Just come back from a week away with high hopes of feeling refreshed in reinvigorated. Instead, this is week is turning out really badly. I don't know where it's come from but I just feel so depressed and alienated from my work. I did nothing yesterday or the day before and today I have spent 2 and half hours trying to produce a thesis outline and I've got nothing! My question is, how do people get themselves back into the swing of things when they feel like this?
Also, I'll be starting my second year in Oct - I've done around 30 000 words in the form of short essays on a variety of topics (it's an arts PhD) + given one seminar paper and one conference paper. Does this sound on track? I think I'd feel better if I knew that this year had gone okay overall.:-(

I know this feeling well. Usually when i have been away the first week back is a complete write off as I get bugger all done and have to work out the meaning of all my little notes that i left myself before going away! From the sounds of it you sound on track and just going through a post holiday lull, you will probably be fine after the weekend.

When I want to focus my mind back on my work I make lists of things I need to do and then work through it. Then I do the most appealling things on my list first to get back into work mode then once i get started i can tackle the less appealling tasks.

Frankie - give yourself a break ... you are doing brilliantly and it is natural to be feeling the way you do after a week of R&R (although if I were you I'd take another one - we are entitled to four you know!)
Do small tasks i.e. filing, updating Endnote records (if using Endnote) or at this stage in the year, getting your teaching stuff ready for the next term. Even if its drawing out a rough plan for the year ahead in the PhD.
If still feeling guilty about the main task at hand, go away from the PC and go to someplace quiet and jot down your own idea of what you think the PhD outline should be (the library is always a good place outside of term). Use the Insane/Sane approach i.e. jot down whatever thoughts roughly and then sort it out later.
I could be wrong as in a totally different field, but I think you are showing great progress for what is still essentially your first year - I assume that the 30k words is a lit review of sorts and this and the papers will somehow go into the finished article. But progress is an ever moving measure so get back to pace, but as I said before, take your time getting to that pace!
And remember, its Friday, so enjoy the weekend. Sorry for the rambling ... after taking a few days off for a brill gig and had a bit of foreign beer "tasting" at the gaff last night - Duvel is the jazzzzzzz8-)

======= Date Modified 22 Aug 2008 17:02:52 =======
great advice given already,

all i will add is that i feel like that even coming from a 30min break! it takes time for me to get back into it. and usually i just want to bolt from my desk again. but then i set myself a small thing to do. and then start a timer. and tell myself i only have to work for 15minutes and then can take a break. but once i get into it. the 15minutes always leads to an hour. and then i can take a break. but the key is to give yourself just a little thing to do. and then do the next little thing.


and then set an online stop watch: which buzzes once the time has elapsed

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch/


like its already been said, just start off slowly. bit by bit.



and you shouldnt be hard on yourself at all, you've made excellent progress!! for a first year, that's brilliant! (up)