Thanks for the encouragement Sue2604! Sounds like your writing is coming along very nicely too. Sorry to hear about the job situation though. Hopefully you'll hear something positive really soon. And also hope the family stuff resolves quickly too. It's so hard to work when there's lots of other stuff occupying valuable mind space. The guest lecture sounds very exciting indeed! It's got to feel awfully nice to have your work valued enough that you're the expert person they bring in! Woohoo!

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Like Montezuma I'm also a late comer, although I've been lurking in the forum for a few months now.

I've just handed in my 'intention to submit form' listing 31 July as my submission date. Very scary!!! I've completed three drafts of the first six chapters of my thesis so they're basically final now and I'm half-way through the first draft of my last chapter, with an introduction and conclusion still to do, plus the final revision of the whole thing.

I find it so hard to keep motivated, even though the end is in sight. Sometimes I just can't seem to get my brain working no matter how hard I try, which, with just a few months to go, makes my anxiety run rampant, which, in turn, stops my brain from functioning even longer. Vicious cycle ... The last week has been much better though. I keep telling myself that come August this will all be over so I just have to find the reserves to get through till then. Of course, then I get overwhelmed at the thought of what life post-PhD might look like - typical ...

Anyway, back to work. Hope you're all going well out there!