For a purportedly science/study-based book, surprisingly filled with clichés. Lots of unhelpful exhortation on the order of "just get started!" and "just do it". Repeats itself (not in a good way). Blah blah blah.
Much time spent throughout on the downsides of procrastination. This was totally unhelpful and uninteresting to me - I already know procrastination is bad and already spend enough time beating myself up about it!
I think this is why I started this book once before (immediately after purchase) and dropped it before getting a quarter of the way in. It was too boring and especially too depressing. This time around I am skimming more, trying (hoping) to get to the useful bits, if any. [added a bit later: no, actually I did read more than half the book the first time around - I just didn't remember because there were so few memorable/useful bits!! this is RARE for me (to forget having read a book) and shows just how bad it is...]
Some useful points:
- the gap between Behavioral Intent and Behavior. Studies have found that people's attitudes do not directly predict behavior very well. Attitudes predict behavioral intent, which in turn tends to predict behavior. The author suggests that procrastination stems from "the gap" between behavioral intent and behavior. (However, unlike Dr. Pychyl, he does not offer any useful strategies on HOW to do this!)
- "indecisives", or "decisive procrastinators", people who generally have a hard time making decisions, are able to make decisions in a timely, efficient manner when the task is simple, such as sorting cards. similarly, they have the ability to focus, not get distracted, under such clear-cut conditions.
- social indecisiveness - refusing to pick a movie or place to eat, etc. - can be a way to avoid responsibility for bad decisions, ie. failure, a blow to one's self-image, etc.
- some people adopt a "diffuse identity". they avoid self-exploration, don't want/try to learn about their strengths and weaknesses. people who want to learn more about themselves are called "information oriented" by developmental psychologists.
- self-handicapping: placing obstacles in one's own path in order to protect self-image or others' perception ("I *could* have done better/I'm *really* better than this" or "I/she succeeded *in spite of* the problems!"). studies show that procrastinatiors tend to self-handicap - in other ways than delaying, as well (ie. choosing loud distracting noise while working, in a study)
- self-regulation (formerly known as self-control). procrastination is related to low self-control and also to low self-reinforcement (rewarding oneself after a task)
- the idea of "working well under pressure" seems to be a myth. procrastinators do not do well at regulating accuracy vs. speed in studies.
- link between procrastination and revenge, related by a belief that the world is not fair and just, so revenge is needed to make things right. (cf. demand resistance/sensitivity)
- procrastinators tend to be "interpersonally dependent" - they tend to let others do for them things that need to be done, and present a public image of helplessness or neediness. again, this is a way to avoid blame.
- procrastinators tend to seek social support more from (casual) friends; non-procrastinators more from family members and best friends
- procrastinators report having more conflicts and tension with family and closest same-sex friends, compared to nonprocrastinators
- procrastinators are viewed as social loafers, slackers - even by other procrastinators
- academic procrastinators tend to feel they are imposters - not really good enough to be there.
- procrastination seems to be linked to impulsivity (self-regulation again)
- procrastinators are bad at estimating the time needed to complete a task (duh)
- procrastination seems to be linked to compulsions (not so much obsessions) and to ADHD - including the "hyperfocus" component - difficulty with transitions.
So, some nuggets, buried in a lot of truly poor writing. A better editor mighthave helped to at least cut down on the dross, but really the problem seems to be that this book should have been written by someone else, who could have emphasised the interesting content better while avoiding all the clichés, standard time management advice, and guilt-inducing exhortations.
Even the useful content is mostly of the descriptive variety. The attempts at "advice" are incredibly poor. Brief lists of clichés and dust-dry standard ideas that any procrastinator will have read a hundred times before. Pretty much any popular blog on productivity/procrastination will do A LOT better in this area (motivating me to actually get things done, that is!).
I can't help but think that some of these problems are linked to the author's self-description as a non-procrastinator. *One* of the book's issues to me is its lack of empathizing with its intended audience; however, that is far from the only issue.
Note: this review written and posted without much editing (for which I apologize!), in order to actually get it done, motivated purely by my annoyance with the book and desire to provide other prospective buyers with a more balanced set of reviews on it - NOT (unfortunately) due to implementing any of the book's "tips".
Books that have helped me more include: Write./Peterson, The Now Habit/Fiore, Self-Discipline in 10 Days/Bryant, Handbook for Constructive Living/Reynolds.
