Introduction
Key terms: organising your work, being productive, working together, making work more fun, introductory course, relevant for students in any PhD phase.
ECTS: 1
Number of sessions: 1
Hours per session: 4
Struggling to get your work done? You’re not alone.
Many researchers face obstacles like distractions, lack of time, or simply feeling stuck without a way to share struggles and find solutions. These challenges can drain motivation and delay progress.
This practical workshop introduces you to the "Shut Up and Write" method, based on the Pomodoro technique. It’s designed to help you write in short, focused bursts while working alongside others. By combining structure with a sense of community, this approach can make writing more productive and more enjoyable.
The workshop comprises an introduction to the Shut Up and Write approach (15%); an exercise in applying this approach on your own work in subsequent working intervals (75%); and finally a short group reflection on the experienced advantages and challenges of the approach (10%).
Please be aware that this workshop is not about giving feedback on the content or style of your output. Instead, its purpose is to give you the time, space and tools to work and practice with the Shut Up and Write approach.
Entry level and relevance
No prior experience or knowledge is required for attending this course, and the Shut Up and Write approach can be relevant for researchers from all disciplines, in all phases of a PhD project.
Relations with other courses
This course has no overlap with other EGSH courses.
How to prepare
During the workshop, you’ll spend most of the time working independently. You’re free to choose the tasks you want to focus on, as long as they don’t disturb others and can be done individually.
Possible activities include writing sections of an article or report, transcribing interviews, handling admin tasks, replying to emails, or drafting a blog post.
To make the most of the session: decide in advance which tasks you want to work on (plan for about 3 hours of focused work); prepare any materials you’ll need so you can get started right away during the workshop; bring what you need, such as a fully charged laptop or other tools required to complete your tasks.
If you’re unsure about the required preparations, feel free to contact the lecturer in advance.
Key Facts & Figures
- Type
- Workshop
- Instruction language
- English
- Mode of instruction
- Offline
Start dates for: Shut up and write!
Edition 1
Session 1: June 16 (Tuesday) 2026 | 13.00-17.00 hrs | Offline (Mandeville building, room T19-01)
What will you achieve?
- After this course, you will know how, why and where Shut Up and Write emerged.
- After this course, you will know how this approach works.
- After this course, you will be aware of the pros and cons of this approach.
- After this course, you will be able to decide if and how this approach might benefit your work.
Instructor
- Dr. Fadi Hirzalla is the EGSH Head of Studies. He specialises in quantitative and qualitative methodology. His substantive focus centres on issues of citizenship and new media, with particular emphasis on intercultural relations and young people.
Contact
- Enrolment-related questions: enrolment@egsh.eur.nl
- Course-related questions: hirzalla@egsh.eur.nl
- Telephone (EGSH}: +31 (0)10 4082607
Facts & Figures
- Fee
- free for PhD candidates of the Graduate School
- € 230,- for non-members.
- Consult our enrolment policy for more information.
- Tax
- Not applicable
- Offered by
- Erasmus Graduate School of Social Sciences and the Humanities
- Course type
- Workshop
- Instruction language
- English
- Mode of instruction
- Offline