procrastination
Unbelievable. The past few months have been spent doing exactly the same things: amending things to do lists so they incorporate the things I haven't done as well as other mounting tasks.
I am struggling with the work at present. Big time. Especially because I think laziness accounts for the lack of motivation rather than the typical "2nd year slump". Ambition has gone out of the window, only to be replaced with dreams of doing absolutely nothing. It's awful.
Any suggestions for overcoming this would be greatly appreciated. Maybe this should begin with not checking blogs repeatedly, playing crappy "copter" games on the internet, msn-ing all sodding day, staring at walls... the usual things. Oh dear, I don't even have anything better to do than work. If I had a cool interest (accents aside - am still working on Clydeside) then the procrastination would be more excusable. I don't even search productively for new interesting bands or read the newspaper anymore. I just click "refresh" on the inbox.
Is this normal? I see people who seem to be working all day everyday, and am amazed at how they do it. Don't they get bored? Or headachey from staring at a computer screen? How can one find interest in a PhD?!
Moon. x
I am struggling with the work at present. Big time. Especially because I think laziness accounts for the lack of motivation rather than the typical "2nd year slump". Ambition has gone out of the window, only to be replaced with dreams of doing absolutely nothing. It's awful.
Any suggestions for overcoming this would be greatly appreciated. Maybe this should begin with not checking blogs repeatedly, playing crappy "copter" games on the internet, msn-ing all sodding day, staring at walls... the usual things. Oh dear, I don't even have anything better to do than work. If I had a cool interest (accents aside - am still working on Clydeside) then the procrastination would be more excusable. I don't even search productively for new interesting bands or read the newspaper anymore. I just click "refresh" on the inbox.
Is this normal? I see people who seem to be working all day everyday, and am amazed at how they do it. Don't they get bored? Or headachey from staring at a computer screen? How can one find interest in a PhD?!
Moon. x
posted by Moon @ 3:08 pm
3 Comments:
At 8:53 pm,
Lord G said…
Here's something to think about... You say that "the laziness accounts for the lack of motivation rather than the typical "2nd year slump".
Who is to say that this isn't what the second year slump is anyway? I'm struggling with procrastination today. In fact, I do often. In all honesty it was an issue in my PhD, and has been since, probably for different reasons. During it (see in my blog writings), it was an issue because of the 'unpleasantness' of the work. If I had a few bob for everytime I hit the refresh button, I'd be richer than a MRC-funded student. After the PhD, I think it is related to the after-effects (the acid-test of fatigue) of doing the shitting thing. I justify it by viewing it as adaptive; I'm conserving resources.
In terms of suggestions... Hmm, well Lord Prestwich of Oldham claims that the new invention of 'implementation intentions' (known as basic goal setting in my day) are the panacea to world problems. However, if you want something less fluffy, then go and sit in the quiet work section of the library where there is no internet-based procrastination available.
Another way to feel better is to actually start writing the PhD. Something that will actually go into it - be it the lit review, or the method sections. Once I started writing it was easier, as it was easy to get scared by the big thing that I hadn't started...
Failing that, add me to messenger so mutual procrastination can prevail..
gazconway@hotmail.com
At 2:21 pm,
Moon said…
Thanks for your kind words, Lord G.
Goal setting problematic in itself, as has been known to take up a full day. It's the accomplishing of the goals that I find troublesome.
However like the idea of writing something up. Currently doing method sections (as results obviously haven't yet been analysed. All in good time. I predict June of year 4).
Think you've identified the problem, though - t'intiweb. But I shall never give it up, never!
You job hunting then?
At 5:25 pm,
Lord G said…
Yes, hunting madly.
Two mottos (so to speak) that made a lot of sense to me when trying to finish the phd....
1) it's easier to change something than start it from scratch.
2) Just do something. If you can't be bothered to do the most intensive things, just do something that will help. Even if it's listing references in Endnote, writing out your skeleton contents page (a fine exercise in itself to help you develop the structure of the thesis), or running boring analyses to be looked at later.
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