I have never felt so tired in my whole life and I am a sportswoman. I am analysing day in and day out, preparing for a presentation on the 1st/9th. Then, it is onto re-analyzing as I am still collecting data, then onto the write-up, preparing for another presentation in the USA in April, then finishing off by 31/05. This is a crazy, manic workload and I can see the end of the tunnel but what a ride still to go. Who is also here now or has been here, what helps keep you going? I have thought of buying something online and registering as 'Dr' PinkNeuron just to see it in print and then framing it to keep me going these last 10 months!

I have 8 months to go, though my thesis is almost totally written. But I'm finishing off some more research to plug in to fill a gap, and have things to sort out. Plus I'm part-time, and seriously ill long-term, so only have a few good hours each week to work on this PhD.

I'm finding the last few months hard, especially as the pressure builds. This is despite me having a nearly completed thesis. I'm just trying to keep pushing myself (within my limits), remember my deadline, and keep going. It's very hard though - I'd really like to take an extended break!

I also find it helps not to think about the bigger picture so much as lots of smaller goals to work through. And to-do lists really help me keep cracking on.

Good luck!

Hi PinkNeuron

I have 8 months to go and like you, an awful amount of work to get through. Two conference presentations, a major journal article to write, and I've only done drafts of 3 chapters, out of a total of 12 (I have a lot of field work to detail). My supervisor has suggested I get an extension, but I'm determined to finish this by the end of March - I want to move on to the next stage of my life!! It is this wanting to move on, and sheer fear and impending panic which keeps me going! I'm planning to have a first draft of everything written in 3 months, so I can then start revising.

I've been really moody lately, which I put down to the pressure of writing up, but I am determined. Keep going! We'll all finish soonish!

At least I don't have a viva - just have to write the bloody thing, then submit, then wait months for the examiners' comments to come back, then changes, then more waiting, and so hopefully by the end of next year will be all done! ...sigh...

As an aside, have noticed that I've written so much in the last 3 1/2 years that the letters on my keyboard have rubbed off...

ah the final stretch...
it is in sight for me too. i just counted on my fingers (humanities...) how many months left and a jolt of fear went through my body. 6! 7! I'm working on securing that 7th month for myself but it is still unclear. I have 2 draft chapters, 1 to go and 1 to rewrite plus intro and conclusion.

In the last month, I've had two different people say to me: Finishing in February, eh? Sure that's loads of time. AND Finishing in February, eh? God, that's right around the corner!

Aah! It is in sight but what an action packed route it will be, finishing drafts, submitting and correcting and then the dread public defence.

My motivation is at an all time low and even though I know I have so much to do still, I've spent the last few days making lists and trying to tick stuff off them, but have not really done the serious work I need to do. Today though, I decided that I was wasting time by thinking about how I don't really want to work at all. The new motto is Work like an intellectual horse for the next month and finish a draft of Ch 3--then I can go on 3 weeks holiday and come back rejuvenated and ready to round it all off.

That said, trying to dupe myself into hard work with verve is hard going. I want to enjoy what I'm doing again and just can't seem to get in the groove. Any tips on keeping motivation up would be much appreciated. I definitely want to finish this thing and move on to the next thing. There's not a bit in me that wants to quit, I just want it to be over with and have done it well.

Hmm, think I might be ready to do some real work now! Good luck everybody!

For me it was thinking that if I didn't finish and submit then all my long hours of fieldwork and all the time given by my interviewees would be wasted, as the data would never get used. At the moment I have 41 days til submission so I just think "in 41 days it will all be over"! Also I went shopping for a viva outfit...not strictly necessary ;-) but it did make it feel a bit more real.

Good luck - plough on, and the time does pass, I promise!

I'm also aiming for a march 2010 deadline, and also have "The Fear". Just trying to wrap up my first chapter by the end of July. Deadlines deadlines deadlines helps. I have been doing lots of planning of how things will plan out - I have a table of chapter progress with a column for each phase; data collection, analysis, chapter outline, first draft etc... Every two weeks or so I will reprint to see whether I've met the deadlines in each cell. I also have a week by week plan for the next few months. It's all a bit flexible but helps (although does make me sound rather anally retentive!).
Today I feel rubbish and haven't got much done... :o( very sleepy
It helps to think of things I;ve succeeded at before - a flick through my masters and reminder of what a slog that was helps.
I have mental list of things for the "after phd life" ... have an income, visit friends, go exciting places (and getting plane tickets with Dr Cakegirl on...), do exciting things... it helps to dream!

I've made a mental decision that I will try to be positive and enjoy these last few months. I'm sure I'll miss this part of my life when it's gone - for all the reasons people are listing on the positive thread. Yep it's a mammoth task, but it's my mammoth and soon I'll be choosing colours for my thesis cover.

Re viva outfit - good thinking, I have been discussing graduation outfits with my Mum - advanced planning retail therapy!

Hi Cakegirl,

You sound like you're in the same boat as me - March will be too soon but not soon enough!!

It really is The Fear which keeps me going at the moment. And reminders all around the place. I'm counting down the months on my screensaver, I have a detailed monthly plan on my wall, and am just about to put up no.s 1-12 (as I have to do 12 chapters - lucky me) and then take great delight in crossing each of them off as I do the first draft, then revisions etc.

And rewards. Coffee and chocolate when I finish this section, wine with dinner on a Friday after a long week. Week-end away once the first draft's done. Walks in the sunshine with the dog.

Well, study hard everyone!

Ahh well, my system failed miserably today. I wrote about 1000 words - mostly copying and pasting, and spent a lot of time day dreaming, feeling guilty, and just sitting here. I'm so tired I wonder if I'm ill. Just can't seem to muster up the energy. Doesn't help that I'm not actually doing my thesis, but doing my paid RA job instead. When I started this PhD, I'd spring out of bed at 5.30am, do a couple of hours work, then head off to my paid job, then come home and work a bit more. Am trying to summon up that energy, but failing!

Am off for a beer and giving up for the evening. Tomorrow I might go to library, change of scenery and some student atmosphere might be what I need...

...have a more productive day than I've had!

Hi Sue - well I've never managed to spring out of bed at 5:30am but that's just me! However, I did used to work later into the evening and that just wears me out too much now. I think it's a bit of getting older and needing to respect my body's needs as much as my thesis needs.
I am assuming that you're in a different timezone to me (UK) as it says you've gone to the pub at 9:30am...although, with a phd, stranger things have happened...
Good to hear someone else is a planner like me. My supervisor gave me some advice a while ago - if the writing isn't flowing, give up, go and do something else rather than sticking at it when it isn't going to happen. I've heard this advice on here before, but there's something about hearing it from my supervisor which makes it more real!
Anyway...back to it. I am determined to finish this chapter by the end of tomorrow...

Yes indeedy Cakegirl, am in a different time zone - I think I'm about 9hrs ahead. So my pub time is your brekky. And you're right about getting older too - just don't have the energy I had when I started this PhD, and that was only 3 1/2 years ago.

Went to the pub, complained about the thesis, that's my fun for the evening!

Thanks for the replies. It really does help to know you are not alone out in the finishing off wilderness. You all sound much further than I am but I guess our projects are probably so different from each other's too!. I am glad for the deadlines of conferences. I actually booked and paid for my hotel next April to keep me going! My analysis is HUGE, I am using two stats packages right now that I have never used before and two that I have, scrolling down 22000 lines of data to trim just seems so mind numbing at times and I have to do this 9 times but I am on number 6!. I have started to do chunks, walk away, entertain and feed the children (who are on holiday but wondering why Mum is cramming over the laptop muttering sweet nothings most of the time). I keep thinking about the great holiday I will have next July/August before I start my postdoc on my project.
Ok, I can do this. Good Luck everyone, stay in touch.......we can do this.

Basically the knowledge that I am closer to the end than I am to the start! A PhD was once descrbed to me as an endurance test which prtetty much summs it up!!!! I am looking forward to a nice holiday once i'm all done! Good luck!

I was having a look at the famous Bolker book (well, one online chapter), and she's recommended that PhDers set themselves a goal of writing a certain no. of pages a day, rather than going by hours, as that can lead to clock watching, daydreaming etc. All of which I can relate to at the moment!

So, I need to write the first draft of my thesis in 3 months - I've done bits of it already - and have worked out that as long as I write a minimum of 3 new pages a day, about 1500 words, I'll get the draft done in 3 months. I can do that!! And that also allows for some redrafting along the way.

That's my new strategy - 3 piffling pages a day!! Right, that mantra is going up on my wall, next to the list of chapter no.s I can cross off as I do them...

I was having a look at the famous Bolker book (well, one online chapter), and she's recommended that PhDers set themselves a goal of writing a certain no. of pages a day, rather than going by hours, as that can lead to clock watching, daydreaming etc. All of which I can relate to at the moment!

So, I need to write the first draft of my thesis in 3 months - I've done bits of it already - and have worked out that as long as I write a minimum of 3 new pages a day, about 1500 words, I'll get the draft done in 3 months. I can do that!! And that also allows for some redrafting along the way.

That's my new strategy - 3 piffling pages a day!! Right, that mantra is going up on my wall, next to the list of chapter no.s I can cross off as I do them...

Greetings to everyone in their final year.

I have 6 months left and i must confess that fear is now driving me to get up every morning. last week, the penny finally dropped and I cried. just a sense of being overwhelmed by so much to do with so little time. The worst part is that everything appears to be everywhere and i am just in a state.
like Sue2604,  I have set myself a deadline - first draft needs to be done in the next 3 months. So far, i have been writing between 1800 - 1400 words per day... i tend to take a break on a Friday or Sunday... as i get these bad headaches working non stop. my back aches like crazy from sitting for endless hours, even though i do stretches here and there. jogging is keeping me somewhat insane. the world around me has completely shut down, don't know what its going to be like when i go back to part time teaching job after the summer holidays. if i was loaded i would give the job up.

here is wishing everyone the best, it can be done and we will triumph(up)