Good morning,
I'm quite relieved I'm not the only one struggling with motivation at this time of year! I think it is very important to have a break, my DoS has already stated she's got 3 weeks off now (she seems to take a LOT of holiday, not sure what the rule is for academics?) so I think at the very least I will down tools on the 22nd (as the 23rd is blocked out with appointments), but maybe do some work in the evenings 28th-30th (as I will be covering daytime childcare), break again 31st (as it's my birthday, huzzah) then not pick up my work until the 3rd Jan.

Plan for today - crack on with chapter writing, my second chapter is still a bit of a mess and has nowhere near enough material and definitely doesn't make sense so I will keep chipping away!

Hi MissPiggy,
Don't feel too guilty, you obviously need to have a break if you're finding it hard to concentrate. My DoS has instructed me to have some time off over crimbo and stated she won't look at any work from me until the new year so I've slipped into holiday mode too today! Managed 700 words so not too bad....

Me again! Going to try and get substantially more work done today, at least 1,000 words if I can. I downloaded quite a few articles yesterday so I have plenty of material to work with, but tackling a relatively new concept so I might not hit my target. I am struggling a bit to write backwards like I am (I'm doing lit review first, then analysis chapters which now I've started I'm not so sure was the right way around), but I've also got supervision in half an hour to talk about the chapter I turned in at the start of the month, so I will talk about it with my DoS then.

If anyone is out there, then good luck today, I take it from the quietness that people are busy working!

Ooh this is funny, like talking to myself, hehe! I've finished my 500 words for the day but as I have another 5500 to write by Christmas which I haven't got much in the way of material for I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon researching. Trying not to get distracted by Steve Wright in the afternoon now!

Hi everyone,

Gosh it's quiet here! I'm having a terrible day today, only managed 294 words so far :$ and really struggling to get motivated to do anything! Looks like I'm going to have to work this weekend as I have to hand this chapter in prior to the 6th Jan and I'm not realistically going to get anything done between Christmas and New Year as I will be taking care of my step-son and next week is rammed with appointments and last minute shopping (pay day is Monday so will be blowing the pay packet in record time!)

Hopefully I'll get another 200 words done today at the very least so I can go to step-son's carol service tonight without feeling too guilty about not getting much done! (robin)

Hello,

I will be joining you after lunch (I'm about to hit the supermarket on an empty stomach which I know is a bad idea but I have a massive hankering for bacon crisps!) I'm aiming to get around 500 words done today as I have undergraduate students to chase which is always time consuming! tsk! I don't think I was this naughty when I was an undergrad!
Good luck!

p.s. good luck with the viva prep Skig!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's been suffering with illness, self induced or otherwise ;-) I've had a really terrible, non-productive week as I've had a migraine and the beginnings of a cold, and I've felt really guilty about being away from the desk for so long! But the good news is I managed to do 1,000 words today, hurrah! Have a fab weekend everyone, back to the grindstone Monday! (I don't work on weekends unless I reeeeally have to at the moment!)

I agree with Cplusplusgirl, go and get yourself signed off then come back in a couple of weeks when you've had some time out. She is also right that we all feel like this. I took about a month off at the beginning of my second year because I was so burnt out I couldn't get motivated to do anything. I'm now at the end of my second year and I am determined to succeed no matter what. And keep coming back here! I can't tell you how much this forum has helped me on days where I felt like I wanted to give up! You soon realise you are not alone!

Hey Hailey, no problem 8-) glad I've made you feel better! Fingers crossed I can work by your example and get the thesis beast tamed sooner rather than later! I didn't get much done yesterday as I was still in the grip of residual headache but I am going to power on today!

Hello all,

Back today after having a migraine yesterday - I might be mad coming back to working on a screen only a day after but I suppose that's par for the course! Glad to hear you're all doing ok!

Hailey - don't panic! It can be done! You've done really well so far and not long to go now, you can do it!

Good luck for today postgrad peeps!

Sorry to hear you've been feeling so down, if it's any consolation the end of my first year/start of the second was the worst for me but I was lucky my supervisor didn't act on any of the negative things I said!

Do you want to continue with your PhD? Is there any way you can take a break and come back to it refreshed? I would strongly recommend you meet with your sup again and explain what has been happening to you, and remind them that it was their suggestion you went to counselling. I'm guessing they probably got a lot of stick from the panel about your depressed mood and therefore took it out on you, which isn't fair. Maybe ask if you could have a break and come back to it in a week or two?

I would also look up your pastoral support in your department and talk to them about what has happened.

and p.s. off to look at Mendeley now...!

hehe Sneaks I enjoyed your post about the journals! I think I'm just a bit scared of reference managers, my university uses RefWorks and I've completely forgotten how to use it as they do the training at the start of your first year! They must realise that anything you learned then is forgotten by the end of your second year, tsk!

Thank you both, I will have a play over the next couple of days and see how I get on! (up)