I hope everyone else has had a good day today and thank everyone has a great weekend! Lara, don't worry too much about not meeting all your aims, celemai is right, sometimes writing too much down means it is impossible to meet all the aims in a day!!!!! I am also guilty for this and then spend all week trying to catch up!!! Maybe we need to set more realistic targets, reward ourselves when these are done and if we have time to start extra aims then that is a bonus!!
Try not to worry though, you really are doing so well and all of us are slowly getting there together!!!

Thanks so much for the encouragement, you are right, one A4 side is a start, and is something at least!!! And least i can build on this!! Thanks ever so much for being so positive, it has helped me loads.

As for today, i still haven't finished but have gone a very rough version of the chapter written out, and i can build on this over the weekend. I definitely need to hand it in on Monday, so i will just do my best to get it into the best state i can and then get some feedback. So aims for the weekend, finish chapter 7!!!!!!!
I have a couple of friends visiting tomorrow night so will have a break then, so i am not working constantly!

Hi Everyone!!!

Lara, Thank you so much for all your advice, i really needed that and you have helped so much, thanks again! I have started to restrict myself to having a "worrying time" where i note down the stuff bothering me and it really helps! Will definitely do this from now on!!!
You are so right, i think i was putting too much pressure on me, worried that my sup will think i don't have enough idea's, worried i won't get everything finished for the end of September deadline!!! But by worrying at only the set time has helped to keep things in check!!
Also, you are right this won't be the final version i hand in and as long as i get some idea's down and even if it is a scrappy version, it is something to work on and go through with my sup. Least it is a start!!!!

PS "I hope writing all this done" should read "i hope writing all this down!!!
See i can't even write properly!!!!!!

I'm hoping writing all this done tonight will really help tomorrow!! I really hope so, i am annoyed with myself as i don't feel i have made the most of this week. I know we all talk about moving forward with each day and i must do this. I can't worry about not doing as much as i should have done this week, just need to make sure i gwt it finished by mu deadline of Sunday night for this section of work!
Anyway, sorry for my ranting!!! Just need to get my feelings off my chest!!
Hope everyone else has had a more productive day!! This PhD lark is definitely not easy!!!!!!!!!!
Will see how i get on and will post tomorrow night!!
Hope everyone has a good day tomorrow!!!

Hi All,

Well i confess, had a bit of a rubbish day today. Started writing but couldn't get much done and have only written one A4 page!!! It is so hard!!!!! This is my worst chapter, i have written a plan for the chapter but have only done a little on it. Been trying to get all my notes together but am worried i don't have enough idea's. Anyway, a new strategy for tomorrow,

I am going to write for 2 and a half hours in the morning and get to discussing infection strains.

Then a break, then 3 hours in the afternoon to finish the strain bit, discuss the other results and summary.

Then in the evening, re-read it and then Saturday finish it with looking at other infection models etc.

Realistically i can do 4-6 hours but when it is tough my limit sometimes is only 1-3 hrs. But i think a lot of people are like this and not many can do 12 hours straight!!!! Try not too worry as you are doing so well. Working on your thesis even for a little bit each day is all progress, and you will get there!!

Angie81 and Lara: Definitely go and see Batman, my cinema trip last night has done the world of good. A couple of hours where you can escape and just watch a good film!!! You deserve a break and i have heard it is a brilliant film, am going to see it too in a few weeks!

Anyway hope everyone has a great day!

My aims today: Work on chapter 7, start drafting it on the computer. Need to hand it on Monday so today i think is going to be a long day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fingers crossed i can get a lot done!!!!!! (hopefully!)

Hi Everyone!!!

Hope everyone is ok and that we all have a good day today.

Celemai: You were right!! Mamma Mia was fab!!! Really enjoyed it!! Hope your day is ok today with less noise from the builders.

Lara: I understand completely what you mean about worrying the thesis won't get finished and that we don't have enough time. I feel like this aswell!! But we have all worked so hard so far and we can only do our best. Try not to worry, i am looking at little bits at a time and it is surprising how much in a week you build up the thesis! I know we don't have long left but we do have enough time to get it finished!! Promise!!!!!! You will get there, you are working so hard.
Also as for the 12 hour working, i am amazed by people who can do that, i definitely can't!!!!!!!! I try but just can't do it, I think everyone is different.

Hi all,

Aims also met, tomorrow i am going to start the writing........
Hope everyone had a good day, now off to see Mamma mia!!!!

See you tomorrow!

Hi all!!

Well done Lara for getting up so early! That is really brilliant, good for you. Hope your morning is going well, and thanks for the advice about setting a "worry time". You are right and i am defintely going to give it a try today. Thanks ever so much again, you are a star!!
Celesmai: Hope you are ok, you must be getting really excited now about the appearance of your little bundle of joy! Glad the antenatal class went well. hope the builders don't disturb you too much.
Angie81: Hope your day is going well, and that the reading is not quite as boring today!! I fully understand what you mean!!!

Ok, aims for today:

Reading and making notes/ideas to put into chapter 7. Finish this preparation today so i can start writing the chapter tomorrow.

Have a great day everyone!!!

PS Mindjet.com, what a great website!!!
Thanks for sharing this Lara, have a great evening!!

Anyway, holby city beckons!!!!! Have a great rest of the evening everyone, and see you bright and early tomorrow morning!!!
I must focus tomorrow and not panic if the ideas don't come immediately, if i panic i stop being creative and can't write!!! Right new aims for tonight:
Holby city,
Read for 2 hours/note rough notes to improve chapter 7.
Go to bed!
My total productive time today will then have only been 4 hours but at least it is something! Tomorrow i will spent all day getting all the reading done and notes etc so i have something concrete to write tomorrow. Tomorrow night i am also going to see Mamma Mia! at the cinema with a couple of work friends so this will also be an incentive to work hard in the day as i want to feel like i deserve the break or i will feel guilty!
Anyway sorry for waffling on, it just helps to get how i feel out of my system!!!!
Anyway see everyone tomorrow morning!!!
Have a great night!

Anyway, i guess i must stop panicking, try to read around a bit more and think about how my results can contribute to the subject as a whole.
Anyway, hope everyone else is having a good day.
Lara: What a good idea to just check emails etc at a set time, i hadn't realised how distracting there are but you are right!! I also am guilty of replying to emails and before you know it an hour has gone by!!!!!
Angi81: Don't worry, Lara is right everything counts!!! Reading, writing a draft of a chapter, writing plans, etc. Also your 3 hours work is great! I am terrible, can only work for about 40min-1 hr before i need a 5 min break!!! You are really doing well and will definitely get there. Well done and keep it up!!

Hi Everyone!

Well, i am signing off for the evening! Had a bit of a nightmare day. I have been trying to read up on some stuff for my chapter 7. The first draft of this chapter needs a lot of work but it is so hard to pull the whole thesis together and try to relate it to the wider world!!!!! I'm really having to think loads and i can't seem to at the minute!!! Anyway, i have not read as much as i should have because i started to panic etc!! Anyway, know watching Holby City and then will go back to the reading for a few hours, then bed. Will then start afresh tomorrow morning and aim to get all my reading done by tomorrow night so i can start re-writing the chapter thursday to Sunday. I must get the next draft done by the end of Sunday as i then will need the next two weeks to sort out chapter 1!

PS Lara: Your bike rides are a great idea, i am sure exercise helps keep the mind fresh! I have just eaten yet another chocolate based dessert before bed so must start doing some running or something!! Otherwise i am going to end up like a barrel!!!!