I agree, that sounds like a good method, not cheating! I'm slower than that but it's still satisfying to get through a whole stack of them!

Sneaks, hope your back feels better soon.

I just emailed my draft first year report to my supervisors. Yay! I've really worked flat-out on this so it's such a relief! 8-)

That means that tomorrow I can take the day off. I have a lovely day out planned, me and the other half, out to a lovely touristy town about an hour from here by train. Can't wait - I've worked through so many weekends recently I know I'm really going to enjoy it! And then on Thursday I'll catch up on housework and laundry and all that nonsense, and on Friday I'll get feedback on the draft from my supervisors, and I'll have a week to turn it around and hand in the final version :-(

Oh well. Day off tomorrow. Yay!!!!!! Hope all your work goes well........

Wow, Button, you're flying through those articles!

I'm editing my draft first year report. I need to shave about 5,000 words off. Yikes! But it's due in by the end of the day so that's my only goal for the day!

Diagrams done. Now time to check references and section numbers. Yay, very near the end now!

Oh dear Sneaks! But maybe something taking less concentration is the way to ease yourself back into it.

Difficult section I'd been leaving is now done. Yay! It's fairly rubbish, but then, that's why I need feedback from my supervisors!

Next goal: a nice easy task: draw up four diagrams of theories/models. I already have the diagrams, but they're all done with different fonts and different thicknesses of line so it's just a neatening-up job really. A reward for getting through the difficult section!

I'm always completely different in interview situations too - there's something about their set-up that makes it much easier to sell myself I think. And if she doesn't understand that that's how it works for a lot of people then she's a bit of an idiot, IMHO! But I've met a few forceful people over the years who just don't seem to grasp that it's possible to behave differently in different situations - maybe because they've always just bulldozed their way to what they want. Doesn't mean they're right!

Ouch, Sneaks, that doesn't sound very helpful! And the thing about failing any interview sounds completely untrue anyway! Everyone suffers a little bit from nerves, if that's what she's thinking of - and you're doing a PhD, you've obviously got things to to offer! Good luck with the preparations anyway...

My draft upgrade paper is due in tomorrow. I was up early this morning so I've already done the introduction and some other small bits and pieces. Next to do is the section I've been putting off because I don't know how to write it - now I've run out of excuses! But once that's done it's just adding diagrams, checking references, editing it down (it's way too long) so I'm feeling on top of things! What a relief - I've worked flat-out on this and it looks like I'll be done in plenty of time!

Next goal - write the difficult section I've been putting off. But maybe a shower and getting dressed first!

Morning Button!

Goal one completed. Now for goal two!

Gah. I was going to have a lie-in today but the people opposite chose this morning to have a firm come and chop down all the trees in front of their house with chainsaws. At 8 am on a Sunday! Not fair!

Oh well, at least I'm now up and can get on with some work.

Goal 1 - finish adding all the references to my update paper
Goal 2 - summarise the final section
Goal 3 - create a Gantt chart for my activities over the next year

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Welcome back Sneaks! Sounds like you've had a really exhausting time!

Yay, goal two done. In fact the goal was to plan the rest of the work but I've planned it and also written the next section. Yay, I'm ahead of schedule! The question now is whether I go to the pub early or do some of tomorrow's work today.... Hmmm

Goal one achieved. Yay, I'm finally getting somewhere! Touch wood I can keep this rate of work going...

Morning all!

Today I am going to power through my work :-)

Goal one - type up the editing I did on a print-out yesterday
Goal two - plan out the remaining sections of my upgrade paper
Goal three - get enough done so I can knock off early and go to the pub for a friend's birthday drinks without feeling guilty!

Yay! Goal 1 finally achieved! What a relief, it's taken far far longer than I allowed for it in my workplan.

Now for goal 2 - starting editing the stuff I've written so far. Yikes, there's mountains of it!

Well, I managed to not talk about my own work once during last night's research group meal - even when my supervisor gave me a lift to the station! Just the kind of break I needed, I think.

Today I really am going to achieve the goals I set for myself yesterday. Even if I have to work til midnight!

1.) Finish writing up the methodology section of my upgrade report

2.) Start editing everything I've written so far and lose loads of words!

Gah, once again I've failed to hit my goal. Maybe I need to make them smaller, this is getting really demoralising! I've worked really hard today and got loads done, it's just there's so much more left to do.... Oh well, it'll get done, just not much time to rest until then.

Now I'm off for a meal with people in my research group. There'll be about twenty of us, so hopefully I won't get stuck sat next to my supervisor and have to make awkward small talk with him, or - worse still! - tell him how I'm progressing with this report! I could do with having the time to work on the report, but I'm sure I could use the break so I'll try to enjoy it!

That's brilliant news Bug! It's so good to hear positive things, everythign can seem such a slog sometimes so it's great to hear someone having such success! And sounds like just what you need as well! Congratulations.