Want To Reduce Stress And Perform Better At Your Workplace? Pursue a Hobby.

It is commonly believed that leisure time activities are for retired persons. But experts have something else to say! According to a research conducted by San Francisco State University in 2014, creative activities like cooking, knitting, photography, painting or gardening can increase one’s workplace productivity by reducing the stress level. “We found that in general, the more you engage in creative activities, the better you’ll do at your workplace,” said Kelvin Eschleman, the study’s lead.

Eschleman is right in his assessment. Highly successful personalities do take out time to indulge in hobbies.

Bill Gates plays bridge
Meryl Streep knits
George W. Bush paints
Jack Dorsey hikes
Richard Branson plays chess
Marissa Mayer bakes
Angelina Jolie collects weapons.

So, let us find out how pursuing a hobby can increase your work productivity and keep your stress levels down by improving every facet of your life.

How hobbies boost job performance?

First, let us look at the results of the research carried out by San Francisco State University (as mentioned earlier).

The study was conducted on two groups of professionals. They were asked to describe their hobbies/creative activities outside work, and also how creative they were at work. The first group consisted of 341 employees whereas the second comprised of 92 US Air Force captains.

The people from the first group self-rated their workplace performance while persons who were in the second group were evaluated by their subordinates and co-workers.

The study revealed that in both the groups, those who had a hobby were more relaxed outside work. At workstation too, people with a hobby were better performers. They were more likely to help others.

Now let us look at all the related benefits of having a hobby that can make you a star performer at your workplace.

Hobbies help in keeping the stress level down

Spending time in leisure activities is the best way to take a break from your daily hectic schedule. Hobbies offer diversion from all stressors. They can keep you from getting burned out. We have very limited space in our mind. If we fill it with fun, then there will be no room left for pesky thoughts. We can have fun only by doing what we love. Hobbies are considered similar to meditation at times. It has been proven that people who are less stressed are more creative and proficient in their job performance.

Health benefits of pursuing a hobby

Everything is interconnected. If you are not happy and physically fit, then you cannot give your 100 percent to your work. Hobbies can refresh your body and mind. They help in staying active, happy and healthy. It has already been proven that doing what you like in your spare time delays the signs of aging. The pleasure you get by indulging in leisure activities can imbibe positivity which can help you fight against illness. Take a look at the health benefits that you can get by pursuing a hobby.

a) Lower risk of metabolic disease

According to a study (conducted in 2009) published in Psychosomatic Medicine, people who take out time to indulge in their hobbies have lower blood pressure, lower BMI (body mass index) and lower levels of stress hormone. It lowers the risk of metabolic diseases.

b) Improved immune system

If your hobby includes an athletic pursuit, then you will get better benefits. A South Korean study which was published in International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being discovered that a pastime of a fitness routine or sport improved physical health. Staying active helps enhance one’s immune system. “Physical activity can help prevent or maintain control in some chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes arthritis and even some types of cancer” (stated in a report from Aging Home Health Care).

c) Sharp memory

A research, which was published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, discovered that people who spent more hours in pastime activities scored better in cognitive skill test irrespective of their education, social class and sex. Hobbies like solving crossword puzzles, searching new words, playing card games or brain games help sharpen problem-solving skills by challenging the mental abilities.

d) Quality sleep

Getting 7-8 hours sleep can help you stay healthy. It helps your brain work properly. It protects your physical health, mental health, safety and quality of life. Pursuing a hobby that involves physical exercise can help you get better quality sleep.

Hobbies improve creativity

When your mind is focused on something it likes (intrinsically motivated), it tends to think more creatively. Apart from that, engaging yourself in your favorite pastime activity can uplift your spirit and make you feel motivated. So, if you take out time to do what you love regularly, you can see betterment in your workplace productivity.

Take a look at this list if you want inspiration. Try any of these out and you can see the results for yourself in a short span of time.

10 productive hobbies that can help you release stress and increase your workplace productivity

Check the list of top 10 hobbies that can work as stress-busters and make you more productive.

Gardening

According to a study which was published in the Journal of Health Psychology, gardening improves positive mood by lowering the stress hormone cortisol. “Gardening is grounding, brings you closer to the earth, and allows you to heal yourself by tending to other living things”, says Michelle Polk, herbalist and acupuncturist.

Reading

According to a research conducted by the University of Sussex, reading can help reduce heart rate and ease tension. A couple of minutes of reading is sufficient to release stress. It can help you take a break from daily humdrum.

Journaling

Journaling is a great way to release your stress. Writing down all your emotions and thoughts is healthy. It reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Listening to music

“Music has a calming effect and can be used as stress-relieving therapy,” says Rebecca Lee, founder of RemedistForMe.com. Whenever you feel low, just listen to your favorite track. It will surely soothe your mind. According to Harvard Health, listening to music everyday can decrease anxiety and stress, slow down your heart rate, and lower your blood pressure.

Dancing

Dancing is a good stress buster. It can help you release your stress by uplifting your spirit.

Baking

Baking is meditative. It can help you alleviate all your stress. According to a survey conducted by Great Comic Relief Bake Off, many people start baking whenever they feel depressed.

Coloring

According to Medical Daily, Art therapy reduces stress and the symptoms of depression. Coloring helps in eliciting a relaxing mindset. It makes you forget all the tensions.

Hiking

Whenever you feel stressed out, you can take a hike. Hiking helps in reducing rumination, according to a study conducted by Stanford University. Walking outside also decreases anxiety and improves mood.

Crafting a gift

Crafting a gift can help you reduce your stress. It will make you forget about everything else. It is a great stress buster.

Having a pet

Spend time with your pet. It will surely make you feel happy. It will improve your mood and reduce tension.

It’s okay to skip a night of Game of Thrones or wake up a little early on Sunday morning for taking out time to do what you love (or to explore a new hobby). It will definitely make a huge difference to your work life.

Darby Pappas and the Nerdy Side of Marketing

Darby Pappas, a junior at the University of Denver (DU), has never been afraid to go after what she wants and getting a marketing internship for the summer was no different.

As one of the nine 2016 recipients of the Career Services Summer Internship Award, Darby had the opportunity to work her dream internship with Lost Girls Tribe, a small company in Denver, Colorado.

The company encourages girls to be active and engaged with sports and empowering women through that. Their motto is “a media collective promoting women in action sports”.

In her position, she was responsible for the digital marketing and photo campaigns for the company.

“I was the Digital marketing intern. I did a lot of the nerdy side of marketing….the behind the scenes of everything.” She handled the more technical side of the marketing role.

One unique aspect of the internship was the freelance shape that the role took on over the summer.

“I reached out to the owner of the company and asked if she would be interested in having a marketing intern and she said sure”

Darby worked a lot from home and this made the internship a unique experience compared to other internships.

The internship award is available by application for DU students who plan to do unpaid internships. 8-9 deserving students receive a $2,500 award to offset the costs of working in an unpaid position.

Darby said the award made the internship opportunity that much more valuable. “I knew it was going to be unpaid and I would have done it even if I hadn’t won the award because I loved the company.”

If you have an awesome unpaid internship lined up for the summer, apply for this year’s internship award here! The deadline is April 3, 2017.

Broaden Your Network with Pioneer Connect

You’ve likely heard how important it is to network. Professors, family, career advisers—everyone insists that a strong network is just as important to achieving your professional goals as a resume or cover letter. That’s all well and good—but how do you build up such a network? LinkedIn is a good place to start, but many feel that it can be overwhelming and impersonal.

Enter Pioneer Connect. Like LinkedIn, it is an online platform where you can find professionals from a variety of backgrounds and industries. Unlike LinkedIn, however, Pioneer Connect is exclusive to the University of Denver community and you don’t have to be connected to someone to reach out. What truly makes Pioneer Connect special though, is that this community is made up entirely of Pioneers that have expressly volunteered to support other Pioneers. No need for nerves – Pioneer Connect members are waiting to help!

If you aren’t yet a member of Pioneer Connect, join today! We recommend signing in with your LinkedIn credentials—doing so will automatically update your Pioneer Connect profile to match your LinkedIn page every time you sign in online. After you’ve completed your profile, you can begin to search for students, alumni, parents and faculty within the community. (Check out this short tutorial on how to find Pioneers in the system.) Once you’ve found someone you’re interested in connecting with, Pioneer Connect will provide an email template to help. The system will remind users to respond to your request, but don’t be shy to follow up yourself!

Be sure to review some of Career & Professional Development’s informational interviewing resources, to help you prepare for the conversations you’ll be initiating. If you need additional help with Pioneer Connect, be sure to reach out to your career advisor.

I sem – Special English – Language Families

What is a language family?
Most languages belong to language families. A language family is a group of related languages that developed from a common historic ancestor, referred to as protolanguage (proto– means ‘early’ in Greek). The ancestral language is usually not known directly, but it is possible to discover many of its features by applying the comparative method that can demonstrate the family status of many languages. Sometimes a protolanguage can be identified with a historically known language. Thus, provincial dialects of Vulgar Latin are known to have given rise to the modern Romance languages, so the *Proto-Romance language is more or less identical to Latin. Similarly, Old Norse was the ancestor of Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Icelandic. Sanskrit was the protolanguage of many of the languages of the Indian subcontinent, such as Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, and Urdu. Further back in time, all these ancestral languages descended, in turn, from one common ancestor. We call this ancestor *Proto-Indo-European (PIE). Language families can be subdivided into smaller units called branches. For instance, the Indo-European family has several branches, among them, Germanic, Romance, and Slavic.

How many language families are there?
According to Ethnologue (16th edition), there are 147 language families in the world. This figure may not be precise because of our limited knowledge about many of the languages spoken in the most linguistically diverse areas of the world such as Africa. The actual number of families, once these languages are studied and relationships among them are established, will undoubtedly keep changing.

World’s largest language families

The largest language families (those with over 25 languages) are listed below (Ethnologue). There are 6,523 languages in this group, and together they account for close to 95 percent of all world languages (assuming that there are some 6,900 languages in the world). The remaining families account for only 5 percent of the world languages. In addition, there are 53 languages considered unclassified.

Indo-European	439 languages	Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Maldives, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, USA, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Venezuela

Indo-European is a family of languages that first spread throughout Europe and many parts of South Asia, and later to every corner of the globe as a result of colonization. The term Indo-European is essentially geographical since it refers to the easternmost extension of the family from the Indian subcontinent to its westernmost reach in Europe. The family includes most of the languages of Europe, as well as many languages of Southwest, Central and South Asia. With over 2.6 billion speakers (or 45% of the world’s population), the Indo-European language family has the largest number of speakers of all language families as well as the widest dispersion around the world.

English language, West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family that is closely related to Frisian, German, and Dutch (in Belgium called Flemish) languages. English originated in England and is the dominant language of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and various island nations in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It is also an official language of India, the Philippines, Singapore, and many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa. English is the first choice of foreign language in most other countries of the world, and it is that status that has given it the position of a global lingua franca. It is estimated that about a third of the world’s population, some two billion persons, now use English.

English languageMap showing the use of the English language as a national, primary, or widely spoken language in countries around the world.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Creating Innovative Career Programming with STEM Faculty – Steve Iona

When Physics Professor Steve Iona met with the Career & Professional Development team last fall, he asked if other DU students were struggling

with connecting their classroom experience to the world of work? Steve noticed that STEM students are sometimes at a bit of a disadvantage when seeking internships and full time employment as many of the open positions do not have a job title that the STEM majors can relate too. Many STEM related job titles and descriptions often do not clearly state the work they would be performing so students do not think there are many opportunities specifically for them. These majors also tend to be a bit more introverted. Steve realized, there needed to be a bridge along the way for students to develop basic networking skills as it can be a big and scary leap to attend a career fair before learning how to network with future employers.

As our conversation progressed, we began collaborating together to see what type of workshop/program we could create for STEM majors that could help them learn to ask the right questions and promote the skills that they are learning in the classroom that would impress employers. STEM students do learn very valuable workplace skills through coursework such as analytical, oral and written communication, research, and critical thinking skills. So how do we help students articulate these skills in a fun, non-threatening approach that will help them be more confident and prepared when attending career fairs and in the interview process? We immediately thought that the DU alumni working in the STEM industry could be a very easy solution to this career development challenge. What better way for students to learn more about careers in STEM then from a seasoned Pioneer!

In partnership with the DU Alumni Relations team, we invited 12 alumni who worked in the STEM industry in a variety of roles for an evening of networking and fun with a speed networking format. The event attracted enough students that each alumnus was partnered with two to three students. Students met each alumnus for five minutes and practiced introducing themselves in a professional manner, asked questions regarding career paths, and learned that networking is not so scary after all! The students and alumni were also surprised by a visit from Dean Andrei Kutateladze.

If you are a DU faculty member and would like to partner with Career & Professional Development on career development programming, please reach out to us at career@du.edu.

The Best Way to Figure Out if a Company’s Truly Committed to Diversity and Inclusion

The Best Way to Figure Out if a Company’s Truly Committed to Diversity and Inclusion was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.

You want to work at a company that genuinely values diversity and inclusion, but it can be hard to separate reality from myth. How do you know if your prospective employer authentically believes in these values, or is just saying so to score PR points?

There are things you can look for as a job applicant. I know this for a fact, because it’s literally my job to give diversity in the workplace a lot of thought.

I’m the Head of People Development and Inclusion at Lever: We’re a tech company with a roughly 50:50 ratio of women and men, a management team that’s 53% female; a board that’s 40 % female; a technical team that’s almost half female, and company that’s 40% non-white. I don’t just share these numbers to brag (though, yes, they make me proud!), but to make the point that none of this happened by accident.

We weren’t always as diverse or as inclusive as we are today, we had to take specific steps to build our team. Meaning, when you’re looking for a new job, you can look at what organizations are (or aren’t) doing, and gauge how committed they are to diversity and inclusion (D&I).

Here’s how:

1. Before the Interview Process

I always recommend people scrutinize job descriptions—not just the one you’re applying for, but at least a few others. This will help you get a feel for the company culture, tone, and how they think about the value that their employees can bring.

Research shows that some companies subconsciously default to language that appeals to one gender over another—and so, reading about multiple roles can help you looks for patterns.

Go beyond the jobs page as well, and assess the company’s website, employee, and social media profiles. Are there any signs that speak to their commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace? How involved do they seem in the broader community? Don’t rely on images alone, although those do send a message about the company’s sensitivity to featuring underrepresented minorities.

You can also take the pulse via sites like Glassdoor, (before you do that though, here’s some advice on interpreting online reviews).

Remember, they’re often written by people who either have an overwhelmingly positive experience, or an absolutely terrible one. For women, there’s a review portal called InHerSight that assesses companies as places to work for female employees, based on 14 different criteria.

Next, look at the company’s leadership team (and, if applicable, the board of directors). You can do that through their own website, or by checking out other sites like

Crunchbase, or even searching news articles (for instance, Starbucks’ recent board additions were covered in the press).

Finally, find out if the company’s disclosed any demographic information. Larger organizations may periodically publish statistics, but even smaller companies are beginning to be more open about their workforce composition.

All of this information can help inform your decision whether or not to apply, as well as the questions you’ll ask if things move forward.

2. During the Interview Process

So, you did all of your research, and you’re feeling pretty good about the company—or maybe you’re still not entirely sure how they live up to their values. You can learn a lot as you move ahead in the process.

Start by considering your interview panel and the range of people with whom you interact during the process. While it’s tough for any company to evenly support diversity within every function, if every single interviewer looks, thinks, and talks the same, it doesn’t bode well for the organization’s self-awareness around diversity and inclusion.

Next, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Probe to identify success stories of employees from underrepresented groups who have risen in the ranks during their career at the company. The more examples you can find of diverse individuals succeeding and being publicly rewarded or acknowledged for that success, the more encouraged you should feel.

A question on that topic looks like this: “What type of people at your company get promoted and how are they celebrated?”

Flat out ask at least one of your interviewers what the company does to help people from different backgrounds and underrepresented minorities feel welcome and empowered. Pay attention not only to their answer, but how readily they discuss the topic.

If it’s a stretch for them even to address the question, that’s a sign the issue isn’t yet top-of-mind. If the company’s made a meaningful commitment to D&I, then every employee should have the visibility to answer your question with confidence.

Inquire about the role of employee resource groups (ERGs) at the organization today: which ones are in place already, how active they are, and what the policy is for starting a new one if you were interested in doing so?

And remember, company benefits speak to inclusion as well: For example, a company without paid parental leave is making a statement about how accommodating it can be to new parents.

Your best bet is to discuss specific questions around flexibility and benefits with someone from HR once you have an offer. This gives you both the opportunity to find the answers you’re seeking—and some leverage to negotiate.

Ultimately, the best diversity and inclusion initiatives are a mix of top-down and bottom-up. Sure, company leaders are on the hook for creating the conditions that allow all employees to thrive, but recruiters and recruiting leaders are on the hook for creating an interview experience that reflects their company’s culture and passion for diversity and inclusion.

If you see a red flag at a potential employer, commit to being part of the solution by asking the tough questions. Given public awareness of the importance of D&I, there’s never been a better time to get it right.

How to Get a Mentor at Work

Whether you’re working at a summer internship or embarking on your first full-time job, getting a mentor at work is one of the best things you can do for your career. A long-established practice, mentorship helps you develop your professional skills while also giving you a better sense of how to navigate challenges (and successes) in the workplace.

Here are the steps you should take when seeking out a mentor at work.

1. Outline your professional goals

Before you can establish a relationship with a mentor, you need to know what you want to get out of it. Are you interested in developing your managerial skills or more focused on identifying a career path you can follow for the next three to five years? Your answer will determine what type of mentorship you need and help you get a sense of the kind of person who can help you achieve those goals.

Pro Tip: If you’re not sure of your exact goals, make a list of the things that you’re most interested in achieving professionally. This can include projects you want to work on, positions you want to hold and the type of environment you want to work in. Once you have your list, structure your goals according to priority and create an actionable plan based on your highest priority goals.

2. Identify the type of mentor who can help you achieve them

Now that you have a good grasp on your goals, identify one or two people at your company who can help you achieve them. For example, if you’re working as an account executive on a sales team and your goal is to become a relationship manager, a current relationship manager or account director could be a great mentor.

Pro Tip: Your mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be someone in a more senior role. Depending on your goals, you might decide to pick a peer instead. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to learn skills that will help you succeed in your current role and another team member has already successfully developed those skills.

3. Establish a connection with your potential mentor

If your company has a mentorship program, this is a great place to start since mentors in these programs are already willing and able to take on mentees. If not, the best way to develop a relationship with a potential mentor is by asking them to grab coffee and chat about work. If you’re on the same team, you can use your current projects as a starting point. If you’re on different teams, you can explain why you think their expertise is valuable and what you’d like to learn from them.

Pro Tip: Although asking someone to be your mentor might seem a little awkward, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, most people are flattered by the prospect of being asked to mentor others. By establishing a good rapport beforehand, you’re more likely to get a positive answer and to start things off on the right foot.

4. Develop a mutually beneficial relationship

Once you’ve gotten a sense of whether or not the person is interested in becoming your mentor, the next step is to outline your goals and explain how they can help you achieve them. Since your mentor is likely to be a busy professional with a lot on their plate, coming to the mentorship with a clear sense of what you’re hoping to get out of it will ensure that you maximize the time you have with them while also being mindful of their busy schedule.

Pro Tip: A good mentor-mentee relationship goes both ways and it’s important to keep this in mind when you’re establishing a relationship with your mentor. The best way to ensure that you’re adding value to the relationship is by asking your mentor if there is any way that you can help them in return. For example, if your mentor is working on a project that you’d like to learn more about, offer to pitch in and help even if it’s not part of your current responsibilities.

Having a mentor at work can be a wonderful way to advance your career while learning new skills and refining your professional goals. If you’re interested in finding a mentor, having a strong sense of what you want to get out of the relationship (and what you can give back) will go a long way toward helping you establish a great mentor-mentee relationship.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Common First Job Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and find answers to common interview questions such as What Motivates You?

#1Day4DU: Support DU Career Services

Career development is of growing importance to DU students and university students nationwide. We know that DU grads who participate in at least one internship earn $10,000 more in their first jobs, but some students can’t afford to take an unpaid internship. Every year Career Services and DU award $20,000 to students to participate in valuable, unpaid internships. As part of DU’s One Day For DU, donate to the Internship, Career & Professional Success fund to support more students, launching them into successful careers.

One Day For DU is Wednesday, May 18, all day long. Make a donation and plan a pin wheel on Carnegie Green.

Graduate Research: Committing to a Thesis or Dissertation

There are a lot of reasons to do a thesis or dissertation, and probably just as many not to. In my graduate program, International and Intercultural Communication, students have the option to complete a thesis or an internship. Here are a few reasons you might consider writing a thesis.

You plan to do a doctorate or another master’s degree and original research will improve your application.
You’d like to work as a researcher or writer in public policy, grants administration, tech or many other industries.
You already work part- to full-time and squeezing in an internship just isn’t feasible.
You are passionate or at least very, very interested in some question, problem or issue and you can see yourself committing a lot of time to studying it.
You are organized, self-motivated and can create structure for yourself.

When I selected to do a thesis, numbers one and three were the driving factors. Over time I realized that I could also work as an editor, writer or researcher in other industries. It’s good to be realistic about how you can use graduate research, particularly a Ph.D. since traditional tenure-track jobs are very competitive. Versatile Ph.D. is a great resource to use if you are exploring careers outside of academia. Through the thesis process, I also developed the ability to structure my time toward a single goal which, at the outset, may seem gargantuan. As for passion and interest, these are essential to both getting started and finishing the thesis.

Once you’re committed, you will be looking at this material from hundreds of angles for at least one to two years – even longer if you continue onto a Ph.D. So, make sure you really care about this topic, that you get excited discussing it and it gives you that “spark”. If you ever find yourself rambling a bit and noticing that others aren’t’ nearly as excited or interested in the topic as you are then 1) you are pretty into it – that’s a good sign and 2) work on your research elevator pitch and be able to explain your project in 30 seconds or less (don’t want to hog that elevator conversation time).

Graduate Research: Thinking

Never-Afraid-Sit-Awhile-Think-Lorraine-Hansberry

Make time to think.

No seriously, make time to think. Schedule this, too. (can you tell I like schedules)?

At the very least, accept that this is part of the writing, or pre-writing process. Great writing doesn’t just happen. Spontaneous brilliant thoughts don’t just happen either. We’ve got to make time to think. Yes, we’re constantly thinking about concerts, meet ups, a great date, vacation or our next Snap. If you have time to think about these things, you have time to think about your research. You may need to find a place that is good, grab a fidget or a comfy chair, go for a walk in the mountains or around Wash Park – but make time to mull over what you’ve been reading and analyzing. We’ve got to give our brains time to make new connections and see relationships between ideas and concepts that are new or at least new to us. This may sound a bit silly – it did to me at first – but it really is helpful. So, give it a try.

Graduate Research: Tools

On Tools
There are lots of tools that can make writing your thesis or other large research project more doable. I’m telling you about these up front so that you can start using them now, because—trust me—they make a huge difference!

Endnote or another citation software
I’m no expert on the differences between citation softwares, but they are worth the investment. I used Endnote because it was what a friend recommended to me (thank you Adrienne G.). Endnote allowed me to connect PDFs of articles to the bibliographic information and to import the citations in a variety of writing styles (e.g. APA) as you write. A bonus, the software will build your bibliography as you go. You’ll need to do some editing, but the software does the heavy lifting. You can even export the citations from academic databases and import directly to Endnote so that you capture the data in a matter of seconds.
Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud based storage solution
This may or may not be a no-brainer, but it needs to be said. Save your data, your drafts and all of your files in one manageable place (stay organized) that is backed up to the cloud or an external drive, or both. I used Dropbox which was convenient for switching between computers, accessing files if I was on someone else’s machine and ensuring that my data was backed up in real-time. I have no scary, I lost my files story, but I do have about 35 saved iterations of my thesis, each one a few pages longer than the last.
Note Taking System (for random notes)
Have you ever had thoughts pop into your head in the middle of the night, or first thing in the morning or while just hanging out? You were unconsciously thinking about research! Make sure to have a notepad near your bed, in your purse or backpack or use your phone’s note app to jot down ideas. I regularly scanned through my phone’s note pad to find research notes that popped up out of the ether. Writing doesn’t just appear, but ideas do.
Support Network
We all need support, but the most meaningful support comes from those who know what we are experiencing. Connect with other graduate students, professional colleagues, and friends from outside of the University who’ve completed similar research projects. These people will provide perspective when you’re stuck, laughs when you are grumpy and encouragement to see you through the end. Plus, you’ll have a team of fans waiting to celebrate with you when you are done. Let them know how you’re progressing, share your successes – the right people will want to know.
Formatting Rules
Regardless of your discipline’s formatting standards, the University has additional standards for completing your final thesis. Do yourself a favor, find them before your defense and see if you can’t just incorporate the ProQuest requirements before you send it off to your advisor and committee. This is sure to save you some headache later as you won’t be trying to reformat page margins and tables during finals week.
Awareness
Many graduate students will at some point encounter or experience a bout of what has been termed imposter syndrome. Do yourself a favor now, look it up, read a few articles and know that you are not an imposter. If you’ve come this far, you’re right where you are supposed to be and you are smart enough to complete and take full credit for your awesome research.

Graduate Research: Organizing and Planning

Getting organized is key to your success. The thesis will not magically happen. It will not write itself and you cannot absorb theory through pillow osmosis—though that would be nice. A former boss told me that theses and dissertations require only a modicum of intelligence and a lot of sweat (she had a Ph.D.) I’d say most of us have more than a modicum of intelligence, but without organization and structure you’ll never gain traction and momentum. In my six years working in higher education, I’ve heard, anecdotally, that there are a lot more ABD’s in the world than Ph.D.’s. If you want to earn the second set of letters – keep reading.

Know Yourself
Know your work style, your strengths and weaknesses and accept them. You need to know these to work into your planning. If you’re not sure, contact University Career Services, the Korbel Office of Career and Professional Development, Daniels Career Services or Sturm College of Law’s Office of Career Development & Opportunities to see what assessments you can complete.
Have a SystemI’m naturally deadline driven and work well when I know what my next milestone is. With my advisor I always set up a timeline for the next few weeks or months depending on what phase of the thesis I was in. While I was analyzing data my dates were more spread out so that I had time to read and take notes. When I was writing, we met more frequently to review my progress and get feedback. Your discipline might require a different system or structure, but try to make a plan and stick to it as best as you can. In my experience, having the structure and deadlines also freed me up to say yes to fun activities without feeling guilty about the looming amount of work.How you schedule and work with your advisor will depend on your work style as well as the advisor’s, but know what you need to stay on track and commit to that for your own sake. Advisor doesn’t care if you have a timeline, but you know you’d be better off having one – then create it. Put it on paper or a calendar and set electronic reminders if needed – whatever you need to get it done.
Create a SpaceDo you remember Arianna Huffington’s Sleep Revolution tour? She and other advocates of sleep (that could be another post about research and sleep) talk about the importance of creating a space that is dedicated to sleep and rest—a space that is free of distractions, noises, lights and electronics that disturb deep sleep. Apply this notion to your work space.Create a space that is free of distractions and dedicated to your research. Make sure that you have what you need to accomplish your work so that you never have to go hunting for tools or comfort items that improve your work. My “home office” included 24″ monitor so that I could work off of two screens (my laptop, too) and save time flipping between tabs. I installed a keyboard tray and bought an exercise ball to round out my ergonomic needs, ensuring that I could occasionally sit and work for extended hours. Even if you work 1-3 hours per day like I did, after a week of writing and a full-time job I was at a computer 30-50 hours per week.
Office in a BagSometimes I couldn’t bear to sit at my “home office” any more. I needed to get out, get some fresh air, see some other faces or hear some ambient coffee-house noise or music, depending on your favorite local hangout. Figure out what you need, bare minimum, to accomplish solid work, and put it all in one bag, purse or backpack. Save everything online so that you can access it from anywhere and still reference your articles and other research even if you are Steam Espresso Bar. Need other physical tools? Know what those are and if practicable, have a second set ready to go for those spontaneous research and writing dates you’re planning—you never know who you’ll bump into at a coffee house. But seriously, research doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor! setting up times to write and work alongside other students can boost morale and encourage us to stay on track.
Other Ideas?I’m sure there are many other great ways to stay and be organized for research. If you’ve got great ideas, send them my way and I will update. There are many students whose work also includes being in a lab and working on teams, so I’d love to hear what other planning and organization issues, struggles or successes you’ve had.

Graduate Research: Writing and Editing

You’ll be writing until there’s no need to write anymore, until you’ve covered your topic sufficiently and the questions are answered. Will it be 60 pages, 90, 150? Just depends. When you get started and throughout, don’t worry about the page count, just write. If you stare at the numbers, they just stare back, so better to ignore if possible.

Inevitably, there are writing struggles. Some days are just easier than others and some days the words flow effortlessly. Here are some quotes that helped me maintain perspective and keep writing even if I had just put my head on my desk and cried from fatigue (yes this really happened).

The first draft of anything is shit. ~Ernest Hemingway
Well, he got that right. It does not have to be perfect and trust me it isn’t. So stop agonizing over the punctuation or the best synonym or the word that you’ve used three times in one paragraph, just keep the words flowing. There is always time for editing, but first you need to have something to edit.

It’s just words on paper. ~Adrienne Gonzales, Ph.D., Associate Director, DU Center for World Languages and Cultures
Sometimes you just need a little perspective. We’re probably not saving the world with our research, but hopefully we are adding something meaningful to society and knowledge. This friendly reminder was the mantra I recited every time I sat down to work. Don’t take yourself too seriously and just get some ideas on paper. Again, there’s always time to edit.
If I waited till I felt like writing, I’d never write at all. ~Ann Tyler
A few days after I defended my thesis, I met a gentleman at a conference who had completed a Ph.D. he told me that every day he scheduled to write from 9-11 p.m. (Same as me!) He said that no matter what, he sat down to write at 9 p.m. and did his best to try to write something, anything. If after 15 or 20 minutes he was coming up short, he stopped for the night and started again at 9 p.m. the next day. I swear this works. I watched my so doing spelling and writing homework and the first six-word sentence was arduous—but it gave way to sentence number two that was longer and eventually to sentence number four that 37 words long! It wasn’t the best sentence (he said recess four times), but he gained some momentum and once he got writing he was beaming from ear to ear.The colleague I met and I both have kiddos, so 9–11 p.m. worked for us, but really this refers back to organizing. Maybe you work best at 5 a.m. and you like four-hour blocs. That’s great, too. The point is schedule your writing time—it’s a date with yourself and your diploma.
The biggest part of it is editing. It takes longer to edit one episode than to shoot it and write it. ~Larry David
Larry David, the producer of and other brain behind Seinfeld, was talking about TV, but the same holds true for any writing. Great prose, narrative, poetry, and journal articles all have one thing in common – editing and lots of it. If your advisor or committee members keep suggesting edits, edits and more edits this is good news. They could be telling you to start over or that you are way off the mark. One day I told my editor, “there was just so much editing, I couldn’t have completed this without you.” Her reply: “You gave me something great to start with.” When she handed me pages covered in ink and handwritten notes, I never felt that my draft had been great – but it’s all perspective. You’ve got to start somewhere, so realize that editing may very well take more time than writing the initial draft.
The secret to editing your work is simple: you need to become its reader instead of its writer. ~Zadie Smith
I love this quote, except that you can’t really stop being the writer of your own work. The most valuable gift I received was an advisor who provided lots of edits. At first her notes seemed soul crushing, but eventually I came to value her perspective. The voice in my head—my writer’s voice—can justify a lot of what I’ve written, to my own detriment. If you have an outside editor that is best. If not, set your work aside for days or even a week before trying to edit it. The time provides distance and you’ll be more likely to critique and edit your own work effectively.
People think that writing is writing, but actually writing is editing. Otherwise, you’re just taking notes. ~Chris Abani
You’d never turn your notes in for your term paper. Well, maybe you have, but let’s pretend you didn’t admit that. You’d never turn in notes to your thesis or dissertation committee, right? So, one last perspective, that first draft you wrote—it is shit. Hemingway was right. But those are just your notes. The real writing starts with editing. So get out your red pen, track changes or a crayon if you prefer and have at it. Make those notes bleed and before you know it you’ll have become a writer.

In the end, your thesis or dissertation should be easy to follow, even for a novice in your field. It’s never going to be perfect—I’m not suggesting that anyone fall into the perfectionism trap, but do your best and know that writing that first draft is just the beginning. Embrace editing as a crucial part of the writing process, don’t take any comments personally and keep your eye on the prize—your diploma.

Central Intelligence Agency: Careers and Internship Information Session

Interested in career and internship opportunities with the CIA? All University if Denver students come join representatives from the organization on May 25th for an information session on what they’re looking for, available opportunities, programs, and more!

MAY 25, 2016 * 5:00 -6:30PM

SIE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMPLEX 1ST FLOOR FORUM

3 Low Stress Ways for Pios to Heat Up the Job Search this Summer

At the University of Denver about half of our new graduates have nailed down jobs or grad school admissions by the time they don the cap and gown and collect that diploma. If you’re just graduating, or if you’re an undergrad still seeking a job or internship, here are some suggestions that can help you get started.

Talk Careers

Summer is a great time to network because people are more open and relaxed. Perhaps you see yourself working as an entry-level marketing professional come the fall. If so, start talking to marketing pros now.

Try informational interviewing. It’s really nothing more than picking someone’s brain whether at a great summer event, via the Net, or even at Kaladi’s on Evans Avenue over a latte. DU’s Pioneer Connect has almost 2000 alumni in various fields who have volunteered to do this very thing. They WANT to talk to you! Check it out.

2. Be Active

Summer in the Rockies is not couch potato time. Check out the “Get Hired Now” job readiness boot camp coming in June. It’s free to DU grads! Three days of great workshops culminate in the All-Colorado Alumni Career Fair on June 16th at the Denver Tech Center. Learn more.

3. Leap in

“The idea that companies cut back on hiring in the summer is a myth,” says Patty Coffey, a partner at staffing firm Winter Wyman. “In fact, most employers fill job openings at the same pace, or even an increased pace, during the hottest months of the year.” The response times to applications may be slower due to vacations and time off, but give yourself an edge by jumping into the job-seeking pool while others are snoozing in their hammocks.

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1. Before the Interview Process

2. During the Interview Process

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1. Outline your professional goals

2. Identify the type of mentor who can help you achieve them

3. Establish a connection with your potential mentor

4. Develop a mutually beneficial relationship

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