Help with motivation!

[porcelina]

I don't know if it's the hormones or what, but I am soooo unmotivated! I have to work on papers for my dissertation, get as much done as I can pre-baby so that I'll have less to do post-baby. However, I am totally distracted all the time and instead spend my time obsessing about pregnancy and childbirth. DS is in care during the day and I feel I am wasting this time, should just be hanging out with him instead! But, I really do need to get work done!! How do you make yourself concentrate??

[kcparker]

Make a timeline, break things down into small increments of daily and weekly tasks and goals. Give yourself a reward (obsess about baby or hang with the older kid) after you accomplish a goal. Go somewhere that has no distractions and you only have your work to do. Tell your goals to somebody else so you're accountable to the diss. adviser or your grad. school friend. Work on your work first so that you get it out of the way and can goof around without feeling guilty later in the day. It's hard.

[Galatea]

Ha! I lost a job over this with my first!!! The schedule and small tasks seems like a good idea.