I thought that given it's very easy to get motivated, it might be quite nice to start thinking about things we enjoy about doing a PhD (not necessarily 'for the love of my subject' type things)....
SO I'll set the ball rolling:

1. I love that I can sit at my desk with freshly cut flowers, looking out of the window onto farmland on a beautiful sunny day, drinking a cup of coffee -- and knowing that I can go for a walk in the sun later, at whatever time I want.

The best thing is being able to organise my time and work when my brain's fresh and chillax when it's not! Also I love having access to wonderful libraries and being able read up on any subject I'm interested in, whenever I want, whether it's to do with my PhD or not.

Oh my God Pamplemousse - where are you based? I'm so jealous...xx

Hehe I'm very lucky, we live in a cottage rent-free on my in-laws farm in Bedfordshire. I don't drive so there are disadvantages (i.e. being isolated) but it's lovely to be able to have all this space to go on long walks! We even have a bluebell wood!! Believe me, I realise how fortunate I am -- when I did my undergrad I lived in a series of mice-infested houses in Brixton!!!
My other (and completely different) favourite place to work is the British Library!

Sigh. I'm sat in our office in central London. All I can here is traffic and the constant ring of the phone (or supervisor is obsessive), and all I can see is concrete. Nice.

Its so hard to be stuck in on a day like today!xx

Ohh Pamplemousse I live in Bedfordshire or there abouts (Bletchley).

Hmm nice to have a lie in now and then :), the chance to get out into the fresh air and go for a jog is nice aswell.

Also being a masochist :) nothing beats the torture and turmoil of doing some work that is killing you only in the end to defeat it in a blaze of glory :) *cough* ahem.

For me it is generally in the computer coding part :D

Regards Wolfe

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i like the feeling of being in my own little bubble, where no one (sometimes not even me :p) understands what on earth i am doing! and i don't mean that in a big-headed way, just that my topic is pretty obscure, even to other people in my dept!

I love the way I can spend ages thinking about ideas, sometimes really obscure things like Smoobles said, and they're actually useful for something!! It sort of validates my previously possibly slightly aimless mental meanderings and when other people like them too then it's rather wonderful. If all that turns into a decent career eventually then I'll be a very happy person!

what a lovely idea and thread subject!!!

pamplemousse, i couldnt agree with you more!! i also love the fact i can control my own timetable and if i want to go for a bike ride in the park to enjoy the weather i can, whether i choose to or not, is another matter, but the choice and freedom is there.

i also love the british library too.

i love studying for my phd, because when all the stress and the "if you fail you're life is over" is taken off the table, i actually enjoy studying and learning about biology and making notes. i find it relaxing sitting at my desk with classical music in the background and lovely view of the blue sky and trees out of my window. i love how i can wake up at 11am, and study whenever i want to, and go to bed whenever i want. and i can take a day off and head into town if i so please and work at the weekend instead. i like being in control of my own time. thats the best thing about doing a phd.

I like being able to take a 2 hour lunch break so I can go for a run. And not having to officially book time off work.

Yup, the freedom to arrange your work time as you want is the best thing but working like this is a skill! I know so many people who just wouldn't bother to put the hours in. But I like that I WANT to put the hours in because I am doing what I really want to do.

oh my goodness I suddenly can't think of any!!!! :-)

The feeling of success when you suddenly see you're getting somewhere. And the fact that when I'm ill (like the last two days) I can get on with getting myself better without having to justify it to anyone! By the way, I'm truly envious of your desk: mine is fine but it faces a wall and I spend much of the day looking at the Greek Keyboard Layout diagram pinned to the noticeboard. Oh and if only there were room for flowers...!

Towards the end, being treated like a peer by your supervisor, academics at conferences etc. Not having a mind that goes blank, but that feeling of confidence that you can hold your own and you have something important to contribute.

skimping out on council tax & income tax :-)

I have a beautiful view when sat in my chair, if i arrange myself right all I can see are trees, sky and sun (if I stand up I se the bl##dy great carpark between me and the distant trees mind!)

My favourite thing about doing a phd is that you arrange your own time, come in when I want, leave when I want etc. I can spend an afternoon shopping if I need to (yeah sometimes you do need to shop!) Oh and student discount cards are pretty nice too.