I'm sorry things aren't going very well for you right now. I agree with others when they say that you've had a stressful couple of months so this could be your body not being used to not being stressed. Also, from what you're saying, there'll be quite a few changes coming up soon and with that, normally comes stress too. Apparently, moving homes and starting new jobs are some of the most stressful things (amongst others!!) and you're doing both at the same time. Could it be that you're still feeling anxious because of the moving and its consequences (e.g. having to set up a new support system, 'losing' the current one, etc) rather than the viva?

I'm not sure what you've got set up at the moment but I was wondering if you could start setting up the support at the new place now, so you could have a transation period? This way, you'd still have your current support system whilst getting to know the new people as well and hopefully this would make things easier?

Also, I'm wondering what you've been doing with your days now that you've submitted (apologies if you've mentioned this elsewhere as I don't get to read all the threads and my memory is like a sieve!). But I wonder if it'd be helpful for you to include more things that you 'want' to do rather than concentrate on the things you 'have' to do in your day to day. These don't have to be massive things, it could just be go for a walk or watch a certain film or cook a certain recipe. The important thing is that you 'give yourself permission' to do these.

I hope this doesn't sound patronising as it's not meant to be. I've been off work in the past with anxiety a few times and this was the sort of thing that I learned that helped me to get through. It's been a few years since I had any problems so I'm tempted to believe I'm ok now...

And very importantly too, take good care of yourself! You deserve it!!!

Congrats Star-shaped!! I hope printing went well and you didn't have any problems.

Things didn't work out very well yesterday so I didn't get to work on my thesis yesterday, which combined with the fact I didn't do half of what I was supposed to do the day before equals BIG trouble! Well, I'm here now so I shall:

1) get myself organized and prioritise what needs doing
2) finish amend my lit review
3) email sups

And then I'll review my goals again.

Hi Sneaks,

I'm sorry you're having to babysit just when you managed to get a whole day to do your PhD work. That's pants! I really don't think most people know how much work is needed in a PhD, especially with deadlines approaching!! Could you get the child to entertain itself at all? I hope you get some work done...

My goals for the day:
1) Amend lit review
2) Amend two sections of a chapter
3) Amend another chapter
4) Review another section
5) Send a couple of emails

Having written these down now, I don't think I'll be able to do them all, but I'll give it my best shot. And I can always do whatever's left tomorrow!

Hope you all have a productive day!

Hi Mlis,

I'm really sorry that things are not going well for you at the moment. It sounds like things are really bad right now for you and whilst I agree with you when you say that counselling won't help you financially, that is, it won't give you a job or put food on your plate, I also agree with Corinne about the seeing things differently. We can't (always) change our circumstances but sometimes, looking at things differently helps us to achieve our goals. Like, seeing things negatively sometimes makes us forget our good qualities that could potentially help us in finding ways out if that makes sense. As for volunteering, they usually pay for your travelling costs if that helps ;-)

I'm glad you had a good Sat night, Naturalme and thank you for the encouragement! You're a mind reader!! I was giggling to myself as I was reading your post because I'd been procrastinating the whole day so far until I kicked myself in the butt and made me go on here to set some goals (and get some work done!).

Like you and Sneaks I have loads to do by the 19th of September and this includes lots of editing and writing. I think you're right in your approach and I too will just have to grind my teeth (and maybe glue my bottom to the chair) until this is done!

Goals for the day:

1) check my stats from Sat -had a few ideas about these
2) do the remainder analyses
3) rewrite my method
4) email sups

Thank you!

I'm glad I'm not the only one... although I am slightly jealous that you're going to a party tomorrow Naturalme. Not in a bad way, I'm just sooo stressed that I don't feel able to take time off. I know I should for my own health and well-being but I'd rather just finish the work off at this stage! Put it this way, I'm only having the Sunday off as there's a family thing that I really can't get out of it. If I could, I would!! Is it bad that I just want to do my work? I'm only weeks from my final deadline and I'm not even finished my stats yet??

Well done, Reeree!!!

I haven't been able to do much over the past couple of days but I'm determined to change things around today and tomorrow. I'm off on Sunday but back to working hard on Monday. Anyone else working this weekend?

I'm doing mixed methods too and I'd say validity is vital. I've not written much about it on methods though, I just justified why my chosen method was the most appropriate for this particular study. I discussed validity throughout results and discussion. Like Kikuka, I provided evidence of where my results arose from and provided an audit trail as well.

What method are you using if you don't mind me asking? Maybe if you let us know, there may be someone here who's used it and might be able to help you a bit more?

I won't know mine until I submit. I'm at a very close deadline so they don't want to risk it and arrange it until all is in.

Just a thought... do you really have to follow these avenues that you haven't pursued?

During my analysis I found quite a few things I could have explored further and wished I'd asked. But in hindsight, even if I'd gone back and asked these things, there would be even more things I could have asked and it might not have ever ended, if that makes sense.

I'm not sure what you're using but qualitative aproaches are generally inductive in nature so I think it'd probably be ok if there are a few gaps. The things that you're finding out are more important than the ones you're missing, they can go on your future research recommendations ;-) or you could do another study as a follow up.

I say all this but I'm not sure what you're using to analyse, I'm guessing it's not IPA or Grounded Theory. The approach you use will probably be relevant here so it might be worth thinking about this as well? Eg. you'd be fine if using IPA...

If you find that you NEED follow ups, then perhaps you can consider the options already suggested, skype and telephone ones are probably the cheapest but certainly acceptable. But in my opinion, nothing beats being there as you pick up lots of other cues from people's body language and tone of voice that you might have missed otherwise.

Good luck!

Congrats Star-shaped! I live in the middle of nowhere (not literally, pretty close though) but couldn't live without a car so I have a lot of respect for whose who can.

I hope everyone had/is having a productive day. I still have an hour or so of work to do... but not much motivation. I'm panicking a bit about seeing sups tomorrow as I haven't been feeling confident about the thesis. I'm scared they might say that it's not good enough and I won't have enough time to change everything by the deadline. Breathe! Breathe!!

Well done Sneaks! I'm impressed!

Sorry to hear about the grant Star-shaped. I hope you'll get something soon ;-)

My goals for the day: proofread a couple of things, do some writing (I'm struggling with this part so even if I write 200 words, that will be good!) and continue writing my analysis (I might just aim for the first section as I'm struggling with this bit too,).

Oh dear, I've just realised that I'm struggling with everything that I'm working on. No wonder I seem to be sitting at my desk all day and it doesn't feel like much is getting done even though I'm using the tomatoes :-(

Morning all!

Lol... I'm with Sneaks on this one, I've never had a cat, but most I've seen don't seem to do much during the day apart from eat and sleep! I don't mind spiders but there are way too many where I live so I'm now armed with a fly spray. Couldn't find a spider spray but it def works 8-)

Back to work now... writing my results is the mission of the day!

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