One week to go in the final PhD submission and I have lost the will to work on it. Help!

I agree with lostsoul29, but I will add a couple of additional thoughts as that answer did not address all aspects of your question.

  1. For your neck pain, I recommend using Tiger Balm (specifically, the patches rather than the goop which can be messy). After writing much of my master's thesis on a laptop while sitting on a couch, I developed "military neck," or a loss of the natural curvature in my neck. The pain made it so hard to sit at the computer b/c that's what aggravated it most. I get chiropractic care for that and have had success there, but for you, you need an immediate solution and, as I said, Tiger Balm.
  2. Remove your TV. Sounds like this is your crutch. It's easy, it's there and when the volume is loud enough you can momentarily ignore the stress you're feeling. Maybe you can simply unplug it to make turning it on a more conscious decision, but I would go so far as to ask a friend to store it at their apartment for the time being. This may sound dramatic, but it's extremely effective.
  3. Go for a run, or some sort of vigorous cardiac exercise. Take just 1/10th of the time you've been watching TV and exercise instead (that is, you clearly have the time so that is not an excuse). Not only is this a great way to increase blood flow to your brain and help clear the fog, it will help with your neck pain as well. That was the only other thing that helped mine (besides Tiger Balm and, eventually, getting treatment).
  4. Be kind to yourself. So you took a couple days off? Big deal. Do not be mean or self degrading. Move on. Do not think about how much there is to get done, just do the next thing. And then after that, do the next thing. Rinse and repeat. When you start that negative inner dialogue try stopping it quickly. My mantra is something like, "that thought doesn't serve me well, let's move on." When I start thinking of the next 5 things I have to do, I think, "just do the next thing," repeatedly as a way of focusing me on the task at hand. These might seem cheesy, but I find them effective, and you may need them if you follow through on step 3 and no longer have your TV to drown out your inner dialogue.

This answer is based on my own experiences being in your position. I am terrible procrastinator so, sadly, I have lots of experience in this department. Wishing you the best of luck!


Well, first of all, I don't really know whether additional work will result in an improved thesis. Maybe your subconscious just knows when to stop!

However... IF there are a few last things to fill in, loose threads to tie up, etc., then you need the following:

  1. A to-do list. Jot down the tasks that remain, and prioritize them. You might not have the oomph to do all of them.

  2. A change of scenery. Pack up the things you need and go work somewhere else, such as a quiet library. At this point, you might find it helpful to get off campus and go to a public library frequented by children and non-academics. Perhaps a window with a nice view would be helpful, to try to get some work done, despite your feeling of burn-out.

  3. Inspiration. Re-read some piece of scientific writing whose style gives you a real kick.

  4. Encouragement. Show or send some favorite bits to a friend, someone who will appreciate them and enthuse. Pre-write some stubborn bit by explaining what you want to write to your friend.

  5. Pain relief for your neck. Consider: heating pad, hot water bottle, hot bath with epsom salts, ibuprofen, Tylenol, chiropractor, physical therapy, massage.

  6. A really fun reward. Promise yourself something fun for the end of each day, and then follow through.


I'm in a similar boat. My Masters thesis is due in three days, and I've completed most of the revisions suggested by my advisor. However, until two days ago, I had lost the motivation to complete the final set of major revisions. I motivated myself by:

  1. Telling myself that I've spent the last two years working on this, and although I could spend a lot more time working on what I love, I need to move on to bigger things.
  2. Although writing is stressful and a drain of energy, I love how every single revision makes my work better. Years later when I look back on these days, do I want to see a passionate, hungry perfectionist at work, or a big whining crybaby who barely got through?
  3. Drink coffee, lots of it. Its not healthy to drink a lot of it, but it gets the job done.

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