Part-time Study: Thesis writing

reallyrose

I'm working full time and studying part time.
I'm doing an MSc and I'm at the thesis writing stage.
I'm finding time management really difficult.

I was never very good at working in the evenings after work. I was always too tired.

While I was doing the main body of my degree, I just pottered along with the course work. I used to bring my reading out with me and just have a go with it when ever I felt like it and it worked out. The assignments were pretty short so I could just bang them out over a weekend.

My thesis is another matter. I got the research out of the way by just plodding along and I could bring my background reading out with me, so that was fine.

The actual writing is kicking my ass. I won't be able to just write it on the weekends, I only have a month before due day.

Does any one have any advice to offer? Is any one in the same boat as me? I'm getting a bit freaked out with the work load!

Nhead

The only piece of advice I can offer is to take it a chapter at a time that way you won't let the word count get in your head and stress you out!!! Hope that helps a little...

looksee

I found when I had serious writing to do that if I got up early (ugh) I wrote much better first thing in the morning. Maybe make an hour for yourself every morning?

reallyrose

I'm taking it one chapter at a time that bit is fine.
I write easier at night actually. I might try rearranging my work-hours so I can go in late in the morning. Then I can stay up late at night.

Nhead

reallyrose wrote: »

I'm taking it one chapter at a time that bit is fine.
I write easier at night actually. I might try rearranging my work-hours so I can go in late in the morning. Then I can stay up late at night.

Hope I was clear about the one chapter at a time thing (i.e. I didn't mean to be smart). I just found that sometimes it can be difficult to see the woods from the trees in terms of word count:) I worked better in the morning but if you work better at night go with it!!

reallyrose

Nhead wrote: »

Hope I was clear about the one chapter at a time thing (i.e. I didn't mean to be smart). I just found that sometimes it can be difficult to see the woods from the trees in terms of word count:) I worked better in the morning but if you work better at night go with it!!

I know exactly what you mean.
I actually have my remaining time/remaining word count.
So in my head I 'only' have to write, say 350 words a day. So if I reach that word count in a day I can relax a little. It's not a great system but it seems to be keeping me sane.

What are you using/did you use for keeping track of references?

Nhead

I did the same thing with the word count:p My thesis was in History so I always updated the references as I went along just so I wouldn't forget where I got them from.