That would be my concern too - burn-out.

In my first year I've been teaching a module on an MA course at another university (a course I was teaching before I started my PhD, so it wasn't really that much work as I'd done all the preparation and knew the module backwards) and to be honest, I've resented every moment when I've been having to support the students from that module rather than work on my own research, it's felt like it just hasn't been worth it, even though the (small!) pay has been useful. I also do voluntary work - I'm Chair of a voluntary group and while it doesn't take that much time really, it's just another thing to keep thinking about.

I've felt under pressure to find the time to do the job and the voluntary work as well as all the PhD work, and that I haven't given enough time to my PhD as a result. I started out wanting my PhD to be very much 9-5 so I had a life outside, but it's taking over, and the pressure of trying to do it in less time than the bursary really allows for because of the other things I've taken on has just felt too much at times. I think the easier you can make your life the better!

But it's different for everyone, of course!

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Well done Pink_Numbers, you're really getting back into it (sounds like you're achieving way more than I have done for the last few days anyway!)

And well done Star-Shaped too, sounds like you're really getting through it all!

I've finally got through the rewriting of my lit review section on my upgrade paper. It was a killer - trying to match gaps in the literature to my aims and objectives. Yuck! But I've finally cobbled it together, and hopefully when I look at it to redraft it over the weekend it won't seem half as bad as I think it looks now!

Goal 2 - after a short break to play games on facebook, anyway! - is to deal with minor changes my supervisors suggested for my Methodology section. If I can get that finished today I'll be very happy!

I looked too - we don't have it either.

Hope the work went okay, Ev!

Today, I am determined to get lots of work done, because the rest of this week has been pathetic. So, early start and straight into it.

Goal 1 - revise the Lit Review section of my upgrade paper

Sounds like you're having a really distracting day there!

I've finally achieved goal one. Yay! Pathetic amount of work to have done for this late in the day, but never mind, it's done. Now for goal 2!

Gah. I failed in my first goal by convincing myself I could come back to that section once I've re written all the other sections I need to work on, and now I'm facing the same thought with the next section. I'm just achieving so little this week!

Okay, start again with a fresh set of goals.

1.) Sort out the extra data/examples in my Background section
2.) Go through notes on Lit Review section

If I can achieve both of those I'll feel I've got somewhere!

I found 'How To Get a PhD' by Phillips and Pugh pretty useful - good for the overall structure of a PhD. But yes, look at other people's PhDs - I have one from someone who used very similar methods and theories to me but looking at a different area, and that's been really helpful. Otherwise, I agree, just dive in! This forum has given me plenty of insight into the process and answered most questions that come up. The main thing I'd say early on is to get familiar with the literature in your area. Everything stems from that!

Play stupid games on Facebook! Either that or do housework, when I can be bothered, which isn't that often! But I feel the same, I need a way to avoid looking at the screen when I'm taking a break.

Morning!

I've done my first goal, which was to go through the versions of my upgrade paper that my supervisors commented on and transfer their comments onto my working copy.

Second goal - the easy bits! Add in the appendices that are simple cut-and-paste jobs. I think I need to ease myself back into the work after achieving so little yesterday.

Hi Clarke, welcome!

That's really great! So pleased it's had such a positive effect. I'm off on a two week break next week, can't wait, I think these breaks are vital or none of us will ever get to the end!

Yeah, unfortunately that does sound quite cheap to me too! I live in a flat on my own, the rent's £425 a month plus bills so all in all I'm paying over half of my bursary out each month on rent and utilities. And I live in a pretty cheap place really. No way round it I'm afraid, you just have to decide which is more important to you, a place of your own or a bit more cash in your pocket! I'd go for the place of your own every time, but I'm a bit older and the thought of living in halls is just too nightmareish to contemplate!

You do need a bed! That's not good at all!

Unfortunately landlords do manage to get away with lots of things - they shouldn't, but they do! When I moved into my current flat 8 months ago the cooker needed fixing, and I kept on and on at them, phoning them constantly about it, and they finally came to fix it three weeks ago. Gah! Nasty horrible money-grabbing landlords!

Some landlords won't do what they promise no matter how often you ask, but if it's through an agency the agency should be able to influence them, because it's no good for the agency if they start getting a bad name for not delivering on their promises.

Do you have anything in writing about the bed? If so (or even of not, though it's more likely if you have something in writing) you may be able to get other people to put some pressure on for you. The Students' Union is one option, but another option is to go to your local councillor and see what they can do for you. You can usually find out who your councillor is on the local council website - it all depends which street etc you live on, but they should represent you and often a quiet word from them can get things unjammed surprisingly quickly!

Good luck!

Goal one finally achieved, and some small bits for goal three. It's feeling like really hard work today though, so I may just do a small amount more then take the rest of the day off and come back to it fresh tomorrow. I had a hectic weekend so it's taking me a while to get back into the swing of things! (That makes it sound like I was just having wild fun - it was fun, but I was volunteering at a community event, and ended up running around all over the place doing about fifty jobs at once, rather than just having a disgracefully hedonistic time!)

Poor dog!

I'm finding it really hard to get going with the work today. I think it's because I took the whole weekend off! But I only have this week to get through and then I'm away on holiday for a fortnight! Yay! I just have to get my upgrade report completely finished, and luckily, when I met my supervisors on Friday they only wanted me to work on a couple of sections, so it should be easily manageable.

Hmm, maybe it's the lack of stress that's making it hard to get going?

Goals for today:
1.) Write up notes from Friday's supervision meeting and email them to supervisors.
2.) Plan out the work that needs doing over the next week.
3.) Get started on the work - do some of the easy bits!

But first I have to go shopping, because I have nothing to eat or drink in the flat!