Working all the time

Do any other postgrads feel guilty for not working all the time? I've been out of education for a few years, and am not used to being able to take a break when I have piles of work hanging over me. I used to do it no problem, but now I feel bad, especially because I'm on a scholarship and feel like I have to earn it. It's sort of crazy, because I'd never take a job where I had to work all day, 7 days a week, but that's what I feel I should be doing now. I can't relax on a shopping trip or having pints knowing that I have 3 chapters of reading, 2 assignments and a presentation to prepare! Logically, I know I could work until say, 2pm on a Saturday and take the rest of the day off, but I'm really hard on myself. Rather than focusing on what I've achieved, I focus on what I still need to do. Does anyone have any advice?

Leopardi

[quote=[Deleted User];62589748]Do any other postgrads feel guilty for not working all the time? I've been out of education for a few years, and am not used to being able to take a break when I have piles of work hanging over me. I used to do it no problem, but now I feel bad, especially because I'm on a scholarship and feel like I have to earn it. It's sort of crazy, because I'd never take a job where I had to work all day, 7 days a week, but that's what I feel I should be doing now. I can't relax on a shopping trip or having pints knowing that I have 3 chapters of reading, 2 assignments and a presentation to prepare! Logically, I know I could work until say, 2pm on a Saturday and take the rest of the day off, but I'm really hard on myself. Rather than focusing on what I've achieved, I focus on what I still need to do. Does anyone have any advice?[/quote]

I know exactly what you mean. I'm never free from a feeling of guilt regarding my research duties. Regardless of how much I do, I always feel I should do more.

Medievalist

I think it's so easy to become obsessed with it. When I get home from college I have dinner, and then I'm off researching papers and reading. I get up in the morning thinking about it and it's the last thing I think about when I'm going to sleep.

I think it is very important though to take a break. Have coffee, go for pints, and force yourself to think about something else. I usually ask my friends all about their lives because mine only seems to be rotating around the topic I'm working on!

God, that all sounds so sad!:o

It just never seems to be enough, especially with the reading. There's always a reference to another book and another book and another book - I'm really interested in my subject, but I can't read everything! I always compare myself to other people as well, as my classmates always seem to be in the library (I know this is silly, as they probably think the same about me). As soon as I've finished one bit of reading, there's another one. Just feels like I never, ever get a break. I didn't feel like this at all during undergrad. I'm not even doing a research degree, it's supposed to be taught, but there's only 5 hours a week contact time, so it's just reading and writing essays.

How long do you guys spend studying per day/week? How do you organise your time? I'm thinking of making 'rules' for myself like one day a week without anything college related, or not working past 9pm.

Medievalist

I think one day a week completely away from anything college related is the best idea. I've tried the whole 'I'll only read til such a time...' trick, but it never works. I just end up lazily googling and searching through sources into the wee small hours...not getting anything done but ending up exhausted.

Halloween is a good excuse to take a break! A couple of hours a day making your costume and then a whole night of partying. Can't wait!

djpbarry

[quote=[Deleted User];62589748]Do any other postgrads feel guilty for not working all the time? [/QUOTE] I know what you mean – I’m writing up my thesis at the moment and I feel a bit guilty every time I take a wee breather (like right now, for example!).
[quote=[Deleted User];62604088]It just never seems to be enough, especially with the reading. There's always a reference to another book and another book and another book - I'm really interested in my subject, but I can't read everything! [/quote] And you’re not expected to. It’s impossible to cover absolutely everything – you have to draw a line under your research at some point. Once you have sufficient references in the literature to justify your own work, then you should be ok. Apart from anything else, if you spend your whole time reading other people’s work, your thesis is going to consist of a huge literature review and a giant bibliography, but very little of your own original work.

Ostrom

Never goes away. Im into my third year, always feels as if i haven't even started yet