Hi all,
I'm having a really hard time recently, since the first portion of my second year sept/nov I was really productive and now I havent done anything in weeks. I feel there is no point, that I know nothing and that it is an impossible task. I can't seem to find any motivation and I'm worried about it all the time. Does anyone have any advice, please help I'd appreciate it!

Im afraid I dont have any advice but if it makes you feel any better Im feeling the same way. Sometimes think Im going great guns and then seem to spend weeks achieving absolutely nothing. Weve just gotta hang in there I guess!

Sorry you're feeling like that - I'm only in my first year but can totally relate. I've had moments of absolutely loving what I'm doing, but also times of feeling totally lost, that I'm way out of my depth and just can't bring myself to do any work at all! If it at all helps, when I can't motivate myself, I don't try to force it, I take some time off, do other things totally unrelated to work for a wee while and feel much better for it, refreshed and motivated. So maybe taking a litle break to distance yourself from it would help you to feel less overwhelmed?

Yeah I know, I think one of the main problems with a PhD is how lonely an experience it can be. Sometimes we watch our friends in their 'normal' jobs being paid more and having proper off time, where they aren't feeling guilty because they aren't working.I know my lack of self confidence is crippling me, yet I know when I'm motivated I feel much better in myself. Its such an odd experience.Its why forums like this are so wonderful, you think its just you...

I'm in a similar situation with my work lately. I can't use the "just back from holidays and still adjusting to the schedule" excuse any longer. I booked a defense date for my first comprehensive exam a month away (I am Canadian) and that still does NOT panic me to finish writing. I have no idea why I feel this way either. I think the best way to deal with this, is just to take that time off, and hopefully things (panic) will set in after a few days.

I set a rigid schedule for myself, down to the daily tasks that have to be accomplished, and then hold myself to it. No excuses. So it does not matter if I feel like doing it or not, that just never comes into the equation. I have a set of goals for the month, break them down into what should be done for the week, and then figure out what to do every day. I think people get paralyzed from seeing the big and seemingly overwhelming picture, and not breaking the thing down into discrete and manageable tasks. I remember starting my literature review, thinking...ohhhhhhh nooooooooooooooooo...it seemed so overwhelming, and then telling myself, just do it an article at a time. Pick up an article. Read it. Write a synopsis. Move on. I

set a task at the beginning for myself to do an easy three articles a day, and to write about them, and moved along from there...Although we all have different motivators, I think the important thing is to figure out what motivates you, break the work down into a daily task format as you might in a "real job" and hold yourself to it.

you need some inspiration. Are you teaching at all? I taught for the 1st 2 years of my project and found the students and seminars really good for firing me up. What about attending an event or conference? Again going and hearing about something interesting or exciting in your area might put you in a better mind set?