Best to build up to it. For example, if you normally can't sleep until 3.30am, go to bed at 3.15 am then after a day or two 3.00am and then 2.45am until you manage to be able to go to bed and sleep at a reasonable hour. It's really about retraining your brain and body to adjust to a time that suits you. Work yourself into good sleeping habits over a period of time, rather than trying a quick fix.

Congratulations! Always good to read such news.

Seriously, contact the CAB or go to the jobs and benefits agency and ask to what, if anything, you're entitled to. It could be that you could get income support or whatever. What about placing an advert on Gumtree or in the University about tutoring or any other work you feel you could do.

You are not allowed to claim JSA if you're registered as a FULL-TIME student. A PART-TIME student may be able to claim depending on their situation and circumstances. Now that you've completed, could you not get registered as part-time? You should definitely ask the jobs and benefits agency to clarify things and to see what, if anything, you can claim.

Hope you get something sorted as it's terrible going without an income.

Hi Guitarman,

Happy Birthday! I've been reading your posts on this thread and think you've your head screwed on. Enjoying life should be everyone's priority. Something I'm only beginning to realise...

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The subject matter is OK, it doesn't rock my world and ideally I'd have loved to have researched an area in line with my interests and research which I feel is actually more important. I'd definitely pack it in if I was expected to be at a desk every day as not only would I have to move quite a distance but it would bore me to tears. I do put the hours in but am allowed to do it in a way that suits me and so if I get bored I just leave it and come back to it another time. I do work though and probably put a good weeks work in. Perhaps I need to chill out a bit more because at least my future doesn't depend on the PhD and the working conditions are good.

Hi heifer,

Thanks for your response. My supervisors as people are lovely but as supervisors I don't rate them and feel mostly because of them sufficient progress hasn't been made. I have no real interest in the PhD, feel detached from the subject matter but do work on it. If it wasn't for my supervisors I'd be happy to complete and I am happy to go on but I think the project is in some ways weak and they haven't taken on board my concerns. I don't want to fail even though my future doesn't depend on the PhD. I can't change supervisors and they are lovely and I wouldn't want to offend them anyway. I can't even opt to finish with an MPhil because things have been so slow going I'd have to fund some of it myself to even get an MPhil and I'm not prepared to do that. I think for the sake of an extra year I'll complete and then move on and retrain. However, if the PhD can't be completed in time it'll not be down to me and I'll need to move on.

I just can't go into more detail. Thanks for responding and not judging.

Strangely enough I couldn't get a job which is why I ended up doing a PhD. While I get your point, I could easily stick with this PhD but have genuine concerns about the way it is going and I fear, through no fault of my own, that it may not result in a PhD anyway.

Sorry but I didn't find your post very helpful.

I'm currently doing a PhD but have no real interest in it (took it as an act of desperation) and don't feel it will take me anywhere as I've no interest in lecturing or depending on research contracts and having to move around for the rest of my working life. I could stick it out and motivation is not a problem but through no fault of my own it's going badly anyway. I would like to retrain but this would involve going back to University. This wouldn't be a problem as such but I want to apply now and if I get a place quit the PhD. I think a problem could be if I declare I'm doing a PhD I'll not get offered a place on the course I'd like to do and I don't want to quit the PhD until I've a place lined up. The University I'd like to apply to is close to the University I'm currently studying at and there's some possibility the staff might know each other.

Any advice?

Guitarman,

I'm very happy for you and this is one of those posts that has cheered me up! You made a decision that wasn't easy to make and in very difficult times (during the credit crunch) but it looks as though it has paid off!

All good wishes!

Hi Magictime,

Hope everything goes well for you. Can totally understand your apprehension and don't envy you but try to think about the end result.

Take care,

D

Normally you can apply for positions and ask that referees not be contacted until after the interview. After the interview, potential employers normally decide whether or not they feel it worthwhile to obtain references on the basis of how the interview went. You shouldn't really need to tell your supervisor just yet, you might like to wait and see what develops as a result of the interview. However, if you gave them permission to seek a reference prior to interview that's a different matter.

Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best.