I notice that I have been reading a lot over the last several months, yet have not made much progress regarding the actual research.
Have the feeling that I could read forever, still coming across new things and also finding and getting the literature is time consuming.

How do people do this? When do you say I read enough, do you set deadlines? Or any other means to keep you on track?

I read during my first 4 months, my situation was pretty much like yours (always finding more and more literature to be read...) and last week I had a meeting with my supervisor and told him about my concerns (material growing bigger and bigger and more and more difficult to organize) and he suggested me to set deadlines for this term, including exactly what I would like to read but also what I would like to write. I have done it and I think it will help me working in a more focused way but I don't know how difficult will it be to stick to it because I am a bit chaotic as a researcher and every time I read a paper I find at least 3 new directions to explore!

Thanks Nimrod81

I am considering the same: Setting a tight scheme regarding finishing the reading and starting the writing.
Obviously there is a risk of missing things or assuming things which you may not be able to control (like you research population etc.) yet that's problably part of it (and part of life)

From where are you in Spain?

I set myself deadlines...and then totally ignore them

i find once i have got to the stage when the papers im reading are citing each other as references and hence have read them all basically its time to say leave it for some time. you could easily read forever but have to have a dead line at somepoint.

deadlines are the only way - I work frantically as they approach.

if you don't believe ME, ask fluffymonster (see earlier today!)

I found the same as shelleyanne, when you find the stuff you are reading refers to stuff you have already read you have got to 'literature saturation'. But that isnt likely to happen till towards the end (in my experience).

If you are starting it is vital to get stuck into the doing stuff and to carrry on reading at the same time.