Assuming you don't already know, sit down and work out your own personal reasons for putting yourself through a Ph.D. Once you discover what your true motives are, however trivial, never forget them. It may be a simple desire to see the title ‘Dr’ on a letter addressed to you. No matter. When you are up against it, it's that motive which will keep you going.

But, how do you translate this personal goal into a successful project? Scan a few job ads and you'll notice that the requirement ‘self-starter’ pops up with surprising regularity. To have any hope of completing your Ph.D. within your allotted number of years, you need to have this quality in abundance. First, you need the self-discipline to plan your days, weeks, and months yourself. Second, you have to motivate yourself to stick to your plan for the long haul.

Here are a few strategies that help to maintain momentum.

The daily grind

Most Ph.D. projects begin with an easy experiment that stands a good chance of working. This is a good model for the working day: start each day with a simple task. Doing something straightforward first thing gives your brain time to come online and builds your confidence if you can't face diving straight into a tricky experiment. However, once you've ‘woken up’ don't delay getting stuck-in; displacement activities can easily sneak in and fill up your entire day.