Solving the Procrastination Puzzle


Book Description

"Previously published as The Procrastinator's Digest in Canada by Howling Pines Publishers in 2010."




Summary of Timothy A. Pychyl's Solving the Procrastination Puzzle


Book Description

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 Procrastination is the voluntary delay of an intended action despite the knowledge that this delay may harm the individual in terms of the task performance or even just how they feel about the task or themselves. #2 We need to make conscious effort to change our habits. We need to make decisions to act in a different way, counter to our habitual response. We can use these decisions to reduce the effects of potential distractions and cope more effectively with setbacks and disappointments as we work toward changing our behavior. #3 To begin to change your habits, you must first identify which delays are voluntary and which are not. Those are the delays you want to tackle. Knowing this distinction is a good place to start.




The Procrastination Equation


Book Description

DON'T WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK: The world's leading expert on procrastination uses his groundbreaking research to offer understanding on a matter that bedevils us all. Writing with humour, humanity and solid scientific information reminiscent of Stumbling on Happiness and Freakonomics, Piers Steel explains why we knowingly and willingly put off a course of action despite recognizing we'll be worse off for it. For those who surf the Web instead of finishing overdue assignments, who always say diets start tomorrow, who stay up late watching TV to put off going to sleep, The Procrastination Equation explains why we do what we do—or in this case don't—and why in Western societies we're in the midst of an escalating procrastination epidemic. Dr. Piers Steel takes on the myths and misunderstandings behind procrastination and motivation. With accessible prose and the benefits of new scientific research, he provides insight into why we procrastinate even though the result is that we are less happy, healthy, and even wealthy. Who procrastinates and why? How many ways, big and small, do we procrastinate? How can we stop doing it? The reasons are part cultural, part psychological, part biological. And, with a million new ways to distract ourselves in the digitized world, more of us are potentially damaging ourselves by putting things off. But Steel not only analyzes the factors that weigh us down but the things that motivate us—including understanding the value of procrastination.




Procrastination, Health, and Well-Being


Book Description

Research on procrastination has grown exponentially in recent years. Studies have revealed that procrastination is an issue of self-regulation failure, and specifically misregulation of emotional states—not simply a time management problem as often presumed. This maladaptive coping strategy is a risk factor not only for poor mental health, but also poor physical health and other aspects of well-being. Procrastination, Health, and Well-Being brings together new and established researchers and theorists who make important connections between procrastination and health. The first section of the book provides an overview of current conceptualizations and philosophical issues in understanding how procrastination relates to health and well-being including a critical discussion of the assumptions and rationalizations that are inherent to procrastination. The next section of the book focuses on current theory and research highlighting the issues and implications of procrastination for physical health and health behaviors, while the third section presents current perspectives on the interrelationships between procrastination and psychological well-being. The volume concludes with an overview of potential areas for future research in the growing field of procrastination, health, and well-being. Reviews interdisciplinary research on procrastination Conceptualizes procrastination as an issue of self-regulation and maladaptive coping, not time management Identifies the public and private health implications of procrastination Explores the guilt and shame that often accompany procrastination Discusses temporal views of the stress and chronic health conditions associated with procrastination




AARP Still Procrastinating?


Book Description

AARP Digital Editions offer you practical tips, proven solutions, and expert guidance. In Still Procrastinating?, Joseph Ferrari will help you find out why you put things off and learn how to conquer procrastination for good. Do you ever say to yourself "What if I make a bad decision?," "What if I fail?," or "I'm better under pressure"? There are all sorts of reasons people procrastinate. What are yours? This book draws on scientific research on procrastination conducted over more than twenty years by the author and his colleagues, to help you learn what stops you from getting things done so that you can find the solutions that will really work. Contrary to conventional wisdom, chronic procrastination is not about poor time management, but about self-sabotaging tendencies that can prevent you from reaching your full potential. This book gives you the knowledge and tools you need to understand and overcome these tendencies so you can start achieving your goals--not next week, next month, or next year, but today! Exposes the hidden causes of procrastination, including fear of failure, fear of success, and thrill-seeking Identifies types of procrastinators and helps determine which type describes you Shares surprising information on how factors such as technology and the time of day affect procrastination Examines specific issues related to putting things off in school and at work Shares more than twenty years of research on the causes and consequences of chronic procrastination Written by a psychologist who is an international expert on the subject of procrastination Are you still procrastinating? This take-charge guide will help you stop making excuses and start transforming your life--right now.




The Thief of Time


Book Description

When we fail to achieve our goals, procrastination is often the culprit. But how exactly is procrastination to be understood? It has been described as imprudent, irrational, inconsistent, and even immoral, but there has been no sustained philosophical debate concerning the topic. This edited volume starts in on the task of integrating the problem of procrastination into philosophical inquiry. The focus is on exploring procrastination in relation to agency, rationality, and ethics-topics that philosophy is well-suited to address. Theoretically and empirically informed analyses are developed and applied with the aim of shedding light on a vexing practical problem that generates a great deal of frustration, regret, and harm. Some of the key questions that are addressed include the following: How can we analyze procrastination in a way that does justice to both its voluntary and its self-defeating dimensions? What kind of practical failing is procrastination? Is it a form of weakness of will? Is it the product of fragmented agency? Is it a vice? Given the nature of procrastination, what are the most promising coping strategies?




Compelling People


Book Description

Required reading at Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School. Everyone wants to be more appealing and effective, but few believe we can manage the personal magnetism of a Bill Clinton or an Oprah Winfrey. John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut trace the path to influence through a balance of strength (the root of respect) and warmth (the root of affection). Each seems simple, but only a few of us figure out the tricky task of projecting both at once. Drawing on cutting-edge social science research as well as their own work with Fortune 500 executives, members of Congress, TED speakers, and Nobel Prize winners, Neffinger and Kohut reveal how we size each other up—and how we can learn to win the admiration, respect, and affection we desire.




The Psychology of Procrastination


Book Description

Understand your procrastination and break through to productivity Many different factors can trigger procrastination. The good news is, you're not lazy or undisciplined, and you can achieve real productivity. Discover the psychological factors that drive your procrastination habits and unlock the secrets to overcoming them. With this research-based approach, you can learn to stop procrastinating, finish projects, and accomplish your goals. Begin by unpacking the common thought processes and emotional roadblocks that trap you in cycles of problematic behavior. Apply that awareness to each step of getting things done, using practical evidence-based techniques that address the root causes of procrastination and time management problems. When you are empowered to work along with your brain, rather than against it, you'll be able to take control and create lasting change. This empowering choice in psychology books helps you: Examine core issues—Look at possible mental health issues that often exacerbate procrastination, like low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and others. Succeed step-by-step—Work through procrastination one step at a time: prioritize, find motivation, overcome avoidance, get started, focus, follow through, and finish. Get perspective—Explore real-life anecdotes of people struggling with procrastination to gain insight into how it works in your life—and help you identify its causes.




The Art of Procrastination


Book Description

Explains the principles of structured procrastination and provides tips and techniques to chronic procrastinators for developing an attitude of acceptance for their accomplishments while enjoying the time they waste.




The Willpower Instinct


Book Description

Based on Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal's wildly popular course "The Science of Willpower," The Willpower Instinct is the first book to explain the science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity. Informed by the latest research and combining cutting-edge insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and medicine, The Willpower Instinct explains exactly what willpower is, how it works, and why it matters. For example, readers will learn: • Willpower is a mind-body response, not a virtue. It is a biological function that can be improved through mindfulness, exercise, nutrition, and sleep. • Willpower is not an unlimited resource. Too much self-control can actually be bad for your health. • Temptation and stress hijack the brain's systems of self-control, but the brain can be trained for greater willpower • Guilt and shame over your setbacks lead to giving in again, but self-forgiveness and self-compassion boost self-control. • Giving up control is sometimes the only way to gain self-control. • Willpower failures are contagious—you can catch the desire to overspend or overeat from your friends­­—but you can also catch self-control from the right role models. In the groundbreaking tradition of Getting Things Done, The Willpower Instinct combines life-changing prescriptive advice and complementary exercises to help readers with goals ranging from losing weight to more patient parenting, less procrastination, better health, and greater productivity at work.