It would be very beneficial for me, and hopefully others, if you could share your experiences on what you've done to keep motivated in your studies. I'm about 1/4 finished with my PhD program and I'm finding it harder and harder to get work done. Even work that's technically easy for me to do, but it takes lots of time - just cranking papers out etc... A few things I do: 1) Print out in BIG BOLD letters - Dr. Ekflag (But I use my real name), and tape it up in VERY clear view at my computer - this is actually pretty inspiring. 2) Listen to some time management books - that seem to get me motivated for a bit. 3) Just bit my lip and crank out the work. 4) Can't believe I almost forget this - Degreeinfo.com Any other suggestions? What got you through - even if it's undergrad - Masters etc... Thanks - good luck to everyone.
When I hit a wall in graduate school, sometimes I would just take a break. Instead of working on a paper, I'd leave it and take a day trip with my wife, and not think of school at all. The next day, I'd usually be refreshed enough to start again. I think the biggest motivator for me was thinking of how nice it would be to not have to go to school anymore when I finished. Of course, I'm now thinking of going back yet again.
We have monthly status reports due, when I get stuck mid month, I will go and fill it out early. That inspires me that I have made progress, then back to work.... after I get stuck again, I go back tot he status report, showing me, though it is only a little bit, it is progress. Bruce - What are you thinking of doing?
I agree with Bruce. I run. I was really running during my time that I was completing my thesis. You know what else. I have this knack for listening to music and writing. It got me through. Exercise and music saved me. Plus I had this urge to tell people what I found out. I mean I was( and still am) excited . It was like uncovering a great mystery and I was the only one who could tell it. That is my two cents.
Initially, I had no motivation. Why? Because the subject I was studying turned out to be of no interest to me. I even went so far as to think I couldn't cut it as a DL student. However, once I found something that truly peaked my interest (private investigation/criminal justice) I couldn't stopped. It seemed as though I didn't really need any motivation. My brain just kept telling me to soak up more & more information. On the other hand, for general courses, I've found that I have to dig deep to get past those. Although I'm about a year and a half away, I'm really looking forward to master's studies because all of the courses are "core" courses. Perhaps for my motivation, I'll post up "Nova AST, BSCJ, MCJ".
I think that I agree with Italiansupernova. Try to excite yourself about what you are studying. Investigate current research controversies involving it, its more interesting applications and stuff like that. Not only will that make the drudgery of readings and papers seem more exciting and relevant, it will impress your professors as well. One of the dangers of DL is the tendency to sit in solitude. Talk to your professors about stuff that interests you. Teaching can be drudgery too, and it makes their day to know that some of their students are actually interested in their stuff. They may go out of their way to help you. The causes of frustration aren't going to go away. They are only going to multiply when you start writing your dissertation. So try to motivate yourself now by getting passionate. But there are inevitably going to be times when you get down. For me, there were times when it was only stubborness that kept me going in my masters program, my reluctance to abandon something that I'd started. But those moments pass and you just need to be resolute and hang in there.
Union, like many DL Ph.D. programs, charges a flate rate per term. I (as did several of my peers) simply reminded myself that I was paying about $40 per day, every day of the week, every day of the month, every day of the year. Every day. That alone was enough to keep motivated, especially since I was paying for it myself.
