In desperate need of motivation (or a kick up the...) to get back into work. As some may already know, I started my PhD this October after a year out of academia. Aside from finding it hard to get back into the general swing of things at uni after a year (I had no idea it would be this hard to get back into it), my motivation for my research has dipped quite low in the past week or so. I assume from reading other posts that this feeling is only going to get worse the more I do (!) but how do you guys kick yourselves back into it mentally?? Even if it's just a little idea for a pick me up, anything welcome ;)

Whenever I feel a bit rubbish or as if I'm losing a grip/feeling less than confident in my work (quite often), I go back to the original stuff that made me interested in doing the PhD in the first place - looking at the literature that inspired me, then work stuff out from there. Everyone has to do crap stuff as part of their research, but this gives you a bit more focus.
Alternatively, go on a huge bender with your friends, rant against everything you hate, then get them to tell you how crap their office/shop jobs are, and realise why you are doing this in the first place.
Or find someone who thinks you're great - or that your work is great - and harrass them for compliments. I have a friend of a friend I met during a very drunken night in the pub. He told me my research was 'sexy', and he's been a point of reference ever since!

Ask for a deadline from your supervisor. Preferebly a small, achievable, short-term deadline (ie - I will write or do this next week, and email you to to send the writing / report back on how it went by the end of the week). Most supervisors are more than happy to do this, and it is no means an admission of failure on your part. I have it on good authority that the "real" academic world, most academics use conference paper deadlines / writing lectures etc to give them a kick-start with their research.

Yes, it's the old distant deadline syndrome and lack of urgency problem. I'm in my second year and still feel no urgency...yet. The mini-deadlines idea is a good one. Presumably you are attempting to get to grips with the literature right now, so ask your sup for a deadline on particular topic. Perhaps offer to do the research group a presentation on what you've found out and what the gaps in knowledge are. That'll put you under pressure!

Try mapping out some concrete targets for the next three months and then writing a list of what you need to do to achieve them. Then start doing them.

The last few posts have given some really good advice, especially about setting mini deadlines. I think givng a presentation to your supervisor about your literature review after about three months can be extremely benefical. In fact I think it should be compulsary, it probably could of saved my PhD.

It gives your supervisor a chance to test your understanding of the feild in general, gaps in the feild, rational for undertaking the project, experimental methodology, research plan. its basiclly an opportunity for your supervisor to put the boot into you at an early stage rather than waiting till your first year review. that way if you are having any serious problems, you a given a chance to iron them out at an early stage.

Thanks for all the advice everyone! A lack of targets or deadlines is definately a contributing factor to my demotivation... I will feel better once my superviser knows where I stand with the lit. review and all that, and has given me some concrete feedback. Thanks again!

Motivation has always been a problem for me in this PhD, partly because of my supervisor, partly because of the project. I've tried everything to get 're-motivated' and nothing has particularly worked. In fact taking time out made me feel worse because I was worrying about things that I knew had to be done! So I ditched that plan. At the end of the day I've just found that I've had to force myself to get up everyday, get into work at a set time and basically just get my head down. I am pretty miserable at my place but in a funny way it's made me more determined to finish...I'm not going to let those gits grind me down!!
So in a weird way i think I'm a bit more motivated, I've just learnt to live with the misery. Because at the end of the day, doing a PhD is a miserable experience, saps you of everything but the rewards will be there when it's finished.
That's what I try to keep faith in anyway, I've come too far to give it up.