It's vital to have a good plan for this long piece of work.

Make a schedule

Start with the deadline and work backwards. It's best to give yourself a false deadline before the real one. 

Time each stage

Think about how much time you need for each part of the project.

Advance planning

Which sections require advance planning? For example:

• Booking access to rooms/people/equipment
• If you depend on data from participants in surveys or interviews, allow time for contacting them.
• Allow time for interviews and transcribing them afterwards. 
• You may need literature that will take some time to access because it isn't readily available in the Library/online.
• Schedule in time for data analysis.

Be realistic

Allow time for unexpected delays, such as illness or technical problems.

Break down tasks

Break down long tasks, such as a literature review, into small steps. It will make them feel more manageable.

Other commitments

Note all your commitments in your schedule, such as other assignments, paid work etc.

Time for learning

Plan for time to learn about new things, e.g. creating questionnaires/charts/tables; coding; analysing data

Have breaks

Include some time off in your schedule!