Dear all,

I am need of some honest and practical advice. I have six weeks to go until the submission of my PhD - I am currently a “fourth year”, having opted to take the extra writing up year. During the PhD, I have been quite down, but have managed to deal with it by myself and completed all the upgrade reports satisfactorily and basically kept plodding along. However, at the end of the day, the way I have been feeling (numb and demotivated) has affected my work during the last year and I have faffed about, gone off on tangents and don’t have to best data to work with as a result.

After completely devoting myself to the PhD for the last three months I have a literature review and one half written results chapter with just weeks to go. Every day of this is a struggle – I feel that its worth carrying on just to try to get an MPhil, but I find myself frozen in front of the computer fantasizing about getting on a train and just “running away”. For financial reasons I have had to move back home with parents and have become unbearably needy (if honest) towards friends and family.

A very good friend of mine has been acting as an “accountability partner” for the past few months and has been an amazing help, but I just can’t seem to find the energy to do what needs to be done. I am definitely “avoiding”. I did try to talk to my supervisor about how I was feeling about a year ago – he was sympathetic, but didn’t suggest that I do anything about like get an extension/interruption (which is unlikely to be possible at this late stage). Does anyone have any practical strategies on how to get things done while feeling like this? Is there any one else out there who wants to start an "Emergency Get it Done" Thread?

Runner

Hi Runner,

First of all you've come to the right place. Many on here have felt or feel as you do now. There are a number of threads running to do with accountability and thesis completion and so you might like to contribute to those, some people find these very helpful. This is a very, very difficult time for most writing up but remember the more you chip away at it the closer you get to the finish line and then you can do a runner...after you've passed the finish line. It is hard but look beyond it, realise you have the ability to get through it and keep plodding on (up)

Absolutely, join one of the existing threads - they really help! I use the One Goal thread and it really keeps me focused on what I want to achieve that day (and if you're working evenings/nights/weekends it really helps to know other people are working too, otherwise it can feel like the rest of the world is off enjoying themselves...) There may already be one for people with the same deadline as you, which might suit your circumstances better, or start your own if you'd like to, of course! Have a look around and see what might suit.

And yes, many many people feel the way you're feeling. The best advice I've got from being on these boards is to try to break things down into small, manageable tasks - looking at the whole PhD or the whole thesis is just too hard to take in, but breaking it down into tasks and steps that can be more easily accomplished makes the whole thing much more digestible. It's so easy to feel overwhelmed or paralysed by the sheer size of the task.

Another thing to consider is the tomatoes/pomodoro technique - again, look for a thread on the topic - it can be really helpful when it's difficult to concentrate/ when it's a struggle to knuckle down to it.

Hope that helps, and good luck with it all!

Hi runner,
I cant even begin to explain how much I know exactly what you are going through ... I had a few good weeks and then suddenly last week when I was to complete my discussion chapters I just became paralysed and could not bring myself to look at my work! let alone write anything, this is even after wrting in to my sup. and having sent him different pieces in the past weeks!! anyway it is only since about this morning that I have felt able to look at my work very slowly as I dont want to stress out again.. i have broken it down and reward myself with a guitar strum, a text to a friend, a biscuit or anything else just to make it ok to focus for a little while... I have no more advise than that ...but I am taking one step at a time and like everyone says try breaking it down... another thing I did for a few weeks was the pomodoro technique, thinking of going back to that when im working late into the night .... if you want an accountability partner I will be here untill I complete the thesis in the next few weeks so lets get through this emergency get it done thread together(up)

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Hi Guys,

Thanks for the advice - really appreciate it. Have started an "Emergency...It has got to be done thread". Hopefully it will kick me and hopefully anyone else in this situation into action.

Have a good (productive :-)) day!

Runner