Okay so I'm a full time PhD student and I work best at home but I often feel this is often looked down upon from the other PhD students I speak to (who work in the office all week). One of them in particular keeps asking, ' Are you full or part time?' Ha!

Despite their hints, I had only just learned that two of the PhD students didn't start their experiments until year two. I started my PhD in October - I'm data collecting for two experiments and are in the process of planning my third. Clearly I'm doing something right...

But I'm a little stressed today - the task I had planned I'm just not in the frame of mind to do. In fact, I'm just not in the frame of mind to do anything. Which makes me feel guilty. But when I'm like this it's best to just leave it until another day - anything I come out with when I'm like this is just crap. The inspiration isn't there. But it makes me more stressed.

Has anyone else felt like this?

Hi Stephanie

I work at home pretty much all the time as well and really just go to college to show my face, remind them that I'm still around, and of course get a bit of printing and photocopying done;-). Occasionally I have gotten those hilarious (sic) sarcastic comments but as you say, you are ahead in terms of your experiments etc so it's obviously working for you.

Re: dips in motivation, I guess that is the one down side of home-working as there is nobody to see if you don't do anything. Even the pressure of others been able to see what's up on your screen can be a bit of a push ti keep at it. However, I don't really think anyone really takes heed of what other people are up to. What I do when it's just not happening is try to get on with some more admin/mundane type work, even it's a bit of filing. Some days it's like that and sometimes the more you fight it, the worse it gets. However, that is the beauty of the PhD, very few of us put in a 9-5 day EVERYDAY. So if you want to go for a walk etc, why not go? You might find you feel refreshed and better able to tackle your work. Just put it down to a slow day. We all have them. I probably have too many of them :-(

A

Hi Stephanie

I agree with everything Ady said. I work on campus 2 days a week and at home the rest of the time, and it is a different way of motivating and organising your work to being on campus every day. Sometimes when I'm on campus I see everyone else sitting quietly at their desks, heads down, and it feels like I'm the only one who struggles to keep motivated. But I also know that the people in my office who work on campus every day spend a lot of time chatting, and sitting around having long lunch breaks, as well as all the times they're head-down working. I really don't think it's that different.

Comparing your own progress to that of other students is always dangerous.... :-) I felt like I was behind schedule for ages because two people who started on the same day as me were already collecting data for scoping studies when I was still doing my lit review, but now the two other students are back to writing methodologies while I'm about to start my main data collection! Everybody else's work always looks more advanced than my own from the outside, I think!

The motivation thing is difficult. Everyone has off days, and I think it's important not to get stressed out by them. The odd day here and there is nothing to worry about at all - it's just human nature to jhave days when we're not as up for it! When I have longer periods like that, though, sometimes it's a sign that I need a break, sometimes it's a sign that I need to think something through a bit more, or that my approach isn't quite working, and sometimes it's a sign that I'm nervous or lack confidence about the next thing I need to do and will do anything at all to avoid getting on with it! I think half the battle is working out why I'm feeling unmotivated (and another big chunk is allowing myself to be occasionally!)

Batfink gets it spot-on :-)

The only note of caution I would add to what I already said is that you say you started in October. I wouldn't 'disappear' altogether, especially in your first year. A lot of it is about perception (unfair as that may be), hense some of the sarky comments. I probably was in more in my first year compared to now, my third year. If I were you I would turn up to seminars etc, even if they are outside your field - even now I go to most of those even though some of them are not really of much interest to me. Occasionally you get a gem and they are also a great chance in your first year to see different presentation styles in action. You can see what you feel works, and what doesn't. Just make sure you have a handy article with you to read ;-) surreptitiously of course!!

I would just try to make sure that even though you are steaming ahead at home, you're still on the radar!!

I rarely go to campus as it is 800 miles away. :p In theory I work from home but I have to leave the house to the childminder so I am in limbo - constantly searching for somewhere conducive to work. I usually work from local libraries but I don't find it very satisfactory and am currently daydreaming about my neighbour offering me free use of her study - not likely to happen though! I don't recommend my way of working as it doesn't work and stresses me out considerably. :-(

Hey Stephanie, I have definitely have felt like this before! I am in a similar situation to you. I spent quite a bit of time in the college in my first year but now in second year I work from home all the time and find I have been much more productive. I found the department I’m in quite bitchy (postgrads, not staff) and also there was no quiet work space in the college. My supervisor knows I work from home and he even encouraged me to do so but still, like you, I face smart comments from other PhD students about how I am never in and that I don't seem to care about the PhD but these comments do tend to come from the gossips so I don't care.
The truth is those making smart remarks to you are probably guessing that you are getting lots of work done at home and are probably even envious that you are disciplined enough to work from home while they spend all day chatting, making tea, and going on long lunches (like others have said).
I understand what others are saying about not disappearing off the radar altogether and so it might be an idea to attend the odd seminar or perhaps there are opportunities to teach in the department and so on but I don't think you have to do this for the whole duration of the PhD. Like I said, I did a lot of this in first year, now I'm working from home, and next year I might go back and involve myself more in the department.
Finally, I think if you’re feeling unmotivated it can be good to just go for a walk, go window shopping (if there are any shops nearby), or do what I do and turn up the music and dance around the room (with the curtains closed ;-)). Then at some stage you just have to sit down and make yourself write something! Seriously, if you do something active it can get the mental juices flowing and you can perhaps work better then.