Customer Reviews

The 60 Second Procrastinator: Sixty Solid Techniques to Jump-Start Any Project and Get Your Life in Gear

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This is one of two "60 Second" booklets written by Jeff Davidson that I recently read, the other being The 60 Second Organizer. Most (if not all) procrastinators need to be organized and most (if not all) of those who need to get organized are procrastinators. In my opinion, few (if any) of them will read books such as these and then apply - and (key point) continue to apply -- what they have learned from them. (Davidson is also the author of more than a dozen other books, including seven Complete Idiot's Guides.) He may not share this opinion. However, here's another opinion with which he presumably agrees: On occasion, a single insight ("tip," "secret," "key," etc.) can help to elevate one's standard of living and/or improve one's quality of life.

In this volume as in the other 60 Second booklet, Davidson offers "sixty solid techniques" to "jump-start any project and get your life in gear." They comprise a series of thought-provoking statements and direct questions that can help many readers to gain new perspectives on the micro and macro dimensions of their lives.

The two 60 Second booklets share several implicit themes that I presume to express as statements:

1. Relax.
2. Focus on what is most important.
3. Be patient but persistent.
4. Do not confuse being busy with being productive.
5. As Seth Godin suggests, know what to quit and when to quit it.
6. View each setback as an invaluable learning opportunity.
7. Relax.

Obviously, there are many reasons why people have problems completing tasks and those reasons vary from one individual to the next. That said, self-improvement initiatives must be anchored in a strong faith in what can be accomplished. Henry Ford was right: "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right." It would be a fool's errand to attempt to act upon, immediately, all of Davidson's sound advice. He correctly suggests selecting a few especially troublesome areas and concentrate on them. In this context, my metaphor of preference is locating and then picking "low-hanging fruit."

Of course this booklet could conceivably be beneficial to anyone but I think it can be especially valuable to those now enrolled in schools, colleges, and universities as well as to those who have only recently begun a career. Davidson thinks clearly, writes well, and is by nature a pragmatist rather than a theorist. How to rate it? I realize that there are dozens (hundreds?) of other sources that provide more fully developed ideas about how to avoid or overcome procrastination. However, for chronic procrastinators, any advice given is probably best presented as clearly and as simply as possible, and I do not damn Davidson's booklet with faint praise when saying that. His is not a definitive source nor does he make any such claim. If each reader finds only one suggestion that helps her or him to make appropriate decisions and then follow through on them, Davidson will have achieved his primary and indeed worthy objective.

This nifty book is more than worth its price! It's easy to get through, which is very valuable to me, but more importantly, the advice is sound. I haven't read all sixty tips yet, but most of the one's I have read are certainly applicable in a lot of the situations I face. Some of the tips I wouldn't try, but most are well within my comfort zone. Quite a few of the tips I've never encountered before, and that makes this book special!

The dilemma for any author who writes a book on procrastination is that readers who buy it, being committed procrastinators, may not read it. If they do read the book, it may be a while before they get around to applying its message. Recognizing these inherent paradoxes, Jeff has structured The Sixty-Second Procrastinator so that each of the 60 tips, one tip for each minute in an hour, can be absorbed in about a minute or less.

Jeff contends, and after reading the manuscript I agree, that there is no point in proceeding through this book cover-to-cover. Instead, use the book as a resource. When you find yourself stymied, flip through its pages and find 3 or 4 tips that appear helpful.

If you're that rare person who recognizes the procrastinator within and is committed to taking pro-active steps to minimize it, you might be more inclined to read the book sequentially. To derive its full benefits, however, keep this book nearby and flip through it quickly to protect yourself from any more procrastination attacks.

Jeff has divided The Sixty-Second Procrastinator into six major sections: Changing Your Mindset, Setting Up, Getting Started, Taking the First Steps, Tackling the Harder Tasks, and Continuing Progress. This sequence follows a plan that someone thoroughly committed to minimizing procrastination in his or her life might initiate. It's your option to proceed sequentially or not. You may discover that a single tip, or two, or three, will enable you to dislodge your current barrier(s).

I believe that you will find great value in this book for several reasons. The 60 tips range from time-tested techniques to fresh and innovative insights that other people have found to be helpful. As he has done with so many others before, Jeff has written this book in an engaging, friendly, witty, down-to-earth style. You'll feel as if he is conversing with you as a friend, not preaching to you.

As an admitted procrastinator, he openly shares with you the insider techniques and vital lessons he has learned over the years that help keep procrastination at bay. Whether you are stalled on the smallest of tasks, or on major projects with long time spans, you'll find that The Sixty-Second Procrastinator is both a valuable tool and an action guide for helping you become more accomplished and more satisfied with your work and your life.

Mac Anderson, Founder
Successories
Aurora IL

I have gleaned a few books on procrastination, but most of them spend too much time dwelving into the 'causes of' instead of offering tangible solutions. Although understanding the underlying casuses of the problem is important, a few of us want to get started quickly on how to stop it. This book is a welcome change in this respect, because it mixes and matches the different reasons why people procrastinate with useful strategies to minimize it or stop it altogether. When I picked-up this book, I was struck by its 'lets get right to it' approach and sometimes funny anecdotal quirks. The book is organized in six sections, 10 1-2 page useful tips per section (to make the total of 60 tips). The author advocates that the book can be started from anywhere, as a pick-up refreseher while you are in the P act or read in order. I read it back to back in a couple of hours and found it full of interesting and useful information. There is some logical progression starting from practical tips, progressing into more in-depth tips, and then hammering some important tips at the end. However, the structure of the book is loose making it a great reference. Although there is some information repeated throughout the book, this might be intentional to leave you with clear messages at the end. Some of the tips are outrageous (like Put Money in Escrow) others are far out there (Tap the Power of Scents) but most of them are insightful and practical. I recommend this book to anybody having a hard time getting things done at home or work and looking to minimize their procrastinatig habits. It has inspired me to write this review, which I would usually procrastinate!

Buy this CD and play it anytime you're stuck, your odds of getting
unstuck will improve. The tips here are arranged from the quite simple to
the rather involved, but most of them are within the typical person's
capabilities, I think. About three out of four of them applied to me, and
the ones that don't are still interesting to listen to. I haven't seen the
book of the same title, but I imagine it's quite similar to the audio
program.

...but hey, let's get cracking. You won't read this crisp title from cover to cover but it's a handy companion when you feel like putting things off or are just in a slow mood. Some recommendations are better than others (I am not signing a contract with myself anytime soon, for instance) which is why one star is knocked off my review, but they are all spaced out in a very simple to read manner. Overall a pretty handy slap on the behind for lousy time managers like yours truly.

The 60-Second Procrastinator is a book of a different sort. rather than getting all mixed up with the mumbo-jumbo of why people procrastinate, the author devotes just a few pages to it and ten quickly launches into remedies. Like he says at the outset, not every tip will work for everybody every time, but each time you open the book and flip through it, you're bound to find something that will help you get moving. From that perspective, the book proved to be highly worthwhile.

My son has always been a terrible procrastinator. So I got him this book and
put it under the tree in an unsigned package. He didn't know who gave him
the book, but he got the message and read it. Since then I've noticed how
it's helped because it seems like he's had more time to do things he enjoys
(because he gets his work done), and he calls more often.

It took me far too long to read this book.

I have no excuse. The author, Jeff Davidson, structured it for people like me. It is well-written. He offers 60 tips, one for each minute in an hour that can be absorbed in less than a minute. I found several of them to be inspiring.

The tips fall into 6 major themes:

1. Change your mindset.
2. Set up.
3. Give yourself an edge.
4. Take key steps.
5. Tackle harder tasks.
6. Continue on to progress.

If you are committed to success, the book's organization lends itself to eliminating procrastination. The problem, of course, is the book's intended audience, delays purchasing the book. Once purchased, the reader delays reading it. Once read, the reader delays implementing the gems contained within it.

The author posits procrastination is a habit that can be changed if you are committed.

Hum. Let me consider that thought.

I will get back to you.

Whether it's harnessing the power of a deadline or having someone with a toe tapping, waiting for your work, you can find a technique to get the job done in Jeff Davidson's "60 Second Procrastinator" book.


My favorite part of the book is where the author has you visualize the last time (there WAS a last time, right?) when you were highly productive. How did you feel? What tools were to hand? How was the lighting and temperature? What time of day was it? Perhaps setting the mood can get you going consistently and on time.

The author also addresses possible causes for your procrastination (fear of failure, perfectionism, etc.) But most of the book contains ideas to try to get you going.

There is probably something here for anyone, maybe even you, so stop dallying and get a copy of this book! Now!