Reddit reviews How to get a PhD: a handbook for students and their supervisors

Just to point out, there is a "handbook" on "How to get a PhD" if you want such a thing. Title is: "How to get a PhD: a handbook for students and their supervisors" by Estelle Philips and Derek Pugh. Book

Maybe it can answer a few of your qustion.

1. Treat it like a job. Do 9am-5pm at your desk, every week day, working productively. No facebook, no newspaper. No extra long lunches. Do not work late nights/weekends unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.
   
   
2. Keep yourself accountable for progress. Each week send an email to your supervisor, "this is what I did, this is what I plan to do". Before you send your email, check against last week to see how you did.
   
   
3. This is a good book. It's UK centric which seems like it will help you: https://www.amazon.com/How-get-PhD-handbook-supervisors/dp/0335242022
   
   
4. This is another good book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/PhD-Not-Enough-Survival-Science/dp/0465022227/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485777868&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=a+phd+isnot+enough