ana0pera Posted September 11, 2013 Posted September 11, 2013 I am a PhD student. I have two more years left. I am working on a manuscript that is close to being done and have a grant due in about a month. I just can't motivate myself to finish either things that are due soon. The manuscript doesn't have a hard deadline but I've been working on it for almost a year so I just need to get it out. The grant is almost done, actually, but with both projects I am sort of hyped up about rejection and looking like an idiot so I am not working as hard as I should. I haven't done much of anything these past two weeks. I feel kind of lost. And interestingly I am feeling positive about grad school for the most part (in other words, I don't want to quit like I did in previous posts). I am just not excited anymore, very nervous about graduating and the future and those sorts of things...things I shouldn't really be worrying about but here I am worrying nonetheless Any advice for finding motivation? My advisor is useless when it comes to talking about things like this. I had one small break (one week) this summer and the academic year starts in a few weeks and honestly, I just feel burnt out. Part of me thinks I should just take a break but all I've been doing these past two weeks is sitting around thinking about the work I should be doing that I am not doing, and feeling bad about it.
CarrieT Posted September 11, 2013 Posted September 11, 2013 I did the same thing with my Masters; I was completely apathetic about it when the end was near and projects were due... In fact, I deliberately enrolled in an entirely different program that was set to commence a week after graduation, so I went into the projects with the mind-set that once they were completed, I could put the degree behind me and start a new direction. In my case, I was getting an MFA in art (metalsmithing) and - sure enough, after I graduated - I started cooking school a week or so later and didn't touch a piece of metal for almost a decade after getting the degree. I have a good friend who did the same thing: He got a Master's in mechanical engineering and the day after graduation, went to go work in a famous restaurant's kitchen, chopping vegetables. Three years later, he is still a waiter, but is happier in the food industry than he ever would be in engineering. The point is, FINISH the projects that will complete the degree, even if you don't want to pursue that topic as your career. Heck, even my fiance did that... He was working in a laboratory and on teams that went on to get Nobel prizes in medicine, but he wanted his own medical practice. But he paid his dues and bided his time before going the direction that ultimately made him happiest. It is like eating an elephant. Look at your manuscript like you would eating an elephant - just take one bite at a time and set-up some stupendous reward for yourself when you finish (a trip or a big gift?). Give yourself over to it DAILY -- even if for only ten minutes or so -- and then picture the reward at the end of the tunnel. Once completed, you can figure out where you want to go then. But you can at least finish the project.... 2
Author ana0pera Posted September 11, 2013 Author Posted September 11, 2013 It is like eating an elephant. Look at your manuscript like you would eating an elephant - just take one bite at a time and set-up some stupendous reward for yourself when you finish (a trip or a big gift?). Give yourself over to it DAILY -- even if for only ten minutes or so -- and then picture the reward at the end of the tunnel. Once completed, you can figure out where you want to go then. But you can at least finish the project.... I really like this imagery, thanks for the motivating words!! I had planned on getting a facial after I finish the manuscript as I haven't done that in a while due to costs I am 90% sure I want to stay in academia; maybe not doing the type of research I'm doing now, but I would like to do research. It's just difficult because I don't have the support I expected to have coming into the program...my advisor keeps prioritizing other things over her graduate students yet continues to accept graduate students 1
reflex Posted September 17, 2013 Posted September 17, 2013 I would seek info about Dysthymia, just in case. See if you can relate. Also, you can look up for some online test. Best wishes
hypnotic Posted September 23, 2013 Posted September 23, 2013 I would consider listening to some hypnosis. Here's an example of what I use. Free download code: believe Believe in Yourself Hypnosis Download
LookUp Posted September 26, 2013 Posted September 26, 2013 I did the same thing with my Masters; I was completely apathetic about it when the end was near and projects were due... In fact, I deliberately enrolled in an entirely different program that was set to commence a week after graduation, so I went into the projects with the mind-set that once they were completed, I could put the degree behind me and start a new direction. In my case, I was getting an MFA in art (metalsmithing) and - sure enough, after I graduated - I started cooking school a week or so later and didn't touch a piece of metal for almost a decade after getting the degree. I have a good friend who did the same thing: He got a Master's in mechanical engineering and the day after graduation, went to go work in a famous restaurant's kitchen, chopping vegetables. Three years later, he is still a waiter, but is happier in the food industry than he ever would be in engineering. The point is, FINISH the projects that will complete the degree, even if you don't want to pursue that topic as your career. Heck, even my fiance did that... He was working in a laboratory and on teams that went on to get Nobel prizes in medicine, but he wanted his own medical practice. But he paid his dues and bided his time before going the direction that ultimately made him happiest. It is like eating an elephant. Look at your manuscript like you would eating an elephant - just take one bite at a time and set-up some stupendous reward for yourself when you finish (a trip or a big gift?). Give yourself over to it DAILY -- even if for only ten minutes or so -- and then picture the reward at the end of the tunnel. Once completed, you can figure out where you want to go then. But you can at least finish the project.... Elephant meat must taste really nasty. But really great analogy. Thanks for sharing your perspective!
spiderowl Posted September 29, 2013 Posted September 29, 2013 If you are worrying about the future, even if you are not always conscious of that, it could be affecting your ability to focus on the things you need to at the moment. I had worries myself recently and I just couldn't focus on all the things I needed to do. I really tried too. Once those worries were resolved, I felt like an enormous burden had been lifted from me. Maybe a break would do you good - doing something totally different for a specific amount of time so that you can give yourself permission to take that time out knowing you will be back at the task after your break. This may sound ironic. but may I suggest you get hold of a book called Focusing, by Eugene Gendlin. This is a way of understanding and hopefully resolving vague and dispersed feelings that are affecting us. I have found it very helpful at times.
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