Hi Chickpea and Hugh, thank you for the reply and tips :)

I updated my timeline at the weekend, even if I worked 12 hour days for the next 5 months, I wouldn’t be able to submit by the end of my funding (September), so now I’m trying to focus to complete before Christmas- really don’t want to be writing the thesis in 2017! Also I struggle to work longer than 8 hours, as I stop being productive.

My writing is slowly improving (Feedback from supervisors is no longer about writing style). Plus I will finally be able to submit a paper for publication, which has taken me some time to write (as the methods are so complex).

I find if I work slower, I write better- but it can take me about 3 weeks to finish a draft chapter. The chapters I’m currently working on are the hardest in my thesis, so once I come to the study chapters hopefully I’ll get faster.

I know most focus on a word count or breaking down the number of words to write per day but for now I’m just focusing on getting the chapters done for the two deadlines I have May. I give myself 2/3 sections to work on in a day, often this may involve re-reading my notes or paper sources, to clarify the points I want to make. My supervisors have said for me to get all my chapters done in draft and to resist the urge to start editing when they give me feedback, as this can be done once I have all chapters written. Hence why I don’t think September is feasible for me. Editing can take me weeks- as often I have to re-write chunks.

How are you both manaing the data collection, analysis and writing all at the same time? I also work part time so I have to factor my shifts in. I’m lucky at the moment if 4 days of my week are productive. I’m trying to get this to be 5/6 productive days. On days that I’m struggling with writing and analysis I try to work on my figures and tables and checking my references are up to date etc. I will be scheduling data collection for 2 days per week (hopefully will be done by the end of May).

Hello all,
I’m new to this forum- and think this thread is brilliant, and may just be the motivation and support that I need to get my PhD finished! I am currently in my last year of funding (final payment end of September) completing a health sciences PhD.
I am really struggling on how to write, I feel overwhelmed at the amount there is to do. Recently I’ve been feeling that I won’t be able to finish, let along finish before the end of my funding.
I do have most my data (I have to complete data collection for my last qualitative study- hoping to by the end of May. But I still need to analyse two quantitative studies (data collection already completed), and another short qualitative study (data analysis completed).
I think in total there will be 7 main chapters in my thesis, and I currently have written in full draft one chapter (review chapter), and two half chapters written (introduction, and theoretical methods). I need to have the introduction and theoretical methods chapters written by the middle and of May as I’ve arranged two deadlines for my supervisors to review the chapters. However- these chapters are the hardest, as conceptually they’ve been extremely challenging.
I also have been working on a paper (covering three studies within the PhD) that I will be submitting hopefully by the end of the month. This has taken a lot of my time, as my supervisors are keen that I get this paper published, as there is a lot of interest in the topic. Anything that’s been taken out of the paper I’ve kept aside to include in the chapters.
I’m hoping the study chapters will be easier to write? As there is a formula I can follow (and these chapters will all have a clinical context that I can draw on).
On average how long does it take you all to finish a first draft of a chapter? Do you find that your writing style has improved? How does everyone else stay motivated and get over self –doubt?
Any advice would be appreciated!