I'm so demotivated, I can't get anything done. There's roughly a year of my PhD left so it's not worth quitting, I'm finishing experiments and starting my write-up in Sept and submitting next spring, but I wish I was finished so I could do something else. I get up in the morning and can't be bothered to start doing proper work, so I end up procrastinating all day. I'm supposed to be writing papers and analysing data but I'm doing more web surfing and drinking coffee. It doesn't help that I'm the only PhD student in my office (the others are foreign distance learning students who are abroad 9 months of the year), so I work without peer support, and I often don't bother to go into the office and usually work from home. It definitely doesn't help that I've made no friends since I moved here almost 3 years ago, and nowadays my life revolves around PhD work and watching tv. I just feel demotivated and bored :( Sorry for moaning, I really don't have anyone else to tell (my supervisor would have a fit, we are strictly professional and she is not good at dealing with personal crises)

Hi Mlis,

I do sympathize with you, I'm in my first year only but I sometimes feel very isolated, as most of the PhD students of my department work from home or from other libraries and I don't see much of them. Is there anyway you can set yourself a schedule for the remaining of your PhD which consists in several small deadlines instead of "the" big deadline of submitting? And then after each deadline you could set yourself a prize or something which keeps you motivated, for example: you have to finish your chapter 1 in 2 months and then you'll go to see your family or friends or have a little break or whatever motivates you.

Hi mlis,

like Nimrod81 I think it is important to get a structure in your day. You could do this by making a scheme, for example until September ,write explicitly the hours and what you are going to do. Start writing small subsections now.
Also like you indicated yourself already social isolation is not a good thing. You may force yourself to get/ keep in contact with others. For example ring up old friends / start sports at a club / drink your coffee in a cafe etc.

Gosh, I really know where you're coming from. So far today I have spent the morning emailing and surfing the web, when I should be writing. It is tough - starting the write up phase is difficult - I'd recommend as the others - structure your day & try to stick to it. Break the day into chunks, and between the chunks reward yourself - and I definately recommend some sort of exercise or fresh air daily - it really helps cheer you up. Join a club or group activity you're likely to enjoy - it not only is a good break from working, but you get to chat to other people (pottery did it for me). As to motivating yourself to write - I find 'freewriting' a big help. Say you want to write a chapter, start by writing anything you can think about what you want to go in it, but don't worry about order or structure, just let the words flow... it really helps to get the ideas flowing. Good luck!

Some great ideas here, which I will take on board. Just a word of reassurance for you, motivation comes and goes. Sometimes you can't get going, other times you're really in the zone. Try the ideas above and see if you can kick start it.

Hi, I too can totally identify. I am also finding it v hard to 'keep going' now that I am in my data analysis and write-up stage. Sometimes I simply cannot get going, but most of the time I just try to be 'strict' with myself. I try to have a reward in mind and think 'if you work for the next 3 hours' or 'if you finish this or that' you can have the reward. Unfortunately mostly my rewards are food, alcohol and cigarettes, so god knows what my health will be like when i finally finish!

Hi Mlis,

I'm writing up to - so you have my sympathies.

You have to 'push through' these moments, otherwise the PhD will never get done. Try thinking 'one word down on paper, one word closer to finishing'. Also, set yourself deadlines for when you want to have chapters written by (i.e. allow a month or two for each chapter), and then take a week off after you've done this (i.e. a 'treat') so you can recharge your batteries. Of course, is absolutely nothing is happening (i.e. you've sat there for hours and not a word is down on paper), go out for a brisk walk and come back to it.

Unfortunately, nobody else can motivate you into getting on with the work - it's all about having to be strict with yourself, disciplined, and just hoping that the sacrifices you make now will pay off in the future!

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. I think my first task should be to set my alarm clock and get up at a set time, and secondly I should get dressed instead of sitting in my pyjamas all day! I'll try setting a stricter schedule for myself, I just find I am so easily distracted at the moment. You're right, I should use some sort of personal reward system, and also do some sort of social activity to break up my week (maybe some type of class). It helps just to know that I'm not the only one experiencing this :)

one more thing - i've been having a down time lately and doing exactly what you've been doing. i don't even hear my alarm clock in the mornings ! i can't be bothered to wake up til noon. i think its because i worked so hard since february, especially in april and may that after submitting my work in may and getting my supervisor's approval, i had a burn out. could be the same thing? i missed a deadline again last week, but am making sure its done by friday so i take a week off and see my parents. yeh! am also using a lot of rewards in between - exercise and shopping etc. don't worry. we'll all get there in the end. its only painful to actually start writing. once you start, it gets easier and more interesting.

Your PhD lives sound so different from mine! I started in September, and I used to spend the majority of the time in the libraries or in my study bedroom rather than my office. Since January, my supervisor has rather insisted that I be around in my own office at all times (pretty much 9 to 5-although I tend to do 8.15-5-30; Mon-Fri). If I'm not in the office, I have to let the secreatries know for their records and for fire safety.

I quite envy the prospect at being in pjs all day and working away from the office.

Having said that, I don't know whether this helps, but being around in the office and socialising/meeting up with researchers/supervisors during the day, definitely improves motivation and focus, as well as getting stuff done in time!