Does that seem like a stupid question?
It’s obvious that the “real” work of the dissertation is to write an extended academic paper that contributes to the literature in your field, right? 
I’m not so sure of that.
I suspect that, although this is certainly an intended primary outcome of the process, there is much more Work embedded in the process — especially for those of us for whom the dissertation process is a bit…well, painful.
My view of the dissertation (now that it’s a long time over for me and I have the benefit of a wider perspective ;-) is that it’s really a fabulous practice run. 
A practice run???
Well, yes. This is the time where you can learn how to create an routine and strategies for accomplishing large-scale/complicated, independently directed, somewhat amorphous projects,whether those are future grant proposals, research and accompanying papers, business projects, whatever.
In the future, particularly if you stay in the academic world, you will need to have strategies for how to incorporate ongoing research and writing into your life - fitting it into teaching, parenting, partnering, choring (choring??)….well, you get my point.
And the dissertation period can provide a perfect time to do just that right now. What routines work best for you? What tools are effective? Have you tried mind mapping? Outlining? Free writes? Writing a minimum number of pages per day? Minimum amount of time per day? How much time do you devote to the project and what do you give up (or not)? The list goes on and on — and the dissertation is a fabulous tool to practice what moves you forward the best AND to keep track of the best tools and strategies and routines for you so that you can apply those in the future.
But even that isn’t the real Work, I suspect.
The dissertation can also be the place to identify and move past the self-limiting beliefs we carry with us, to create a Growth mindset that frees us to learn and make mistakes and and learn and be imperfect and learn and get better at any number and variety of things. Did I mention to learn — without the shame, guilt, or other-comparisons that so often result in stalling, procrastinating, freezing, or just giving up.
But who has the time and money for therapy during the dissertation?
I’m not thinking therapy.
I am thinking coaching and support, of course.
But I’m also wanting to introduce you to a tool for revising or releasing some of your painful thoughts and assumptions. And that’s The Work of Byron Katie.
The Work is a simple, almost do-it-yourself, method for questioning your thoughts. And if you use it when seriously hampering thoughts keep coming up, you will find it SO much easier to do the other dissertation work of discovering strategies, routines, and tools. Oh — and to get the thing written. ;-) It consists of 4 Questions and then “Turn-Arounds” (looking at your thoughts from different perspectives.)
Simple. But powerful.
So I want to share some links so you can see The Work in action, do a quick self-tutorial, and have access to a free(!) “help line” of coaches who do free sessions using The Work.
Let’s start with the <9 minute video of Byron Katie doing an inquiry with someone herself. She is using a technique called “Judge Your Neighbour” in which you identify your unvarnished beliefs about someone else that is causing you distress.
Next, take a tour of how to do the Work in a self-paced tutorial. This is most useful if you choose a troubling thought of your own to use as you go through it, as it leads you through the process and gives you links to all the forms you need. The video they offer is the same as the one above, so you don’t have to repeat this unless you want to. Here it is:
Loving What Is: The Power of Questioning Your Thoughts
Finally, you can try this tool for yourself or you can locate someone who lead you through it for free from the Hot Line list.
I really believe the dissertation can provide a real opportunity to prepare yourself of the rest of your life.
Let’s take advantage of it. (I would hate to see you have to devote as many years as I have to recovery ;-). 