I finished grad school in just 5 semesters instead of the suggested 6, while the average among my cohort was 7 or even 8 semesters.
Several factors contributed to this, and I’ve covered some of them in this post. One of the top three, without a doubt, was weekly group writing sessions.
About the Tuesday Writing Group
I was fortunate to have an incredible thesis supervisor who was deeply engaged in my thesis-writing journey. When it was time for me to start writing the first draft, he invited me to a “secret” Tuesday writing group that he and other professors had formed.
It was a group originally designed for professors, which made it even more intriguing for me to attend.
As it turned out, even professors—despite decades of academic training—struggled to stay focused on their research. Administrative tasks, student issues, email notifications, and social media distracted them just as much as they did anyone else. Faced with this shared challenge, they decided to do something about it.
Every Tuesday morning, they booked a conference room for 2 hours to work on their research.
- No emails
- No social media
- No https://monthlymethod.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fa9bf5d4-d557-42b4-a37a-708da1d9a02a.jpg tasks
- No teaching responsibilities
It was two hours of pure focus. They could read academic literature, analyze data, or write their papers—but nothing else.
The group followed a simple structure:
- Everyone shared what they wanted to get done
- 25 minutes of deep work
- 5-minute break
- Repeat three times
My Experience Attending These Writing Sessions
Attending this group was transformative and incredibly productive.
1. A relief to realize there is nothing wrong with me.
It was such a mental relief to see that even seasoned professionals struggled with deep work. It wasn’t just a student problem. Even experts needed strategies and systems to overcome distractions.
2. The best kind of peer pressure.
There’s something powerful about being surrounded by others who are focused and working hard. Nobody stared at my laptop screen, but I didn’t even think about opening my email or Facebook—I didn’t want to be judged.
3. Writing felt less daunting.
Seeing others typing away sent my brain a message: “If they can do it so easily, it’s probably not that hard.” It made the task of writing feel less intimidating.
4. Unexpected collaborations and connections.
The 5-minute breaks often sparked conversations about projects and ideas. Week after week, I got to know the other participants better. I witnessed new research collaborations forming right in that room: “What did you find in your research? That’s fascinating! I wonder if…”
5. Tangible progress in just 2 hours.
The amount of work we accomplished during those sessions was incredible. All of us agreed that the majority of our weekly writing happened in that room.
Hosting My Own Writing Sessions
Inspired by the effectiveness of these group sessions, I wanted more of this in my life.
I searched everywhere—university libraries, the student center, city libraries, and local co-working spaces—but I couldn’t find anything similar.
I had no choice but to start my own writing group. I recruited a fellow student, Emily, from my program, and we began meeting regularly to make progress on our theses. Fun fact: Emily graduated as the second-fastest student in our program – shortly after me. Coincidence?
Side Note:
If you’re an educator or have influence in academic settings, I want to emphasize this: arranging weekly writing sessions for your students is one of the most helpful things you can do for their academic success and mental health. Helping students beat distractions and develop deep work habits should be a top priority in today’s world. I believe every university library or student center should offer weekly group writing sessions. Feel free to get in touch with me to discuss this further.
Realizing We Can All Benefit From Working Sessions
It’s been years since I finished grad school, but the memory of those writing sessions stayed with me. Ever since I started working remotely and later transitioned to solopreneurship, I’ve craved the “Tuesday writing group” level of focus and productivity.
I didn’t want to do this with random strangers every week. I wanted to see familiar faces week after week, all making progress toward their goals.
I wanted to recreate the magic of those productive Tuesday mornings. That’s why group working sessions are now a core component of the Focus Room. We meet twice a week for a group working session.
If you are new, check out the Start Here page.
If you want to enroll in the next group sprint, click here.
