Its my own fault. I procrastinate too much and won't just work. But reading and writing is so boring. (I know - just do it and it will be done and I can leave science and get on with my life).

Any other bored, procrastinating thesis writers?

Me! I'm bored of it all too, and find it much more important to sweep the rug than actually work on my thesis. The concept that it will be ready by July is a joke actually, especially as I've only done 20 pages!

hi,

see what you mean, I am reading, and reading and nearly fall asleep. Problably to do with the massive amount of articles without a clear concept or hierarchy.
Have you got a specific taxonomy on how you are preparing or writing?

Not exactly - kinda just keep going and hope that it comes together in the end!! Not a perfect strategy by any means.

I never know when to stop reading papers - there always seems to be one more relevant one. There's no way I will remember the details of them all if I'm ever asked in viva.

I have a thesis plan - but its pretty vague.
At the moment I just decide whats going in a tiny subsections of each chapter and try read that stuff and write something. Generally I hope that I will think of what to do next when I've finished that bit!

Any tips appreciated!

i really hated the thought of getting up this morning to face my thesis again. i can't really say i'm hating it right now, coz i have a clue of my argument, but there are those times when its all too much.

i also have that issue of reading too many papers and trying to put it all down and obviously not remembering much when am writing. i find that if someone asked me about it tho, i'd be able to explain it. my problem is remembering where i saw it.

i've decided to overcome that by incorporating each paper into my thesis as soon as i read it and then sorting the whole mess later. hope that works.

i just submitted some work. am kinda relieved, though its obviously not good work (coz its half done in the way of deep analysis which is only present in the first half). preparing for my sups harsh comments. anyways, the way i see it, its better than nothing.

speaking of boardom, a few things that have helped me having been;

going to the gym, seeing friends, going out...

get away from it for a while. that should renew your strength. i personally take weekends off on a regular basis, except when there is a deadline pending. i find that when i get back to it, i am more productive.

At a meeting last week I was warned by a collaborator that the process of writing up is quite mentally exhausting: he said that you go from thinking that you're a genius to being convinced you're a moron, time and time again. Sounds like fun

Definately understand the genius / moron thing

One minute on top of the world cause you finally understand something, then down again when you either realise you don't after all, or that the next topic you do contradicts all your results!

Well, be reassured that it was a highly respected scientist of some years standing who said this. It must be something that a lot of people go through; doesn't mean you're really a moron