Hi experienced PhDers...
I've got myself in a bit of a mess mentally... I am so sick of my work - I just can't face it. In 3 and a half weeks I go away for 6 weeks on a study visit (funded). It is a great privilege and I'm looking forward to it. I want to spend the next 3 and a half weeks preparing for it, instead of writing up my thesis, which I am getting NO WHERE on. It will mean having to move a whole series of deadlines to when I get back in mid June. I am in my final year but I believe I am entitled to a write up year (self funded). Is it up to me if I choose to move my deadlines like this? I know my supervisor won't be pleased but I really feel I have no option. I just feel SO demotivated about my thesis right now, and just hope that my trip will breathe new life into me (if I am prepared for it - that is having read up properly on what I'll be doing etc in advance of going).
Any advice? Is it ludicrous to tell my supervisor that I want to do this (i.e., move deadlines till after trip and just forget about my thesis for a while)?
Thanks
Tudor
That's exactly what I wanted to hear and at just the right time - thanks pm133. :-)
I still don't look forward to telling her on Monday though... :-D
Ps. The deadlines are for my benefit / so that things will work well - they mean that if I submit a draft on X date, supervisor A will read it on X date, supervisor B will read it on X date, and I will have it back on X date. And it should all work out in time for me to submit my thesis on X date. I am not opposed to this - it is helpful (especially as I hear so many people waiting weeks and weeks to get feedback etc). But I am no longer in a position to meet them as planned.
Nothing wrong with having your own deadlines for your own benefit but you definitely do not want to be telling your supervisors about them. If they specifically ask for them I would be very cagey about it, couch my words in very vague terms and probably double the times I had estimated myself and I would make it clear that those were soft targets rather than deadlines, very likely to change. In fairness though it really is none of their business because it's your PhD.
Good luck for Monday. Let us know how you get on.
PM133 I think Tudor means that if the supervisors know when to expect work, then they can plan their diaries to block out time and Tudor gets feedback in an agreed turnaround time. Which will not be the case if Tudor were to give no notice whatsoever and sends the chapter on the same day that 200 final year exam scripts arrive, and need turning around by inflexible deadlines. It makes everyone's lives easier...
Tudor - sounds like you need the break, but from bitter experience don't just drop everything however tempting. Try to get to a sensible place to stop and write down what you thought the remaining tasks to do for the chapter(s) were. I once did exactly what you want to do and on returning from in my case overseas fieldwork, the chapter that had been a week off finishing no longer made sense. I had to start rereading sources etc and lost a lot of unnecessary time. A little bit of extra pain in leaving things in good shape with a plan would have been so much better. Enjoy the visit.
Hi Tudor, I think it is important to have breaks and not to feel too guilty about them. Sometimes you just do need some time out and a sense of perspective. The trip sounds fantastic-lucky you and well deserved for all of your hard work in achieving this.
I think Bewildered's advice about not completely losing touch with whatever part of the write up, or the chapter you are currently doing, is really helpful as well. Once you factor in your trip of 6 weeks and add this to your break of 3 and a half weeks prior to going, that can be quite a long time overall. Keeping in touch with the chapter in some way will mean that when you do get back you can get back into things quite quickly.
The other thing is perhaps that you seem to already have factored in that you will take an extra year in write up and will self fund, and while it is nice to know you have this up your sleeve if needed, you may not actually need it. You may not need to set your deadlines back as much as this-perhaps just wait and see how your conversation pans out with your supervisor and where you are once you have come back from your study trip.
THANK YOU everyone. I considered all of your advice. I had a week or so of not doing any work and just thinking I couldn't and would pick it up again after my trip (regardless). But then (after the break) I began to see things more reasonably again. I met with my supervisor yesterday and we agreed to move just one deadline till after my trip (and it wasn't framed at all negatively - I just explained about certain problems I'd encountered and how I'd decided to take more time on it - and she thought it was a good idea too).
So this means I am working on things again now, and will be working a bit during my trip too (on my thesis). I think I can handle it as long as I don't get myself in such a state again. Frequent breaks and a not too demanding plan for me over the next month or so. Your comments were all so helpful. : )
Tudor
Thanks, and I read on your thread that you're now on the final grammar check! Congrats and all the best : )
I think there is a misunderstanding here. Deadlines can be set for you - or imposed (in addition to the things you describe pm133, a micro-manager might also do this or it may simply depend on the level of responsibility you have in your job). Deadlines can also be jointly negotiated. Mine were jointly negotiated to enable me to get timely feedback from my supervisors who are all very busy. Without deadlines (set for you or jointly set), the world would probably fall apart!
Masters Degrees
Search For Masters DegreesPostgraduateForum Is a trading name of FindAUniversity Ltd
FindAUniversity Ltd, 77 Sidney St, Sheffield, S1 4RG, UK. Tel +44 (0) 114 268 4940 Fax: +44 (0) 114 268 5766