Does anyone have any tips for how they get motivated? When I started at the end of last year I managed to put in a decent day's work generally. Maybe it was blind panic propelling me forward! Although the panic is still there now, but my mind seems to spend far too much time being blank and useless! I feel so tired each day even though I'm not even doing anything much, just wasting time. Does anyone have any tried and tested ways of getting out of a slump and over the writer's block? :-(

My tried and tested ways were to draw up lists. Really detailed lists of things I could be getting on with. Don't make them too ambitious like "Write my whole thesis", but make each item in the list quite small and achievable. Then look at the list and start tackling the most appealing item - or least unappealing! Cross things off as you work through them. This will get you moving again, and boost your confidence. And take it from there.

I had to use this technique a lot through my part-time PhD. I have a nasty progressive neurological disease and am knocked out for much of the time. I could have very very long periods where I couldn't do any studying at all. List making helped me get going again, and to make progress, and to get to the end, and pass :)

I feel ya!

I see this thread is a few months old, and I hope you are feeling better now...
I know this feeling, I worked furiously when I first started out.. after 3 months though, I started to slack off, I am not sure why..

then I felt guilty about slacking off, and that led to depression and im taking antidepressants on and off (sounds so cheerful)

Its funny how i feel better when I am productive, but I am not productive unless I feel better! You have to force your way into this circle.. antideps have helped me get out of the rut long enough to be slightly productive, which in turn motivates me to keep going..

I am writing my literature review for a few months, but am painfully overdue.. tools like mytomatoes are very helpful.. I usually give myself a very big reward if I stick with it for 25 min :)

Still deciding what to give myself if I stick to this for the next three years 8-)