I made another post a couple of weeks ago, but the feedback from that was that I needed a different title so I wasn't ignored. I've read a lot of posts on this site and they've helped me keep going but very few solve my immediate problem.

I have about a year left to get results, having just entered 3rd year (I'm in the sciences, by the way). I've read a lot and I understand the theory well but my experimental work is a bit of a mess. I have a few results but it doesn't feel like enough or high quality enough. I'm not particularly efficient and I make a lot of plans but they never get done, or I change my mind. I'm struggling to see how I can do enough to complete a thesis. I don't have any papers yet either.

Maybe someone has had similar problems, how can I make a long term plan for the coming year and stick to it?

Ok, lets start from the beginning. Your feelings are normally not the best measurement to decide whats enough or not - at least thats what I have experienced in 9 out of 10 students. Any input from your supervisor? Normally they start to panic if their students have nearly no data at the beginning of year three.

Since you have no papers yet I assume that you won't go down the route of phD by publication (the favoured way at my university) - so its time to think about your phD like a story that you want to tell. What experiments do you need AT LEAST to tell a cohesive story? If you can identify your key experiments, your one step further because then you can start to plan them accordingly.

You said you make a lot of plans but get them never done. Whats the problem? Too ambitious? Not enough time? Get distracted by the shiny experiment next door? Too much caffee with the other students? ;-) Figure out whats hindering you there and you can start to change that habit.

From the planning point of view I would suggest - as soon as you have identified what experiments you ABSOLUTLEY need - to break them down in smaller chunks. Normally its very difficult to estimate the amount of time that would be needed for a huge experiment (for example: one of mine takes around 3 months from starting cell culture to harvesting tissue). But small tasks (thaw the cells, passage them, do a staining) are easier to handle - these you can schedule into your week and hold yourself accountable if you don't finish them in time ;-)

Edit: Ah, I see I have already given you that advice - sorry for that. :-(

I'm not in science, but if you're really as behind as what you say you are it sounds to me like you're in trouble. Talk to your sup, do what Rina says, and for God's sake get in the lab and do some work. Good luck.