I have an interdisciplinary project and one of the other disciplines is psychology. It is very hard to fund interdisciplinary projects - I did not come under the remit of any of the research councils.

If you want to stay in academia then it is not quite so urgent that you have an obviously useful, applied topic - but the more cutting edge the better. Psychology is a very popular field and there is a lot of competition for jobs. It can be done though - I wouldn't let that put you off.

Although I was originally a scientist I got into this area largely via an interest in philosophy. My main strength though, seems to be translating word problems into number problems and messing about with the numbers. I guess I will always be an empiricist at heart.

What's OB? And how could a PhD in anything be compatible with a belief in astrology......?

Look up Endnote on google for organising references. A lot of us depend on it for referencing.

Can I lend you my zimmer frame

I keep rearranging stuff too - can't seem to quite make a plan and stick to it. it is just a great mass of 'stuff' at the moment and it's hard to believe all the dots will be joined one day.

Good luck joining your dots - I feel sure you will.

Could you just make notes on your ideas for say 20-30 mins and then go back later? That's what I would do.

Not tips really but I had to learn to skim read when I switched from science to the dark side. There's just so much reading and, frankly, so much dross and waffle, you really have to be selective. I skim by chapter headings and looking up key terms in the index. I jot VERY brief notes (a phrase maybe) in my notebook with a page number - if it's my book I might make a pencil mark. It's very rare now that I would read a text all through - just isn't time.

You are very right to consider how you wnt to spend your working time - what tasks and which envirments do you most enjoy and most suit you. I basically swapped lab work for maths - and the maths gets every bit as mundane and repetitive as the lab work but for some reason I like it a lot more (and I'm certainly better at it). I really, really miss doing field work though. I don't think there's anything unrealistic about factoring outdoor work and/or travel into your plans, especially if you can get into fields like ecology/human ecology etc.

Actually, as time went by, I found a lot of 'the actual science' rather boring and I now work in the twilight zone between the humanities and science. The broader field works better for me rather than focussing all my efforts on a pinhead.

Another otion is doing some kind of computer/math modelling related to genetics.

Mojo - I started out in molecular genetics - even started a PhD - but found that I really didn't like lab work. My current field is still based in genetics - but it's behavioural/psychological with no lab work. people keep eagerly suggesting relevant lab work but either someone else can do that or it will be subcontracted.

I've also lived overseas a lot and would love to have done field work as part of my current research but I now have a young child so that's out for now anywhere. Have you looked into disease and epidemiology? There's a lot of development work in that area which involves field work in developing countries. The field work is pretty tough - it's no holiday - but you could look into it. It would appeal to me if I was more mobile.

Do you mean that you can do the research as part of your job? That might make 4 years doable. Otherwise, 5-7 is realistic.

Agreed Shani - I'm also in the twilight zone where science meets the dark side. No research council would accept my proposal but I did get funding from another source. Crazy though, that interdisciplinary projects are so hard to fund.

If it's unfunded places you are having trouble with then you need more feedback on whether your proposal is sound and matches the interests of potential supervisors. Most supervisors are very happy to take self-funding students unless thier actual research cost are too high to cover (which is often the case in science).

Happy Birthday!

I feel guilty because I intend to work on my daughter's birthday while she is with her childminder. She will get a party later, when it's not a work day.

Can you get some proper careers advice from your former or nearest university? A masters is a big investment in your situation. There are masters and similar geared towards particular professions that you might consider - a university careers officer should be able to advise you on the options.