P/T PhD - how much time?

[LoopyLoopsBettyBoops]

Do those of you doing a PhD part time usually devote about 20 hours per week to your studies? I think I might be being optimistic...

I study part-time for my PhD and have set aside one afternoon a week of childcare (1.30 til 6.00pm =four hours realistically) and also have three hours each evening so another 21 hours if I work every evening. So I had max 25 hours which I was doing during write-up. Otherwise if I had an evening or two off a week I would do about 19 hours a week. I do stay at home with three under 2 1/2 years so don't get much time during the day to concentrate but can manage to order papers, sort out menial stuff, search resources etc when the bambinos nap.

Oh OK, thanks for that. I'm not sure I can really get any chilcare for my youngest (currently 3 weeks old) but she does sleep a lot. I have one morning per week for the older one. I have to go to quite a lot of meetings in the evenings, but maybe I can devote Saturdays.

I think that if you have an understanding partner who can look after the children exclusively then weekends studying is a possibility. My issue is that the three bambinos will always come to me leaving DH to do whatever he wants undisturbed, arghhh! I had so many days trying to get work done but only succeeding to make me frustrated that I abandoned the idea! Once they go to bed then it is my time!!! I think with children and the motivation to study you will find a way that works for you. As the little one gets more awake during the day your study time may have to adapt. Do you have any option to put your little one in childcare (when a little older) for the same time as your eldest for one day a week? Or is their family about who could help out at all. We don't have any family support nearby so I can empathise with trying to do it all yourself. It is possible to do part-time with 20 hours a week, just need to be efficient