This is just a thread for today. I've had a bad start to the day... various sources of stress, work, family, department.. but am determined to clear my head and work on a chapter that needs to be finished today so i can move on to the next one. who else has had a rubbish day and is gonna be working between 4pm and late tonight? maybe we can cheer each other on? am determined to finish soon and can't stop writing just because i have had a bad day. i have learnt that if i want to finish, i can't stop for anything.. i have to do what i had planned each day.

J. off to clear my head. :-)

Jojo, I'm with you on this. I've found all sorts of worries are impinging on my ability to work steadily each day but I am desperate to finish. First things first, I need to make today count so that I can have an anxiety-free rest tonight. Let's just tell ourselves to be completely selfish for today- it's about us and our work, nothing else is getting a look in (and for me that includes money worries, family worries, and panicky moments about the state of the academic job market)- I'm putting them in a basket and floating them down the river of 'let me be' (at least until tomorrow). Just going to get some coffee and then its me and the thesis until dinner time. Good luck Jojo (up)

urgh, had an awful day so far - just staring at the computer clicking 'refresh' on my email for hours! Had a shower to wake myself up, cup of tea and now finally (at 4pm) started doing some analysis. Altho hubby home in the next hour so will probably go out the window - at least it is something!

I didn't mean I will go out of the window - I meant the work :p

Well I got offered job position abroad - sounds a good day? but it was at PhD salary level (so low I can't take it). I'm also preparing for marathon lecture that I'm not sure I'm even giving.

Hi Jojo, I'm in the same situation as you. For the past couple of months I've been having problems getting to sleep at night, sometimes not getting to sleep as late as 3 or 4 in the morning. As a result ive been sleeping in alot- and im at my most productive early morning and late evening. Arrived in the office at 1.30 this afternoon, had no motivation to do any work. Looks like it will be a late one for me today also.

What I really wanted to say was Good Luck, you're not alone! :-)

Sneaks- I can relate very well to your statement on "clicking on the refresh button on youre email for hours." It's funny how I can sit and read an email but find it difficult to motivate myself into reading a paper :$

Hmm, my sleep seems to be all up in the air too, i often don't get to sleep for hours, but husband has to be up at 6.30, so I never lie in which means I gues I 'day sleep' at my desk, hence the staring.

I have also had lots of trouble today with comfort. My back is killing me and I am really cold, but can't turn the heating up cos its not my house! - its ok if you are running abour, but sitting at a desk is a different matter.

Oh dear, now I'm reflecting on the productivity of my day too. I meant to go on to campus for a class I sit in on but that didn't happen, not least because I had a sudden 'moment' about the state of my desk and dashed out to buy a big metal box to file it all in. Since then I've been sorting through my swaying 'piling' system which was no doubt worthwhile (so much paper, so few results!) but means I've not done much actual thesis work today. :$ Worst of all I had confirmed yesterday, after much chasing, that my upgrade work has to be done for the end of term (not what it says in the department handbook!) which would be fine if my thesis hadn't just changed focus meaning the upgrade stuff will be all new work. I'm therefore swinging hourly between mild panic and my normal ability to procrastinate which isn't too productive... I'd like to say I'm now going to sit down and have an intensive hour to make up for it but with my fiancé due back soon it probably won't materialize!

Nothing worse than trying to work at a cold desk when you're tired and in pain.:-(

Hope tomorrow is better Sneaks (up)

How are you getting on now Jojo?

have just signed on to check on everyone else..

wow.. you guys are doing really great. i've done two pages so far.. not as much as I'd have wanted after picking an phonecall from an annoying relative!! grrrrrrrrrrr...

i've decided to stay away from the phone for now.

am working on it tho.. will be giving a better report in a few hours. let me see what the rest of you have been up to.

kaymoy - just what i need to hear: i need to learn to be selfish. being selfish is not always a bad thing.

i was thinking earlier and trying to identify what made my day rubbish and i realised that it was because i checked my emails first thing, instead of working first, got stressed and then made a few calls to sort the stress.. and accepted other calls which resulted in more trouble in my life.

now if i can just stay away from these things: devices through which humans contact me - email and the phone.. my stress levels would be almost zero and i would be very productive. maybe i should only check them in the evenings after work. its on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kaymoy - just what i need to hear: i need to learn to be selfish. being selfish is not always a bad thing.

i was thinking earlier and trying to identify what made my day rubbish and i realised that it was because i checked my emails first thing, instead of working first, got stressed and then made a few calls to sort the stress.. and accepted other calls which resulted in more trouble in my life.

now if i can just stay away from these things: devices through which humans contact me - email and the phone.. my stress levels would be almost zero and i would be very productive. maybe i should only check them in the evenings after work. its on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone

It does sound as if everyone had a bad Tuesday! Procrastination, pain, stress, tiredness - my sympathies!!! Hope the motivation is up now and the words are flowing and the rellies are leaving people alone (!). I'm around too, start of a new day here and the sun is just coming up. Am writing a methodology chapter, which is just soooo tedious - but am determined to get a zero draft finished today.

Push on!

We've all had a bad tuesday! thank goodness its almost Wednesday(up)