I wouldn't worry about the amount of hours that you work.
Sometimes you can sit in front of the computer for a whole day and achieve nothing and some other days you may do a huge amount of work in just 3 hours....
I would say that if you meet your daily targets it's OK....but your targets have to be logical!!!!!!
Good luck!

They have read the papers that I have published (on an area different than my PhD though) and I had the feeling that they didn't understand them!!!! But they were (and are) very proud of me.
I wish that they could also read what I am doing for my PhD, but since it is in English and their language knowledge is very limited, this is almost impossible! My mum also is very sad every time I present something at a conference, because she can't attend it and she can't watch me, but I always breing her back a lot of comforting photos of me (she has several lbus full of my photos!!!!)

Thanks!!!! I needed the encouragement :p

Normally, this is good news.
But I found out about it just today, and the conference is in a week.
I don't know if I have enough time to make a good power-point presentation, or at least as good as I'd like it to be...
I am frustrated, as it is national conference in an area that interests me (not my mail area of study) and a lot of important people are participating, people that I would like to have a good impression about me.....

I am so frustrated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-s:-s:-s:-s:-s

Well, yes. It's not the same, because I couldn't apply for a funded PhD for several reasons.
1. I couldn't leave my country due to family reasons
2. There were no funding opportunities when I applied (and I think there aren't any still)
3. I couldn't leave my work, as it is a permanent one and in the current economic climate it is difficult to get another one....
But, despite all these, I decided to embark on my PhD, to work really hard for it and pay all the expenses myself (even my expenses here in my country)!
It is difficult, but I will say it again, if you want it...then go for it!

I don't want to believe that you weren't successful because of your colour.... I guess there was some other reason (like an internal applicant or something else)....
I am female, not British and I had no problems in finding a PhD.
As far as your question, I am PT and I work FT in my country. It is difficult, but it is doable. I work 7 hours every day and 4-5 more on my PhD.
I am in my second year and I have finished my litterature review (well a first draft of it), my research and my first analysis.
If you want it...you can do it!

I have 652 references, but I don't include books and book chapters (don't aski why, because I don't know why!!)

Hi Phoebe!
As you have said every project is different and every person is different with a different pace and working habbits.
I am also doing a PhD in humanities (PT) and I am in my second year now.
During my first year, I prepared an official proposal (that took about 6 months), I defined my methodology, read around my subject (as there are so many things that I had never thought of and didn't know about), applied for an official research permission in my country (I obtained it after 7 months!!!!!!), I wrote my literature review, I did my pilot research (without the official permission....) and I presented my findings at an international conference....
It was a lot, as I am also working full time and I live at another country.... But, this year I have slowed down, because I realised that I couldn't work 17 or 18 hours a day. So, I'd rather take one more year to complete my PhD that have problems with my health...
Don't worry. As I said before everyone is different and works in a different way. As long as you have something to present at the end of your first year and as long as you feel OK with your progress (I know this is difficult!!!!) then you will be OK!

GOOD LUCK!!!

I saw at another post that you come from Greece, right?
Be careful when you serach for distance learning courses about the DOATAP (Greek NARIC requirements)! You can see them on DOATAP webpage...

I received it!
Thank you again!!!
What a wonderful online community!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-)

Thank you satchi!!!!
I have sent you a pm!!!

Does anybody have access to this paper?

Athanasoula-Reppa, Anastasia, Lazaridou, Angeliki (2008) Requirements, Roles, and Challenges of the Principalship in Greece and Cyprus. European Education Vol. 40 Issue 3, p65-88

My university has access to the journal, but I can't open the pdf....:-( :-(

I had a similar(?) problem with my flatmate when I was doing my first master. We were in the same course and that made things a bit more difficult.
We had different working patterns (e.g. I was studying what I thought were the most important parts of a book, and she read it all) which meant that I was always finishing my work earlier than her, leaving me time to do other stuff. That was making her very angry, and was saying really bad things to me...
I also had my bf there, while hers was away, and that made her really jealous! She even told me once as I was sitting in the kitchen that I was offending her and that when her bf had been there they respected us and he hadn't even come to the house, let alone eat there!!!!!!!

My reply always was "Good for you!!!! or "Maybe I am cleverer!!!!!" (he last one was very harsh I know!!!!!!)

Maybe you could say something similar! In your case it could be "Good for you! You are so clever! I am so stupid!!!!" If she is a little clever, she will fell the irony and stop.... Perhaps!

I have a very well "trained" cat!!!!
When I am working on my desktop. she sits next to the printer and just looks at me! And when I am reading on the couch, she just sleeps next to me, touching me!!!
However, every time I visit my mum with my cat, she doesn't want me to even touch a book, and she starts biting it!!!

Sorry I can't help you....
This is what I did when I started studying for my first master.... Since then I did a second master and now I am in my second year of a PT PhD... During all these years, as I am living andworking in anothre country, this is what I have been doing to improve my english and to start writing more "academically"!