How not to do a PhD

fits

Well here I am, 4.5 years into mine. All the experimental work is done, but can I get down to the writing up? Nope!
Had a few personal problems in the second half of 2005 which I spent all last year getting over... I got out of the habit of working. Had a good start in January this year and did a good bit of work, but again, took a few knocks in February that have really upset me and I'm back to square one.
I think I'm going to end up in an asylum if this continues although I've managed to stay sane and sensible so far. As for entering the real world, sometimes I feel like I'm going to be stuck in limbo land forever.

A good ol moan and a whine there...

Basically, all I have to do, is tidy up one paper (a days work), finish another (probably two weeks work in that), write a technical note (another two weeks) give another two weeks for tidying up... and then lit review, introduction and conclusion book form... ( I have one paper published already) Easy as... but the whole prospect fills me with fear and panic...

r3nu4l

As Nike used to say...

Just Do It

Seriously, lock yourself away in a room somewhere with no TV, no radio, preferably no internet (hard I know), a computer, your papers and coffee.

Sit down and write!

I was lucky my internal PhD examiner was retiring at teh end of the academic year so I was working in the lab and my supervisor called me and said, "You've six weeks to write your thesis" :eek: :eek:

I woke every morning at 7, sat at the computer at 8, wrote all day , stopping for lunch, and breaks and then back to it until dinner, then back at it until after midnight, bed, up at 7 the next day...

I got it done.

My point is that actually sitting down and doing it is hugely therapeutic, frustrating at times but very worth it as you watch it all come together in fornt of your eyes. You'll be amazed at what you write once you get 'in the zone'

Go for it dude

fits

Yup that was the intention in January, and I've set it up. I'm living on my own now Mon-Friday in Dublin, close to my office, and it went well initially.
A couple of personal knocks in the last six weeks though. Just have to start again I guess and forget about it.
Just got a serious rap on the knuckles from my supervisor.

r3nu4l

fits wrote:

Yup that was the intention in January, and I've set it up. I'm living on my own now Mon-Friday in Dublin, close to my office, and it went well initially.
A couple of personal knocks in the last six weeks though. Just have to start again I guess and forget about it.
Just got a serious rap on the knuckles from my supervisor.

I nearly quit my PhD at one stage over losing a girl Glad I didn't, I'd never have met my wife-to-be if I had

Don't worry about the supervisor, rapping you on the knuckles, I think all PhDs have a love-hate relationship with them. Try to put everything behind you and go for it. It can be done despite everything.

My gf took over 1.5 years to write up because she was working and had a very stressful job at the time. She came out on top and so will you. Write, write, write

dudara

Your post pretty much described everything that I went through during the course of my PhD.

I was three years in, with some experimental work done, when I was told that there was no more funding. I had to start working part-time, lecturing in the CIT on a part-time basis as well as doing some shift-work on an assembly line. As you can imagine, all that ate into the time available to me.

Then a personal crisis hit, and I was literally incapacitated for months. It was the worst time of my life. I was paralysed by fear.

But I had kept taking measurements, more out of habit than anything else, and eventually I realised the weatlh of data that I had collected. I did more work in the last 6 months than in the previous years, but it's also the work of which I am proudest. I got a prestigious publication from it, and the day that I graduated in my red robes was the proudest day of my life. I had weathered a professional and personal crisis and came through it.

In a way, you're also probably worried about the future and making the transition from the nice insular academic world to the real world. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that was the case. But we've all done it. And nothing in the real world will ever be as hard as your PhD. Remember that!

fits

Well done Dudara and r3nu4l. Fair play to you both for getting through it and getting things done. And thanks for the advice.
Its really been two years now since I've been functioning properly and I really think I should have gotten out of that rut by now, but keep getting sucked back in. I've no money naturally and the isolation aspect of the research doesnt help me either.
Really feel like I'm f4cking it up royally...

dudara

Being poor and not acheiving anything can really cause a downward spiral. You just get sucked in deeper and deeper.

Make small positive steps everyday, and you'll find yourself snowballing in the opposite direction.

randomname2005

I feel the exact same way, it is really hard to get motivated when you are writing, especially from my point of view I would much prefer to be programming than writing about the programs (Im a CS phd) but stick in there because it will be worth it in the end.

Explain all these things to your supervisor. Although I wouldn't have had the best relationship with my supervisor he is being really supportive when I am writing up. They have been there, have probably helped other students get through and they know exactly how you feel.

R

NextSteps

And set a deadline with the supervisor. It sounds like you could do this in 10 weeks. Book a flight somewhere (maybe to visit a friend abroad) for 1 June, then get to it. Think of the satisfaction when it's finally finished. What an achievement it'll be!

r3nu4l

dudara wrote:

Being poor and not acheiving anything can really cause a downward spiral. You just get sucked in deeper and deeper.

Make small positive steps everyday, and you'll find yourself snowballing in the opposite direction.

Sums it up nicely, small steps every day gets you there in the end Dig in the heels and keep going, don't let anything stop you from achieving your goal.