hello,

am currently working part time, writing up and caring for someone. some weeks are great and i get a lot done. then there are others when my productivity is very low - like now - because of all my other activies.

am hoping to submit in March and don't want to push my deadline any further. is anyone else in this situation? it would be great to just encourage one another on this thread.

I'm in the same boat as you - kids, part-time work, other committments... It's difficult to find enough time for a full-time PhD. Like you, some weeks I do well, especially when I spend a day or two at the university (I live about an hour's drive away). Other weeks I'm lucky if I manage to squeeze in an hour or two per day... Like last week - half term, my mother visiting and I was not feeling well. I find it really quite frustrating sometimes. I long to have whole days available just for PhD work, spending a whole day in the office I have at uni or at the library ... Or having a whole day to myself at home to do some work - bliss! I guess it's all about being super-efficient when you do get time to work. I also try and have smaller (and less demanding) jobs which I can do while there is chaos all around me. Now, for example, I'm sorting through my EndNote reference list while my daughter is trying to make a cake, my son is trying to join in and both are doing their best to aggravate each other as much as possible. Aaaarrrgh!

You're not alone! I have been struggling recently too. On the one hand my research, some teaching and doing course for Teachers in Higher education + home, cooking and dog walking. I think that good organization is the key. It is hard but I noticed that if I look at each day hour by hour and plan it accordingly I tend to get more done and planning in itself gives me some sense of order in my life! Good luck!!(up)

Heya,

I'm in a very similar position at the moment so I know exactly how you feel! I've just started 2nd year and I have a huge amount of work to do, which is great but I just cant get it done with everything else going on! I'm just finishing up my first year progress report and on top of lab work etc I have to supervise a final year undergraduate, plus teaching labs, and I'm writing a paper from research that I did a few years ago, plus extra teaching that I do to get money in and then both of my parents are really sick, one is in hospital and the one has a longer term ilness and is really not well at all so I'm constantly running around the place..And my car is also gobbling up all my money so I have none left and have to keep going to the mechanic.. sorry about the rant, basically I know how you feel!

I did have a bit of a breakdown in October, but I'm handling it ok now, realizing that panicking is not going to get me anywhere! The best thing that I find is to get into some sort of a routine and that has worked well for me so far...

Best of luck with the balancing!:p