Have you ever reached days, weeks or months even not doing work? : (

Days, weeks....probably months. I struggle with procrastination. I heard about mytomatoes here, working to a timer really helped me to get started with work. Also, accountability helped - make shorter deadlines with your advisor. If your advisor doesn't care, can you ask someone else you respect (and are slightly afraid of!) to help out?

I try my best when I'm away from my girlfriend. It is difficult though when I'm working on a computer connected to the internet with no one around at home. I mean I'm sure she'd be annoyed if she knew. I wouldn't like the idea of her sitting there on her own tou.....

....ah, read the title of the thread wrong there.

Like Furry, I like using the online mytomatoes timer when I'm having trouble getting started. Knowing that I can break in 25 minutes seems to get me going, and then gradually I start to work for longer periods of time. Before the break, the prompt asks "What did you do?" and the shame of responding, "Nothing!" is a great self-regulator.

Making a short checklist of feasible tasks every day also helps. Some people post their checklist here on the "accountability thread."

It also helps to be honest without yourself about the reasons you're procrastinating. Sometimes it's fear of negative feedback from your sup. Sometimes it's fear of having to face the viva once you hand in the manuscript. It's also natural to experience periods of boredom with your topic.

There are also times when one is just thoroughly mentally and physically exhausted. If you've reached this point, perhaps you could commit to a date to get back to work, and then take your break. You might feel more focused once you're rested. (Just don't rest too long!)

I hope this helps!

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This. I worked for 4-5 days straight non-stop! Then after I reached the 5th and 6th day, something inside me asked me to stop or 'it' wanted to do something else :/

I think the nature of the PhD is that you do have ups and downs, and periods of being really productive versus periods of not doing very much at all!

I have days when I can't be bothered - yesterday, for example, I should have been typing up interviews, but instead I was looking at holidays online. Typing up interviews is incredibly dull and is my biggest cause of procrastination at the moment. I think you need to not beat yourself up, go with the flow, you will find you have good days and bad. The tomatoes technique mentioned certainly helps - I've found it good in the past.

Don't feel bad, we are all in the same boat :$

my record is 6+ months, can anybody beat that?
:-)
love satchi

Many thanks for suggesting 'my tomatoes'! I am back on track :)

That doesn't sound like a lack-of-discipline problem. It sounds like you exhausted yourself, and just need to recuperate! Everyone has a different work pattern, so maybe the most effective pattern for you is working hard non-stop for 5 - 6 days, followed by 2 days of complete relaxation, or something like that.

Try four years. Well, most of four years, anyway... yeah, this whole phd thing has not gone well.