Thanks Button, well done on getting to the gym! And on the restructuring job - sounds like you're well on your way, even if it is temporarily difficult to see the wood for the trees. You'll get there!

I've made good progress on my goals for today. I think I've worked out how to structure my results chapters, but it does involve some rejigging of the way I present the questions I want to address, just to keep a logicial flow. But I know my supervisors will probably tell me to do it another way, so I'm not getting too attached to this way of doing it just yet! Time to plan out exactly what analyses are needed so I can see how much there is still left to do. Gulp!

Hope you had a good day and made it to the gym yesterday, Button!

Yesterday I was doing interviews in one of the organisations I'm studying. Went well. My first interviews, apart from pilot interviews - it's very different when it's for real! But kind of enjoyable. More interviews tomorrow, but for today I'm back on campus.

Goals for today:
1.) Go swimming - DONE
2.) Send several emails - DONE
3.) Print documents needed for tomorrow's interviews
4.) Follow up on software purchase
5.) Revisit structure of thesis analysis chapters
6.) Plan remaining data analysis

I've done my data analysis on 2 samples, and am a little brain-fogged as a result! Time to do half an hour of going through journal alerts before I get the bus home - and have a nice evening off!

Hope everyone else's work has gone well.

'A note on terminology' sounds good to me!

Congratulations! And great to hear that it's not as bad as all that, always comforting!

We all need time off occasionally Button, and it sounds like you earned it last week! Hope you enjoyed the time anyway.

I've been swimming this morning so have only just got to the department. Feel good for the exercise though.

My goals for today:
1.) Go swimming - DONE
2.) Check I have everything ready for interviews tomorrow
3.) Continue with data analysis - as minimum run analysis on 2 samples
4.) Whatever time is left, go through journal alerts and check for new literature

First three goals done, and some extra admin type stuff as well. I feel like I've made good progress, even though I haven't got on to my fourth goal for today. It's a bit late in the day to start the data analysis - the procedures I'm running are quite involved and I don't want to stop half way through - so I'll save that for tomorrow and instead spend the rest of the day on admin.

Hope everyone else's day has gone well!

I can get that for you. PM me your email address and I'll send it over.

======= Date Modified 26 Mar 2012 09:52:16 =======
Morning everyone, hope you all had a good weekend and are now feeling refreshed and ready to go! I feel lively and alert, no idea why really, it took me ages to wake up this morning!

Goals for today:
1.) Prepare for supervision meeting
2.) Attend supervision meeting and write up notes afterwards
3.) Prepare for research interviews, print off necessary documents etc
4.) Continue with data analysis from last week

Ooh - and on edit - I have four stars suddenly! Go me! Been stuck on three stars for ages, must have somehow been helpful to someone! Look how shiny and pretty they are :p

I agree with Delta. You're not the problem here, you're just in a stressful situation and that is putting a lot of pressure on you and making things feel far worse than they actually are. Be kind to yourself - something like counselling would really help, not as a judgment on you or your ability to deal with your situation, but just because it will give you the space you need to find a way forward. Space in other ways is important too - taking time away from your work, getting outside in the sunshine and fresh air, letting yourself breathe literally and figuratively. Once you can find a little bit of space, it will be possible to make strategies that will help you cope with the demands of your situation, but it will also make the other feelings much easier to deal with. You're very definitely not alone in feeling like this - this forum is full of people who have gone or are going through very similar things. Take heart from that!

It is a difficult thing, and does seem to take time. I suppose it also depends what you like to do socially as well. I've made a lot of friends through a particular interest - I'm a writer, so I go to a lot of literary/book events and have joined a local club and over time have developed a social circle through that. My partner, though, doesn't have that kind of interest, but has moved around a lot over the years for different jobs, starting again socially in several different cities (and countries). His tactic is to find the kind of pub/bar with the atmosphere that suits him and where people are sociable and there's a good group of regulars. He sits at the bar chatting to the staff and gradually working his way in until the locals know him and he finds the people within that group who become friends through common interests/characters/sense of humour etc. That approach does involve a lot of time, and trial and error, and drinking, though, so wouldn't suit everyone!

Well done with the presentation, Button!

I'm more of a cat person myself, much less work! But I don't have a cat at the moment, which is lucky, as it wouldn't be able to move with me to MrBatfink's fourth floor city centre apartment in a few weeks.

I've not made any progress so far today. I'm doing my final test interview in an hour and maybe I'll just be happy with doing that and then a few little other jobs afterwards and call it a day. I'm tired, I think I need a proper weekend off and then start fresh on Monday.

Did a bit more work, and I suppose I do feel better for having done it. And now I'm quitting for the day! Time to watch crap TV and play computer games and do laundry. Rock and roll!

Well done Lindalou, sounds like you're making progress!

I've been hit by lethargy and tiredness. I've done my test interview, and thinking about it I know I'm getting roughly the kinds of answers I want. Would it be wrong to just take the afternoon off? Hmm, tempting...

Good morning!

I'm always really productive when I make a really early start too, there's something so encouraging about demolishing a load of work before it's even properly got past a reasonable hour to eat breakfast!

Late out of bed this morning though. I was on campus until late yesterday for various seminars, but I'd forgotten that the bus had switched to vacation timetable, and I missed the last bus, so had to walk all the way to the station. I tried to follow a shortcut someone had told me about, but must have gone wrong because it took over an hour! And then I had to wait an hour for the next train, so I was really late home. And I'd been swimming that morning so was also completely exhausted! Hence a lie-in this morning....

Goals for today:
1.) Consider revising questions before next test interview
2.) Carry out test interview
3.) Roughly analyse results of two test interviews conducted so far
4.) Do some annoying admin type jobs
5.) If there's any time left, carry on with statistical tests I was running on Tuesday