I forgot to add- it was 80-90+ % humidity. Dust was never an issue, we were living 20 metres from the sea......

I took my Toshiba Tecra laptop on some pretty hardcore fieldwork in the tropics (having a laptop was a neccessity) and it survived fine, even while running off some pretty intermitent and dodgy solar panels (mind you, patops don't particuarly like solar power if thats an issue, i got a few odd static shocks from mine). Still, its 3 and a half years old now, and 2 years since i took it on fieldwork and its on its last legs. My collegue took his sony Vaio and it seemed to be ok also.

Hey- haven't posted in ages- but thats because I've been ill :(
I'm going to add another to the 'check with the doctor' pile. I guess you know its almost certainly just the effects of writing up which are making you feel crappy, but I waited ages after feeling rubbish to finally go to the doctors, pushing myself to work despite wanting to crawl into bed- then , 2 months into my fourth year, I was diagnosed with CFS/ME (or at least no one really knows so thats what they're all calling it) and i'm only working part time trying to write up so I can finally take some time off to try and get better. If I'd have known the importance of pacing myself and not ignoring that my body was trying to tell me it was fryed and had enough, then I think i probably wouldnt be feeling so bad now (and who knows, maybe would have finished). So im in no way saying that I think theres anything wrong with you other than Writing Up syndrome, but it doesnt hurt to check. And maybe have a break whith tea and cake every now and again :)

thats quite scary- It is a bit of a worry that there might be something else going on I don't know about. Bilbo- How did you finally manage to get a proper diagnosis?

i kept going back, they did loads of blood tests, everything came back normal, but I was at my wits end- I ended up going to the duty doctor in tears because I couldnt believe how tired I was.It was only then they started taking it seriously and that it wasnt just stress (although stress makes it worse).
I got flu about 18 months ago, never really got better, and just got gradually more and more ill the more I tried to battle on through. Everyone says the key is pacing yourself and giving yourself plenty of time to rest, but thats easier said than done when your trying to finish your phd.

Hi,
I can sympathise completly. At the moment I'm trying to write up, but I have been diagnosed with CFS/M.E. If I allowed myself to I would sleep constantly. At the moment I miss a fair few days a week, and most of the time I have to work at home as I get so tired. Its very frustrating- if I have a good day and try and get loads done, I feel rubbish for a week and miss even more time off. I'm trying to learn to pace myself but its very hard.
A lot of people get tiredness from stress etc- but I put off going to the doctor for so long and trying to 'work through it' that I've ended up really messing up my health and having to work very hard to get it back on track. So if you feel this tiredness is interfering with your work- go and see a doctor, get checked out, it could be something really simple like low iron or something- and look after yourself, being tired is your bodies way of asking for a break, so its often a good idea to do what it says:)

well i did some reading on some horrible analysis ive still to do, then started doing something, then about 5 min ago realised i'd just done it all wrong. oops
now im definitly tired.

It's just frustrating- I'm sitting here getting nothing done, I'm tired, as I've not been well for a while, but as I'm not really able to work full time on my phd at the moment due to illness (I reckon i'm doing about 25 hours a week, but feel I should be doing more) three and a half years in, funding quickly running out, time is of the essence- I really can't afford to keep having these days where nothing gets done.

Anyone else fed up of trying to work on a bank holiday?
I say work- I'm not sure i've actually achieved anything yet. I'm not sure I can really blame it on the bank holiday either, I've been feeling pretty fed up the last few weeks. I'm writing up, I have 1 chapter done, editing second chapter and the rest still to be done, cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel, and to top it all I'm suffering from chronic illness which makes it hard to work sometimes. I'm sure the light at the end of the tunnel is getting dimmer.....
This started out as a lighthearted rant about the joys of working a public holiday, and instead turned into something different. Oops. Sorry guys!

yep, having another rubbish day too. Had a bit of a busy weekend, and now feel a bit ill - and have managed to do nothing. I can almost hear the minutes ticking away until my funding runs out but it doesnt seem to motivate me at all. I also seem to have mad moments where I get loads done, then hit a wall and nothing can make me work. It seems everyone I work with just seems to get their head down and work, while I've got less time than them but still faff about...

I'm not sue if it's age, but maybe personality and circumstances. I think nothing of wasting whole days now, when I did my undergraduate finals I lost my mind- I worked every hour I could and then used to get up in the night if I couldnt sleep to work some more. Probably something to do with having a finite deadline and fear of failure. With my PhD, I know I can do it, its just the doing of it takes time and is really boring.....
Proabably done about an hours work today. Think I might give up for the day, its clear it's just not happening...

I know what you mean- the last 3 years have been plagued with lack of motivation, but for some reason recently it seems to have got a bit better. Probably because I've been ill and haven't been able to work that means I'm desperate to get it done. Some weeks its fine, other weeks nothing can stop me wasting time on the internet, finding housework that must be done right away, phoning my mum.......and on and on. Its why I think sometimes its better just to give in if you know your in that mood, but it makes me feel very guilty.

I'm (hopefully) in my last 6 months of my Phd. I've had some health issues, the doctor has told me to take it easy rather than work myself into the ground. Fair enough.
This week I'm not feeling so bad. But I'm having a major lack of motivation. I just can't get started, and very apathetic. Debating whether to just to give up for the week and start fresh on Monday, or whether this is really naughty..When I'm feeling unwell I don't get a lot done, so when I am it feels like I ought to make the most of it.
Anyone else having motivation problems this week?

Yeah could be. Or could be I just really fancy some biscuits. Which could be equally true.

Not really ohd related, but last night I dreamt I came into work and someone had left a big box of biscuits on my desk. Needless to say I was dissapointed when I got to work this morning....