writing books. The specific examples I show in the scientific writing course are from manuscripts, and of course, my personal stories around science are from my research field (Ecology, Entomology, Plant Sciences, Agriculture). If you want a number, around 7% of the slides you'll see in the videos are examples from those topics, but I ask you to find them in papers in your field. The rest is explained in general terms that can apply to any field. Although most of our members are from STEM fields, we also work with social scientists (law, human rights, geography, archaeology...).
CAN I GET THIS COURSE FUNDED BY MY INSTITUTION?
You’ll need to check this with your supervisor. In my experience, you may get full or partial funding for this type of course, but that's out of my control ;) If that's the case, I recommend you when purchasing, fill in the invoicing details of your institution. If you're in an EU country, please fill in the VAT number too (your admin office should provide it), because the course might be VAT exempt in that situation.
DO YOU OFFER ANY REFUNDS OR GUARANTEES?
No. Due to the limited spots in the course, and to its online nature, I cannot offer a refund. If you are doubting whether to join or not, please send me a message explaining your situation. I’ll do my best to help you make a decision!
Do you have a question that is not answered here? Or would you like to discuss your situation? Just message me through some of this media (email is also fine, only ends too often in the spam!)
For who is this program?
In case you’re doubting if The Thriving Scientist is for you…
- You feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to do, your backlog of papers, the grant proposal, the experiments for the preliminary data…and unsure of whether you are focusing on the right thing
- You mostly work on the urgent things first (mostly coming to you by email!).
- You spend your days putting fires off and wondering when will you finally have time to write.
- When you finally sit to write, you struggle to focus. And then, the entire writing process seems super inefficient.
- Whenever you look at your to-do list you get a burst of anxiety and the only thing you feel like doing is turning off the computer and going home.
But to be honest, this program is probably not for you if you:
- have a productivity system that works for you. If that’s you, don’t waste your precious time. Just go and do your science, do more of what works well, and tweak what could improve.
- want an easy and fast solution to your problems. The solutions I know take time and effort ;)
- want individualised attention. I do my best to support you whenever you need help and create an intimate feeling. But please note that this is a group program.
- are not willing to look inside you…The mindful aspect of this program requires that you dig a bit inside yourself, finding your values, what motivates you, or why you do what you do. It’s up to you how deep you want to dig, but at least you’ll need to go through the outer layers!
- are seeking a solution to feelings of depression or burnout. I am not a therapist. These are serious issues that require professional help, so if you feel you need that kind of help, please contact a professional. Most Universities will offer support.
WELCOME TO...
The Thriving Scientist
A 4-month coaching program for ambitious and conscious scientists who want to have it ALL. A thriving academic life they love, and a private life they have the time and energy for!
With a complete step-by-step program that shows you how to write your experimental papers efficiently, for you and your team, and to design your productivity system so that you get things done while protecting YOUR energy.
All supported by a community of like-minded scientists.
Are you still not sure if this is for you?
Send me an audio via WhatsApp explaining your situation and doubts and I’ll answer all your questions! (no worries, I won't try to convince you if I don't think this is for you at this moment 🥰 )
DISCLAIMER
Just by purchasing this program, your manuscripts won’t materialize out of thin air. You’ll have to actually do the work. Your results may vary depending on your writing skills, the time you spend on the course, and the complexity of your work.
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