Hello to all of those who are in the write-up phase! and particularly to those of you in the submit by September club.

I just wanted to know how people are supporting them selfs when funding runs out? Do you have an understanding partner at home? Do you work? Have you applied for additional support, have you 'signed on'? or have you developed hibernating technique that allows you to write-up without leaving the house?

I'm working full time and trying to keep to my unrealistic deadlines, surprisingly not as much fun as i thought!

I'm using a large overdraft to see me through the write-up period. My parents are also being very generous.

Finishing the PhD with debt is no fun

I'm hoping to do that by partner's support on living costs and doing a part-time job for just 2-3 days a week. Its going to be hard but what will keep me going is that I can't be on this budget living forever!

when my phd funding ran out. i did a one year full time job as a Research assistant. so worked full time on a seperate project unrelated to my phd, ontop of finishing my phd experiments. and writing papers. and during that year, i saved up my money. because i planned that i would finish the one year RA job contract and then go into hibernation to write my thesis.

now i am in complete hibernation writing up at home full time and living off of my savings.

luckily i live at home with my parents, so i dont have to worry about rent money as alot of people in this forum do. and my parents are very supportive and feed me well! actually i started the phd for them. they both really wanted me to do a phd!

during the year when i was working full time and doing phd experiments, it was tough , so i totally understand how hard it is to have a full time job and work on your phd! but i am really glad i did it for only a year, because i saved up money. now i am able to be in full time hibernation and work only on my thesis, and live off of my savings. although i have a very strict budget! so yes i am just at home all the time in my study room. but thank God i have my savings and my parents feed me

i rarely go out and meet up with my friends. because that usually constitutes going to restaurants and spending money. they are really understanding though which is nice

the only thing, i will occassionally treat myself is the cinema, and will go during the day, so that its cheaper. and i am also going to drastically reduce my mobile phone bill. and use emails etc to stay in touch with friends, instead of chatting on the phone.

so i have cut back drastically on "expenses" and luxuries, until i get my phd thesis written.

so yah, pretty much in hibernation, so instead i try to enjoy the simpler things in life, like sitting in the garden with a good book. or watching dvds. you would be suprised when you take away luxury items, the simple things, are actually enjoyable!
you dont need fancy dancy expernsive restarants, or new clothes. just do the best with what you have right now.

and on cue my best friend just called me i do miss my friends and socialising. ..but i just remind myself its only for another 2 months now. i kinda think of it like a jail sentence. i am in jail and in 2 months i will be *let out* and so in the meantime i might aswell do *something* i.e work on my thesis to past the time.

my friends and family are strict with me and dont let me go off the rails and keeping a close eye on me so that i really do work on my thesis. i think it helps having the emotional support!

but you working full time AND having to write your thesis. i know how hard that is! when i used to work full time, i was so tired from my RA job projects and then my phd experiments, that by the time i got home which was usually quite late! i had barely enough energy to have dinner and then hit the sack to get up again in the morning. its just really hard. so i hear ya!!!

I worked fulltime and did my PhD at the same time for the first two years. It was hard, but it did keep me very focused, shall we say! I made sure I stuck to my workplans, and produced...sometimes I had to find strategies of what would work, like writing in the local coffeeshop, going to the library for a change of pace, and sometimes just not working on something for a day because of exhaustion! It did not do wonders for my social life to have this load, but understanding friends would meet me for lunch or a coffee break, or occasionally drag me out for an evening of chat and beer!

Its hard to work and do the PhD--but its doable. I think that 4-6 hours of PhD level thinking is the max my brain can do on any day, whether or not I was at work that day...so if you think about it, a few good hours each day, with more on the weekend if you have the time, is about what you might do without a job!

I am not working full time now, and while I think my work has improved, I also waste my time than before....because its there. I try to keep focused on an achievable work schedule and work plan...and just keep typing and reading!!!

"I think that 4-6 hours of PhD level thinking is the max my brain can do on any day"

I find this too. If I work intensely for about 6 hrs, my brain really doesn't want to work after that time. I sometimes fear I'll be the same way when I start full-time employment again, but then I realise how easier 'normal' work can be compared to sitting & pouring over a PhD.

Thanks guys, its good to hear how everyone is managing, its impossible to lead a 'normal' life and write up!

Olivia, I'm so relieved to hear that 4-6hr a day with extra at the weekend is probably the max your brain can handle, I totally agree with that!

Lara, well done for being so strict with yourself! your diary is great inspiration also.

Ang

I agree on the 4-6 hours. If I think about it, that's all I'd really do at work if you include tea breaks and lunches,desk-to-desk chatting and email checking or filing or other non-thinking activities.

Just out of interest, if you're writing up are you not still paying fees and registered as a student? How can you sign on? I'm going into continuation this autumn, but I've been self-funded the whole time so it's really just more of the same for me.

My funding runs out in Oct and I'm hoping to submit by Xmas - but I expect I may be doing some revisions still in the new year. I'll be relying on my husband - not only to support me, but to continue to pay for childcare 3 days/week. If we cut that, it will take even longer and she is used to it now. So some days I have a working day (8-9 hours), sometimes eveings, and most/part of Sat. If I'm not in the mood for anything too demanding or had enough of that level I do the more mundane stuff like tables, figures, appendices, sorting references etc.