So, this book is sort of changing my life. Well, okay, maybe not yet, but I think it's going to:) I was sent a review copy and I thought, "Great, I always procrastinate, this will be perfect!" Of course, it did take me awhile to get around to reading it... It's one of those books that I might have passed by in the book store, but it totally hooked me once I got into it. I enjoy armchair psychology books, especially when they apply to me. I was impressed with how well the author nailed me, and the reasons I procrastinate. I hadn't really thought about the why before, only that I wished I didn't put things off so much. Does anyone else suffer with procrastinitis or is it just me? I always feel like I could get SO much accomplished if I didn't spend so much time beating around the bush.
Speaking of beating around the bush, the book gets off to a bit of a slow start. I mean, it was interesting, but I was antsy for him to get to the meaty stuff, i.e. how do I stop procrastinating? But once I waded through all the back story it made sense why he included it. Realizing why you procrastinate goes a long way in helping you actually get on top of it. In the second half of the book while talking about the ways we procrastinate, he includes action points after each section, little take away tips you can incorporate. I underlined as I read so I could go back and make a list of changes I want to implement. He talks about three main types of procrastinators and then gives solutions tailored to each type. Some of my personal favorites:
- Pair some instant gratification rewards with long-term goals. Turns out I'm sort of an immediate rewards kind of gal; who knew? (She says with chocolate bar in hand...)
- Identify your maximum efficiency period and put it to good use.
- Develop a "disaster recovery plan" ahead of time (i.e. how do you get back on track after your goal to exercise every day gets derailed?).
So, with this new aim of mine to simplify, organize, streamline and generally consume less, enjoy more etc. etc. I'm really liking some actionable, practical ways to get out of that procrastination rut. What about you? Are you a procrastinator? How do you keep it in check?
