I’ve got to that stage in my PhD studies where I’ve finished all my data/evidence collection and now the long road of analysis and writing up stretches before me. Up until this point, the process has a bit of a life of its own as you present your proposal, seek ethics, gather all the permissions and collect the data. I’ve found myself floundering a little over the past few weeks. I’ve been busy with some other work but even when I allocate time to study I was finding myself distracted and procrastinating. Meetings with supervisors didn’t seem enough to get me working.
I caught up with a friend this week, who is a bit further along the PhD path to me and is hoping to submit early next year. I was telling her where I was and she smiled and said it is a pretty common place students find themselves in. She offered this pearl of wisdom. “Try and see the study as a spiritual practice” Bingo, you know when you hear something that resonates deeply and invites you to see things in a new (and helpful) way? To me that makes perfect sense. A great majority of a PhD is just a hard slog, reading article after article, trying to critically analyse an argument, synthesizing a few different writers, trying to find your voice amidst the debate. Finding what value you can add to the discussion, how can you contribute to the ongoing search for meaning. It causes you often to doubt your worth. Who am I to think I can take this research further? It is easy to succumb, believe me. I try and tell myself that my experience is valuable but sometimes those voices can be loud.
But I love this idea of spiritual discipline, instead of seeing it as a chore, recognise the gift it brings in shaping me, helping me to find my voice, seeing what I might be capable of? So, I pick up my studies with a new sense of purpose – I’ll let you know how I go.
How does this sound to you? How do you buckle down and work when you need to? Leave a comment.
Kristen Hobby
http://www.spiritualityandparenting.com
kristenhobby 
I can remember feeling that same lull in motivation many times when I was doing some post grad study and the kids were little. strangely I’d made the decision to study because I was on maternity leave and felt I would have time to do both!! what a strange idea when I look back! as if having young kids gives you more time simply because you’re on leave from your paid job! anyway, I can remember a quote after watching Mr Hollands Opus ( but I think it’s generally attributed to John Lennon) that said…..” life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans….” I wrote this down and had it on my desk where I worked and it often provided me with the kick that I needed to get going. I knew that I was missing out on valuable time with the boys when I was sitting at my desk trying to wade through assignments and reading and stuff and just wanted to get out there and not be locked in my room. I can be a good procrastinator so needed to be careful or I could ve missed out on too many important things in life!
Thanks Rose, yes too true. I think part of my craziness came from not wanting to be just a ‘mum’ which looking back seems so silly now! I love studying and I realised yesterday when I was playing around with a theory, that I love the engagement of ideas. It is trying to find the balance, isn’t it? Doing the stuff that gives you life and love but not too much otherwise other things fall through the cracks.
I love that movie and that quote!
Ah the balance of it all!
Kit x