Heya. How do you all manage your time? How do you fit in writing journal articles to do with your PhD, your postdoc work and extra things (eg volunteer work for professional societies)? As well as have a life? After having a break from my Phd I hate working once I get home. How do you all cope? I want to get some teaching work also - how do you fit it all in???

hi there!!! I must say I love your username!!!!!! EATINGELEPHANTS is so so so nice!!!!!

I have to be honest with you; everytime I say or plan to do something in the evening once I get home, I almost always NEVER do it. So the best thing to do is to make the most out of the working time I have in the morning or afternoon.

For example, if I haven't done anything in the morning, I make sure I do something in the afternoon. Or if I haven't worked all day then I will try to do something in the evening (when I get home!) and about 80% of the time, I do this, because my brain or body remembers it hasn't exactly worked yet in the day.

as for writing articles/journals, just take it as part of the phd because then the article(s) become chapter(s) so then after putting together the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, you'll get a complete piece in good time :-)

I teach once a week; and if I am teaching and I try to do my phd work I find that I cannot completely "separate" myself from each; for example rushing back from the lab I would have to "adjust" myself back into phd mode and sometimes its just not possible. So on my teaching day, I do my teaching and after that, next day, go back into Phd mode. For me, that seems better. I am also able to concentrate better.

As for volunteer work, I don't do any now. I also used to have a part time job with the local council, but it was taking too much of me, and I had to give that up.

About having a life, I would say, life goes on, phd or not. So I try to fit it in around; but maybe this is easier for me in the sense that I like being alone, I hardly go out; I like my own space; so I don't find myself missing out on hanging out with friends etc. I think we just have to work around fitting in our phd into our life, well something like that. I may not be the best person to talk about this :p

anyway, that said I think you'll be ok.
love satchi