Does anyone here work at home?

I live about 40 miles from my university, I don't go in that often. It can get pretty lonely, but I keep regular contact with my supervisor using email etc. I go in about once or twice a month :-O, usually to see my supervisor and get books out of the library. My uni has excellent access to electronic journals so that see me through most of the time.

Would be interested to hear if anyone else has a similar situation.

Also, does posting on this bulletin board count as 'PhD work'? ;-)

Arghh! Sorry about the bad grammer / English there!

I'm in uni each day because I work there - but most of my PhD work gets done either at home or in the computer lab in the early hours...

I see my sups' on a monthly basis and maybe in the corridor or odd seminar in between.

Hi BigDave

Welcome to the forum. I live about 40 miles from my uni too and go in once or twice a month on a weekend to use the library. I work full-time and study part-time. In my first year I was also in on evenings for core course research modules, so it wasn't too lonely and I got to build up a group of PhD buddies. I'm researching technology in education and semiotics. I try to get in sometimes to interesting seminars as they pop up as well, usually end up meeting like-minded friends. I've also begun to build up a network of email PhD buddies - gets kind of necessary, staves off the loneliness. Good for advice, as well.

I'm planning to do so for next year. Currently I'm living near my uni but have to go about 2 times a week to the archives where the materials I need for my topic are held (that's about 20 miles from home). Next year I'm planning to do the opposite, that is, live near the archives and go to the campus perhaps 1 time per week, to borrow books and see what's around at the department.

I live an hour and a half bus ride from the nearest library AND I'm in a different country to that in which I'm enrolled. I go to the library about twice a week...less than that and I think I'd be struggling. But I really want to start trying to go every other day. My biggest problem is motivation. I'm really behind on everything and still haven't produced a chapter. It's hard being academically isolated. I use Athens sometimes, on days when I just can't be arsed to get on the bus. My supervisor recently blasted me for not getting enough done, so I'm pretty down about that at the moment, and contrary to his wishes have been sitting around watching TV and being full of self-pity!!

Hi BigDave. I live 3-hour train ride away from my University. I go to the uni once every two months to meet one of my supervisors, and I see the other one on her visits to my city. I am fully funded, working from home and I love the freedom I get. I can totally understand the lonely feeling, but I guess the key is not to get trapped by it and extend your research to other people. It sounds like you are already doing the things that would keep you on track and in touch with your supervisor. Good luck with your work. And yes, posting on this forum counts towards our PhDs