I was interviewed on Monday by Scott Jasich an editor of Inside Higher Ed, the online newspaper. He wanted to ask me my opinion about the case of Daniel Drezner, a highly-regarded and well-published academic who was recently denied tenure at the University of Chicago. Many have speculated that his blog was an important reason for this denial.

I'm turning into the "Dear Abby" of academics. I get notes all the time asking me for help. The following represent letters I've received and frequent questions that clients ask me.

Last week, I wrote about how to get those small tasks done by either using a Nike® formula ("Just Do It") or a batching formula (Do it Now, Later.)

This week I focus on the bane of the dissertation writer—figuring out what to do next.

When I read advice from organization gurus to "do it now," I usually have the impulse to tell THEM what to do. But recently, as I read Kerry Gleeson's book The Personal Efficiency Program, I decided to follow the most basic aspect of her program. And it's actually starting to work!