Procrastination: Why You Do It, What To Do About It [Paperback]

Jane Burka (Author), Lenora M. Yuen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 21, 1990

If procrastination bothers you, don’t let another minute go by without Procrastination. Based on their workshops and counseling, psychologists Jane B. Burka and Lenora M. Yuen offer a probing, sensitive, and sometimes humorous look at a problem that affects everyone: students and scientists, secretaries and executives, homemakers and salespeople.The book starts with the reasons we put off tasks—fears of failure, success, control, separation, and attachment—and their roots in our childhood and adult experiences. In Part II, the authors offer a practical, tested program to overcome procrastination through achieving set goals, managing time, enlisting support, and handling stress. Burka and Yuen even offer tips on living and working with the procrastinators you may know.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lenora M. Yuen, Ph.D. , is a practicing psychologist in California. Along with Jane B. Burka, she has conducted workshops and seminars at the University of California at Berkeley and for corporate and public groups nationwide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (January 21, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 020155089X
• ISBN-13: 978-0201550894
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,018,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

107 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars one other thing..., March 5, 2000

By 

Brian P. Henchey (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Procrastination: Why You Do It, What To Do About It (Paperback)

Yes, I did review this book before and I feel the need to add another consideration. As I mentioned before, this book is great at helping you learn WHY you procrastinate. However, it's not the best for helping you learn to STOP procrastinating. Although Burka and Yuen did a great and important job in helping you learn the "whys," they could have done significantly better on the "hows" to stop. A good book that will help you learn to stop procrastinating is Neil Fiore's "The Now Habit." This book's focus is much, much more about learning new behaviors to stop procrastinating than the Burka & Yuen book. If you have the time, I suggest you buy and read both. However if time is of essence, just buy the Fiore book. And about me, here's an update: Although I'm not free yet, I can tell you I've made a conscious decision to not be a victim of my circumstances. I'm in a difficult curriculum at my school because I chose to -- I'm exactly where I want to be right now in my life. And, by letting go of procrastination and becoming a producer, I'm going to show everybody just how good I really am. After all, this is my life. I am in control -- and this is my choice.

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb help for overcoming procrastination, October 18, 2003

By 

Mary McKinney "Ph.D. Psychologist and Coach" (www.successfulacademic.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Procrastination: Why You Do It, What To Do About It (Paperback)

I'm a clinical psychologist, university professor and professional coach and one of my main specialties is helping people combat procrastination and writer's block. This is the first book I recommend to people who want to reform self-defeating habits of procrastination.

Burka and Yuen present sophisticated explanations of the many reasons why we habitually delay important but unpleasant activities. Then, in the second half of the book, they provide tips and tactics to help us overcome procrastination.

This book is psychologically sophisticated and one of the few self-help books that I've read with understandable explanations of why our bad habits develop and why they are so difficult to extinguish. The paralyzing fear of failure is vividly outlined. Less obvious, to most of us, and very well explained here, is how we may be ambivalent about succeeding. The reasons that some people procrastinate in order to rebel are described - for some of us, hostility may be a factor. On the other hand, Burka and Yuen illuminate ways that we may use delays to remain secure and comfortable. These many methods of self-sabotage really got me thinking when I first read the book, and have led to many insights and changes in the students and coaching clients I work with.

In the section on taking action, Burka and Yuen suggest ways to evaluate areas of difficulty, set priorities, manage time, organize activities, reduce stress, enlist support from others, follow through on efforts to change, and achieve goals.

The book is well-written, and provides clear and compelling examples. When I first read this book more than a decade ago, it helped me get my own dissertation done. I'm delighted that it is still in print. I frequently recommend it to the graduate students I teach, the faculty I coach, and the people I work with in psychotherapy.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It worked for me., January 31, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Procrastination: Why You Do It, What To Do About It (Paperback)

I beg to differ with an earlier reviewer on the importance of HOW over WHY. Many procrastinators, including many who are oblivious, go through expensive how-to books, courses, fads, movements, gadget, etc. for decades all the while ignoring the WHY. Overcoming procrastination isn't really about making a plan and keeping it, as some would have you believe. If it were that easy millions wouldn't be morbidly obese, maxed out on credit cards, stuck in jobs they hate, in deadend relationships, unable to get file tax returns or pay bills on time. In short, this is a great book because it reveals the meat of the matter, WHY. I read it over a decade ago and it really opened my eyes to what was really holding me back. I subsequently developed several patents, founded a venture capital funded firm which is still running, and have a lot more fun - not bad for someone without a college degree. Read this book first, then decide what to do next. I've given copies to friends and coworkers. You might have a radically changed perspective on what tool is needed. Thanks Jane and Lenora!