Hi there.
I am not sure whether it is normal and usual to spend an entire day on elaborating the plot of given data set every day in a week.
Before, I was doing many sets of perturbative calculations using Mathematica, each taking about 3 hours. It took about 4 plus 2 weeks to get the correct expression.
After that, I have been installing and struggling with an unhelpful manual for a week.
Now I got the data, but I should learn how to use another tool that I am completely new to plot multiple graphs.

The point is, I couldn't find these things relevant/helpful in obtaining bits of knowledge in my field. It may make me a more skilled person but I doubt spending the whole days and weeks on those things would help me become a better scholar.

Looking at other people in the office involved in a meaningful calculation and reading multiple papers a day, I certainly could draw a big gap between theirs and mine. I asked one of my friends for an advice, and she told me what I am doing is all about science. But that saying alone didn't assure me completely.

Can anyone comment on whether it is normal or usual to spend one's times on heuristic works not helpful in developing one's knowledge? or Can anyone elaborate my friend's point?

Thank you for the advice, Pjlu. Really, your advice helped me keep sane last night. It will also be very helpful later when i encounter the same situation and especially 1st one is practical step later when i and others whoerver start the academic courses. Fortunately my current advisor allowed me to leave with MS only but also gave me current project. He never bad treats me but very generous and helpful. I hope anyone in my past situation consider any sort of change, as it can break one’s mental and physical health.

I am a 3rd-year phd student and sharing the office with my coworker and a student of my former advisor.
Today i felt a serious anxiety attack when they and one more new student of my former advisor were talking about their research topic which was previously mine but from which i was excluded. i wondered how they could do knowing that i am emotional to that specific topic.
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last year i got that project. However, my advisor didn't know well and the postdoc who led it hasn't come to our country. Moreover, they were lost in the middle and left me with nothing - even a reference. Instead, he slightly scoffed at me saying he was not working on it. i looked for a guide from the postdoc but she was a few weeks off for marriage and didn't help me. i tried a few directions but the advisor dismissed me without even trying. I was his first student and there was no one in the lab to discuss with. 4 months passed with no result. The advisor always treated me bad by comparing me to other students and insulting me which induced my insomnia for more than a year. When the professor told me that i haven't shown him any result showing i can do something, i decided to leave the lab with MS. Then he excluded me from the project didn't allow me to review it. But afterwards they set a direction and his two new students followed it. The advisor didn't pass my MS and i changed the supervisor to current pf.
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i hoped they can't publish. i envied them having colleagues to discuss with and nice guides from advisor and postdoc - papers, discussion, etc. Insomnia rebooted again these days and i'm worried that the bad lucks will follow me in every step in the future, too. How can i deal with such a conversation and a reminder of hard times? i know they are kind but can't stand it as anxiety attack is so heavy.