Hi all,

I am in the fourth year of my PhD and am in the process of writing up - I have about 3/4 of it written and just need to write my conclusions, introduction and tie up various loose ends.

My funding finished earlier this year and I have had to get a full time job (in an unrelated area) to pay the bills. The problem is that when I get home from work, I'm so shattered that I'm not touching my PhD. I haven't even opened my computer files for nearly a month now. My final submission date is January 2014 and I really need to find a way of getting things done. Does anyone have any advice or know any one who found a way to finish writing up whilst working full time?

Thanks in advance!

Bumble

I'm not in your position yet, but I will probably be next year. I've had to study for exams etc whilst working fulltime though,

For me, what works is planning ahead. I will pick days and times that I'm going to work on something in the evening and make sure all my other chores are done so there is nothing to distract me. I make my dinner the night before so I don't have to worry about that either. I allow myself 30 mins to an hour to chill when I get home and then I just make a strong coffee and get on with it. I probably get 2 to 3 hours work done an evening.

If I'm working on a weekend then I do the same thing but plan to spend the whole day working, only stopping for an hour for lunch and dinner.

As your submission deadline is so tight, I would also draw up a realistic timetable and try to stick to it. This might take a few days if you are not sure exactly what needs to be done and need to go through the thesis again, but it will be a few days well spent. I think I read somewhere that 70% of writing the thesis should be planning, 20% writing and 10% checking and I think that's fairly accurate.

I am not in write up stage yet, but data collection, transcription, analysis stage with Phd. However, l had to do my major write up for 25000 word Masters while working in a new job when my study leave for Masters finished but my data collection for that thesis had not (due to ethics committee and supervisor delays).

I know what it is like to come home feeling 'shattered' from work and not wanting to do the PhD-or even worse-having to continue with work commitments and share home time between left over work from work (admin and marking from the day) and PhD work. I do a lot of PhD work on weekends and usually only a small amount on week nights.

But what I do find works for me on those nights, when I am really tired and don't want to do it-is to give myself a minimum amount-say 90-120 minutes. I set myself a time to just work for this long with a 5 minute tea-facebook-whatever-break in between and just force myself. I usually have a reward at the end, like a dvd or a book that I actually want to read. I also tend to give myself one or two nights off from any work at all during the week, if I am exceptionally tired. That being said- TreeofLife's comments about planning what work it is you will do beforehand is also really helpful and when I do that I find I actually achieve what I plan-often to my own surprise.

You can do it and remember Jan 2014 is really only 4 months away-not said to frighten you-but to remind you that this period of intense working will not last for ever. Good luck-you are so close to the finish, and deserve to complete your dissertation.

I was in a similar position. I had periods where I did not write for a month. The guilt is terrible. I still worked on it mentally. Thinking through arguments and presentation methods. That still counts.

If it is a computer job you are doing. My advice is to get in half an hour early and leave half an hour or so late. Then spend this extra time and your lunch break working on it. You will still do your full day of work, but also up to 1.5 hours of thesis. Can you work at home? You can wrap up early then and hav a good few hours at it.

Thank you for the responses and your advice.

Yes, January 2014 isn't far away - although hopefully far enough that I'll be able to get finished! I have sat down this weekend and have a detailed plan of what I need to do and roughly how long I think each section will take me. I have some areas which are smaller which I will try and do in the evening and should be achievable in small bursts.

I'll report back with how I get on next weekend.

Thanks for the support - it helps a lot just knowing you're not in it alone!

Hello, I'm in the same position, but I have been very fortunate to secure 20 hours of a fairly well paid work a week, but this is only until December. I spent much time worrying about this, and am at a similar stage as you are. I have just tried to tell myself, mentally, that even working 3 hours at night after work and weekend days is only temporary, and if you've done so much of the work already, it really is the last bits. Best of luck!