but i have only completed 2 chapters out of 6! and i have one week left now. eeek. taken much longer than i thought!!

so i am just going to try my best and complete as much as i can. and just tell them honestly, this is what i have done, and this is what i have to get done. what are you gonna do ? hang me? (obviously will omit the what you gonna do /hang me comment)

i was stressing about it soooooo much, that i was getting mental blocks!! but then realised, whats the worst that can possibly happen? ( i actually did this worry diary thing on the internet) and then thought, instead of wasting time stressing about it, i will just try to do as much as i can. and even after 7th of july, i still have to carry on working on my thesis. so i didnt get a full draft of my thesis done by the 7th of july, at least i got as much as i physically could get done.

i have to submit by the end of september. 30th sept is my deadline. or i will fail my phd.

I did about 6 hours of work yday, then had dinner and didnt come back for the night shift was too tired. i am working on chapter 5 at the moment and sorting out results. as you being a fellow science phd student, you can understand how long it can take to organise results and making tables and figures! and figuring out what it all means!

i wouldnt worry about the disussion chapter so much. as long as your other chapters are solid, that should be more than enough for your supervisor. besides you still have time even after 7th of july to get your discussion done. usually discussion is left till the end. it will come together. you will get inspiration one day!

good luck! and thanks for your message, it makes me feel better to know i am not alone in the boat!!

and you've inspired me. your message, also is a good reminder for me to work harder. i was getting abit distracted, and was having a little pity party just now, i wanted to go to this philosophy course end of august, but i cant go :( cause i have to work on my thesis. but then thought. i only have a few months left to finish my thesis, and then i can take a year off to study all the subjects i wanted to study. so will just put those things on hold. and get back to focusing 100% on my thesis.

thanks for your message! it put an end to my pity party lol. i'm taking the decorations down now lol

Hi Lara,

Thanks for your message! Just to say that 2 out of 6 chapters is brilliant and don't you worry too much about the deadline as you are completely right in that you are doing the best you can and your supervisor can always read your two chapters while you are writing the others, so don't worry! Also don't do too much as you need your breaks too! I made myself a little ill with working which was silly as we can only do our best, even though i have a few more chapters done i am sure they are going to need loads of work as i was worrying so much and my work always comes back covered in red pen!!!

I promise there is no way that you will fail, and you will get there and soon all this writing and studying will be a distant memory! A friend of mine who passed her PhD last year keeps telling me the same thing!! I know what you mean about the figures etc, it takes me ages just to get one done, but again try not to worry.
Your last message really helped me as you are so right about this 7th July deadline, we really can only do our best, and as long as our supervisors have some work to be going on with that is ok. Anyway please try not to worry, it will be ok and you are doing brilliantly, lol xxx

Tractorgirl, you are an angel! thank you so much for the lovely and encouraging message!! you really made me feel so much better!! you've given me the boost and motivation i so needed, thank you so much. I really appreciate it!!!

let's wrap this baby up eh!

i must confess i haven't done anything today. sundays are usually "family sunday lunch" day. so unintentionally kinda took the day off.. i just spent most of the day with my family. you're right, its good to take breaks! and we should take breaks, we deserve it and you're right if we don't we will make ourselves ill. and no more feeling guilty if i take a break.

thanks for being so encouraging that i've only done 2 chapters out of 6, that was really nice to hear :) you're right, we can only do our best. and then see what happens. so i am going to spend the rest of this week, and try to get as many sections done as possible and leave the rest as "pending/incomplete".

thats a good idea about going to your parents, they can pamper you whilst you are busy studying away and a change of scenary will do wonders!

keep in touch though! us writers gotta stick together hehe

i'm resenting my thesis right now.

i wanted to go to this philosophy lecture this friday. and it was acting like motivation for me to work extra hard this week, so that i can take friday evening off. i was really looking forward to it..

but a family friend just emailed me and laid the guilt trip on me saying i shouldnt go and i ought to be working on the thesis. and that i have to email my sups the first draft by monday.

but it was acting like motivation. and now i feel too guilty to go but at the same time, resenting my thesis !!!!

and now i just feel depressed.

i know i sound like a spoilt brat.

okay feeling better now.
one of my friends text me and said that i should take a break and shouldn't feel guilty.

so i am doing what I want to do. and what i think is best. i know myself better than anyone else.

so i am going to glue myself to my chair for the next 3 days and get as much done, then take friday evening off.

that is more productive. then me sitting here feeling depressed and thinking that i missing out and not doing anything productive.

so now i feel geared up and motivated to work extra hard these few days. as JB says, work towards a reward it will motivate you

so feeling better now!

what JB has to say about this

"the deadlines you set for yourself need to be very very generous ones, if you think it will take you two weeks to finish the next chapter, give yourself three. if you finish early, you'll feel particularly fine. most important is that you finish the chapter and give yourself cause for celebration rather than dissapointment"

"set up deadlines so they involve rewards, not punishments. do not set them up so that you have to be super human to meet them. perhaps you can work nonstop for a few days, but no one can sustain that sort of effort over the long haul"

"as you begin your experiment, set very easy goals. every one that you meet will empower you, so that you can make the next hurdle a bit more strenous. this is the way to turn "i think i can" into "i know i can".

JB says about missing a deadline, that just to get right back on the horse, and not to cry over spilt milk so to speak.

she also speaks about how its VERY important to reward yourself, for working hard and meeting deadlines!!

*clocking out*

accomplished:

finished 2nd draft version of results section of chapter 5.

today wrote: 1867 words:
and i can't remember how many figures and tables i did lol.

that's me out for the day.

glued myself to the chair today and managed to get about 7 hours done.

i once had a friend who said that she worked 12 hours everyday for 3 months on her thesis.

i find it hard to achieve that 12 hours every single day thing she did. even when i glue myself to the chair all day, i still can't work productively for 12 hours. the most i think is probably on average 6 hours or so. i guess we all work differently. i am certainly not a robot.

i am having a crappy day today. pc desktop computer is not working. so i have to work on the laptop. but because i am stressed about my desktop computer, i am not concentrating on my chapter 5.

luckily i had done my weekly backup and daily backups.

people i urge you to please backup on a regular basis. very important!