Customer Reviews

Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do about It

5 star:		(9)
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3 star:		(1)
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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.

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.

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!

This book really looks at the source of procrastination, and illustrates that this behavior can be overcome. It caters to the self-esteem, and gives encouraging support for dealing with procrastination once and for all. It explains how to with it yourself, as well as how to manage others who procrastinate. It also demonstrates the devestating effects of procrastination on a persons life.
I thought it was very easy to read, except one part where you finally get too anxious and have to skip ahead. I suggest fighting the urge to skip Part 1, because it's true that the techniques in Part 2 aren't sufficient without understanding why you procrastinate.

This book gives a the reader a new outlook on the problem of procrastination. People use procrastination as a tool to deal with life's problems. Burke and Yuen will help you discover why and provide a starting place to overcome it. I bought a copy for myself last year. Now I buy one for nearly everyone who complains that they can't stop procrastinating. I also buy it for people that live with procrastinators, since it has a section on how to deal with procrastinators and important to me it explains that procrastination isn't laziness or apathy. Of course, a book can't do anything for you unless you really want to stop procrastinating. Don't put it off until next week. BUY IT. It will pay for itself in saved overdue library book and video rental fines.

I bought this book YEARS ago, maybe as many as ten years ago. Ironically enough, it took me three years to finally read it! Really. But I'm glad I finally read it. It helped me understand why I procrastinate, and provided some useful strategies to overcome it. I became a better student, worker, friend and family communicator. I've recommended it to lots of folks. In fact, I was just looking to buy a copy for a friend of mine and thought I'd take the opportunity to further spread the word about this wonderful book.

I finally finished this book after putting it off several times, and I'm a terrible procrastinator. I think it is helpful to learn why we procrastinate in order to understand these behaviors and then change them. I recognized myself in so many of the sample situations desribed and the explanations behind such actions.

The second part contains a lot of helpful techniques, such as breaking a big project into more manageable chunks, or deciding to work on one chapter of a book at a time that needs to be finished.

I really have to reread the second part though (What to Do About [Procrastination]) because I unfortunately haven't changed my habits yet. (In fact, I should be working right now but I'm writing this review.) So until then I can't really say if it helps or not, but Part one was eye opening to me. I also appreciate that the book was written by two die-hard procrastinators who were able to overcome the habit.

This was a very helpful resource. It helped me to analyze my actions and figure out ways in which I could be more effective. It also helped me to stop feeling guilty and start performing. It is an excellent resource for students and workers alike.

I have read many books by top authors on Procrastination. Most say write a goal, concentrate on your A1 task etc etc. But the point is-they miss on why you do it? Until unless you figure it out, you can't solve this problem completely, atleast on long term basis. We all procrastinate atleast on some areas. Authors list reasons why we do it in a proper manner. It could be your environment, your interaction with your school teacher/professor/parents, showing how great you are by doing nightout before exam and still passing etc etc. I feel to deal with it properly--one has to know the reason. I guess it is best in that sense and feel everyone should read it. (I would suggest everyone read the first chapter here in this site, especially the cycle of procastination)

Thanks to authors for writing such a great book :)

Reading this book was like reading a book about myself. I've procrastinated a little more than average throughout my life, but since I started college, I've procrastinated A LOT...so much that it's often gotten in the way of my studies. So I found this book at my school's library and read it (and then bought it). Now I understand why I procrastinate and I know several good techniques how to stop..and I've improved..but I'm not free yet. It's no joke: I continue having serious troubles quitting my procrastination habits when I'm in school. Well, I have a two-step piece of advice for you if you suffer from procrastination: (1) buy the book (it's really cheap) and (2) overcome procrastination WITH ACTION. ACTION is the ONLY way you will ever break free.