Please, please tell me some of you also have off days. Today I have replied to a few emails and checked on the progress of my survey, but apart from that I have watched videos on Youtube. It is a really horrible time for procrastination because now that my probation upgrade report is done I have lots of work to do but nothing needs to be done immediately. I need to be preparing for the mini-viva, but even that is a month away.

Any tips for motivating yourself? I tend to work a fair bit during evenings and weekends so I'm not that worried about losing the occasional day like this, but it would be nice to know I'm not alone in this!

Off days? I tend to have off weeks...

That makes me feel somewhat better!!

I do the same, Kenzie...except I decide to binge with Netflix and pizza or go shopping to reward a piece of good writing. Unscheduled 'off days' are the perks of this PhD position, and necessary for our mental health so don't feel bad for taking them...you won't be able to once you are employed! :)

Off days, off weeks, heck, I had an off month recently. It's part of the experience.

Might be a sign that you need a more substantial break, especially if - like me - you aim for 9-5 days, 5 days a week, and haven't had any real time away for a long time. If you're becoming inefficient, it's a sign that you need to either step away or to change things up; maybe aim for shorter, more intense bursts of work (I have colleagues who love pomodoros, for example), rather than long slogs in front of the computer.

Whatever you do, yes, it's normal and don't beat yourself up over it. Just take care of yourself and keep getting up in the morning!

Off weeks are the norm! I also agree with the above post that it might be a sign you need a break! Remember holidays are allowed on doctoral programmes.

Take care of yourself!

We are humans, not robots. Have your break, however long it takes to refresh, then get back to your PhD with high motivation and good spirits

Thanks for the advice, folks :)

Thanks for the advice, folks :)