Ho many hrs/day writing-up?

M

I am currently writing up with 2 months to go. usually start at between 4am and 8am (depending on severity of middle-of-the-night blind panic), i work 16 hrs a week too so do that in-between writing and then finish for the evening between 6 and 9pm.
Just wondering what hours other people who are writing up are putting in and whether they too are shattered but also strangely panicked too - who would have thought those two emotions would go together so well!!:-)

A

I'm writing up for the end of June deadline - doing 8.30/9 till 5 Monday till Friday, with weekends mostly off, except when I invigilate on Saturdays to get some extra money, but I don't write on weekends. So far it's fine and there's only occasional bouts of panic - but these are helped greatly with regular yoga classes, I take three every week. Good luck!

R

I'm in the same situation, though a month ahead of you -eek!! I couldn't say how many hours I work on it, but do as much as I can on all the days I'm not physically in my P/T job. I usually start about 8ish and do a few hours, have a break, do a few more etc until dinnertime - 6-7ish. I might do a bit more in the evening, interspersed with another break, unless I'm feeling seriously sleepy... ooh dear, it sounds a really sad old life from that, doesn't it!!! I don't have proper weekends anymore, and any social life I have is seeing people on days I've been at work, so would have been unlikely to do any PhD stuff that evening anyway. I don't work all night or anything like that, as it would make me feel ill and would be counter productive with the rest of the time I've got left. Presumably it will get worse in the final week though! :-)

I'm the same, periods of panic and feeling knackered, and frequently wake up in the night thinking about what I was writing earlier - it's so annoying... WHY doesn't it happen when I'm actually sitting at the computer??? I think I've got to the point where I'm so glad to see the finishing point in the distance that I can keep going with it, so it's not actually making me miserable at the moment, even though I am really tired and stressed. As my sup keeps pointing out, soon I will be FREE if I can just keep going!!!!!!

S

Shattered but strangely panicked here to. I'm due to submit in March :p

I work mainly Wed-Fri when I have proper childcare, about 10-6.30, then usually on and off through dinner and the bedtime saga which is really dragging on these days and I end up ging in every 10 minutes until 9-10 pm which is not very conducive to work. Husband takes her out so I can work on Saturdays. A lunch invite was just cancelled for tomorrow and I was actually glad as it means I can work - how sad is that? So varies a lot - probably 20-25 hours/week although it feels like a lot more!

H

It depends on the chapters. Chps 1&2 took 2months: Lit review and Methods. Chp3 took one month: Data analysis. Chps4 & 5 took three months: Findings and Discussion. Chp6 took three months: Methodological issues. To summarise, it took 9months to write 6 chapters totalling 74,000 words. There remains 2 big chapters and 4 small chps. Once the entire thesis is written, it'll take 2 months to ruthlessly edit what's been written and keep to the wordage of 100,000 words. Doing little chunks everyday is what is required.
Good luck and stay calm. Panic will only result in paralysis and stifles creativity which is so sorely required at this stage of the PhD.

L

AnnieG i'm end of june submission date too! I work weekends 8-4 so and am usually so tired that i just sleep when i come in. i try to work mon-fri about 12 hrs a day, and lately thats been from about 1pm until 3am. I find that i have to have a sleep during the day too (usually about dinner time) - god i sound like an old woman!!

R

Quote From lilliput:

god i sound like an old woman!!


lol Lilliput, I don't think any of us on here sound like dynamic young things about town at the moment, even the younger posters!

L

At the minute I try to get up around ten and be at my desk by 11. Then I try to get a certain number of pages through free thinking if thats what im doing that day. Or if Im working on redrafts etc its long and boring and hateful Ill have a break after a couple of hours and usually keep going till around 7. It depends on what I need done that day.

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