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The Procrastinator's Handbook: Mastering the Art of Doing It Now
A book for every procrastinator from an author whose own triumph over procrastination has moved her to show others the way.Exuberant, witty and practical, The Procrastinator's Handbook is an invaluable self-help tool and an entertaining read, with real-life stories of people who have overcome procrastination.
Rita Emmett gives comprehensive advice
* how to identify the behavioural styles and patterns procrastinators use for putting things off
* how to apply proven anti-procrastination tips and techniques for achieving goals
* how to develop strategies to move forward when stuck or when reverting to old procrastination patterns
* how to design personal action plans.
Rita Emmett gives comprehensive advice
* how to identify the behavioural styles and patterns procrastinators use for putting things off
* how to apply proven anti-procrastination tips and techniques for achieving goals
* how to develop strategies to move forward when stuck or when reverting to old procrastination patterns
* how to design personal action plans.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
92 people are currently reading
1346 people want to read
About the author
Rita Emmett
35 books24 followersRita Emmett is a “Recovering Procrastinator”, Professional Speaker and best-selling author whose books all together are in 34 countries, have sold over 205,000 copies worldwide and have been featured in over 428 interviews including with Katie Couric.
As a speaker, Rita's presentations help transform audiences
• from semi-productive to MEGA-productive,
• from fatigued to energized and
• from scattered to focused
Rita, and her husband Bruce and their 5 children were all born and raised in the Chicago area. They believe in the positives of raising children as Cubs fans because it teaches how to handle disappointment, how to be eternally optimistic and to forever have the extreme hope that things will always be better next year. Great Life Skills … don’t you agree?
Her customized presentations covering Procrastination, Clutter, Customer Loyalty, Burn-out, and Communication Skills have helped hundreds of organizations improve their performance, productivity and profitability, and head off burnout before it starts. Some of Rita’s clients include AT&T, Kraft Food, Mercedes Benz, Met Life, and The National Kidney Foundation.
Rita has been honored for her High Content / High Fun interactive Keynotes and Training presentations by being included in the prestigious “Who’s Who in American Education” plus “Who’s Who in America” and the “The World Wide Who’s Who of Women”.
As a speaker, Rita's presentations help transform audiences
• from semi-productive to MEGA-productive,
• from fatigued to energized and
• from scattered to focused
Rita, and her husband Bruce and their 5 children were all born and raised in the Chicago area. They believe in the positives of raising children as Cubs fans because it teaches how to handle disappointment, how to be eternally optimistic and to forever have the extreme hope that things will always be better next year. Great Life Skills … don’t you agree?
Her customized presentations covering Procrastination, Clutter, Customer Loyalty, Burn-out, and Communication Skills have helped hundreds of organizations improve their performance, productivity and profitability, and head off burnout before it starts. Some of Rita’s clients include AT&T, Kraft Food, Mercedes Benz, Met Life, and The National Kidney Foundation.
Rita has been honored for her High Content / High Fun interactive Keynotes and Training presentations by being included in the prestigious “Who’s Who in American Education” plus “Who’s Who in America” and the “The World Wide Who’s Who of Women”.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
March 28, 2011
In an effort to find new ways to increase my productivity and task focus, recently I checked out The Procrastinator's Handbook from the local library. This book came highly recommended in reviews on Amazon, and I have to agree. Unable to sleep because of a bad cold, I searched the book for ideas in a marathon session between midnight and 4:30 AM one morning and took five pages of notes. Some of the ideas I found useful were:
1. Eat the frog...Mark Twain once said that if you wake up and know you have to eat a frog that day, it's better to get it over with and do it first. So, pick the worst things you have to do that day, and do it first. And the corollary? If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first. (There is another book by this name - Eat That Frog, but the reviews said it was fairly superficial, and would have been better as a short article.)
2. Whatever it is, if you know it is going to stretch out for awhile, commit to work on whatever it is for a single uninterrupted hour. If that's all you can make yourself do, at least you did that much, but often once you have started it is much easier to keep going. They key is simply to get started. Use a timer so that you will know when the hour is up and won't keep checking the time.
3. List 101 things that you've been meaning to do (or finish) but haven't done (this may take several days). Post it where others can see. Apply the anticrastination ideas to the list. Simply creating the list will sometimes jumpstart you to handle some of the items on the list (it did for me...I completed one task after reading the book and before I finally went to sleep).
4. Make a concerted and conscious effort to gain control of your negative self-talk...stop beating yourself up. Be realistic in your self-assessment of strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and failures, but remember that in addition to the failures and weaknesses, you DO have strengths and accomplishments.
5. Figure out what fears lead you to procrastination. One possibility is fear of imperfection, the solution to which is to realize that very few things require the attention and quality of a Stradivarius violin. Most things need only be "good enough." Indeed, some Native American craft workers deliberately included flaws in their crafts to remind them that only God is perfect.
6. Other possible fears that cause us to procrastinate might include fear of the unknown, judgment, success, having to live up to a higher standard, change, or too much responsibility. On the whole, I think my "favorite" is perfectionism...fear of doing something that isn't perfect. That deep-seated anxiety keeps me from moving projects along, such as writing…I can’t seem to get started on drafts of articles simply because I can’t seem to find the right way to frame them or get my thoughts down on paper.
7. Solutions include asking yourself two questions, and pondering the answers. Question #1 - What am I afraid of? Question #2 - What if my worst nightmare came true in the most horrible way possible? Mostly, the answers will be more comforting than scary. Also, as Ralph Waldo Emerson is reputed to have said "What you are afraid to do is a clear indication of the next thing you need to do."
8. Don't feel that you have to do everything (with the inevitable result that nothing gets done well). Too many projects, meetings, engagements, books, etc. Tell yourself that you can't do everything that you wish, or that is good to do, then delegate, streamline, eliminate, disengage, whatever it takes to focus not on better, but on best. Decide what is most important to you, and evaluate every opportunity in light of that decision.
9. Don't forget that you need personal rest and relaxation - set limits on work - don't forget the message of Gulistan Saadi's quatrain, "Hyacinths to Feed Thy Soul." Schedule occasional "just say no" times - they don't need to be often, but I believe that we must seek out balance in our physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual domains.
10. When we feel overwhelmed, we procrastinate. The solution is to take a single step on the "10,000 mile journey." Use the Swiss cheese approach, divide the tasks in front of you into manageable pieces, then choose one (the frog) and get started. Don't forget to develop a plan...a journey without a map takes you nowhere (despite my conviction that, sometimes, the journey is the destination).
11. Take breaks throughout the day. Eat lunch away from your desk. Put limits on visits and phone calls. Use "pockets" of time productively (e.g., read during bathroom breaks, listen to audiobooks while driving, etc.). Focus on one thing at a time. Write down all of your ideas then decide later what is important. Set priorities first each day. Tackle large projects in stages. Don't overschedule yourself.
12. Keep to do lists, but if you find yourself carrying items over from one day to the next, make a decision to delay them until a certain date (and then do them!) or write “ONAP” next to the item and cross it out. ONAP stands for "omit, not a priority."
13. Constantly ask yourself this one simple question - "What is the best use of my time right now." Remember that it is not always whatever project seems most pressing. Sometimes family, friends, exercise, rest, or other things are legitimately the most important use of your time. Much of what we will use our time for is maintenance and progress on projects, but never forget that our lives also need the enriching influence of family, friends, the beauty of the earth, the arts, etc.
14. You can't read everything, so don't try. As necessary, and whenever possible, skip words, phrases, pages, or chapters. That's what I did with this book...I got what I needed from it without reading the numerous stories and examples the author included, and was able to read it in a few hours.
15. Spend fifteen minutes a day de-cluttering your workspace.
1. Eat the frog...Mark Twain once said that if you wake up and know you have to eat a frog that day, it's better to get it over with and do it first. So, pick the worst things you have to do that day, and do it first. And the corollary? If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first. (There is another book by this name - Eat That Frog, but the reviews said it was fairly superficial, and would have been better as a short article.)
2. Whatever it is, if you know it is going to stretch out for awhile, commit to work on whatever it is for a single uninterrupted hour. If that's all you can make yourself do, at least you did that much, but often once you have started it is much easier to keep going. They key is simply to get started. Use a timer so that you will know when the hour is up and won't keep checking the time.
3. List 101 things that you've been meaning to do (or finish) but haven't done (this may take several days). Post it where others can see. Apply the anticrastination ideas to the list. Simply creating the list will sometimes jumpstart you to handle some of the items on the list (it did for me...I completed one task after reading the book and before I finally went to sleep).
4. Make a concerted and conscious effort to gain control of your negative self-talk...stop beating yourself up. Be realistic in your self-assessment of strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and failures, but remember that in addition to the failures and weaknesses, you DO have strengths and accomplishments.
5. Figure out what fears lead you to procrastination. One possibility is fear of imperfection, the solution to which is to realize that very few things require the attention and quality of a Stradivarius violin. Most things need only be "good enough." Indeed, some Native American craft workers deliberately included flaws in their crafts to remind them that only God is perfect.
6. Other possible fears that cause us to procrastinate might include fear of the unknown, judgment, success, having to live up to a higher standard, change, or too much responsibility. On the whole, I think my "favorite" is perfectionism...fear of doing something that isn't perfect. That deep-seated anxiety keeps me from moving projects along, such as writing…I can’t seem to get started on drafts of articles simply because I can’t seem to find the right way to frame them or get my thoughts down on paper.
7. Solutions include asking yourself two questions, and pondering the answers. Question #1 - What am I afraid of? Question #2 - What if my worst nightmare came true in the most horrible way possible? Mostly, the answers will be more comforting than scary. Also, as Ralph Waldo Emerson is reputed to have said "What you are afraid to do is a clear indication of the next thing you need to do."
8. Don't feel that you have to do everything (with the inevitable result that nothing gets done well). Too many projects, meetings, engagements, books, etc. Tell yourself that you can't do everything that you wish, or that is good to do, then delegate, streamline, eliminate, disengage, whatever it takes to focus not on better, but on best. Decide what is most important to you, and evaluate every opportunity in light of that decision.
9. Don't forget that you need personal rest and relaxation - set limits on work - don't forget the message of Gulistan Saadi's quatrain, "Hyacinths to Feed Thy Soul." Schedule occasional "just say no" times - they don't need to be often, but I believe that we must seek out balance in our physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual domains.
10. When we feel overwhelmed, we procrastinate. The solution is to take a single step on the "10,000 mile journey." Use the Swiss cheese approach, divide the tasks in front of you into manageable pieces, then choose one (the frog) and get started. Don't forget to develop a plan...a journey without a map takes you nowhere (despite my conviction that, sometimes, the journey is the destination).
11. Take breaks throughout the day. Eat lunch away from your desk. Put limits on visits and phone calls. Use "pockets" of time productively (e.g., read during bathroom breaks, listen to audiobooks while driving, etc.). Focus on one thing at a time. Write down all of your ideas then decide later what is important. Set priorities first each day. Tackle large projects in stages. Don't overschedule yourself.
12. Keep to do lists, but if you find yourself carrying items over from one day to the next, make a decision to delay them until a certain date (and then do them!) or write “ONAP” next to the item and cross it out. ONAP stands for "omit, not a priority."
13. Constantly ask yourself this one simple question - "What is the best use of my time right now." Remember that it is not always whatever project seems most pressing. Sometimes family, friends, exercise, rest, or other things are legitimately the most important use of your time. Much of what we will use our time for is maintenance and progress on projects, but never forget that our lives also need the enriching influence of family, friends, the beauty of the earth, the arts, etc.
14. You can't read everything, so don't try. As necessary, and whenever possible, skip words, phrases, pages, or chapters. That's what I did with this book...I got what I needed from it without reading the numerous stories and examples the author included, and was able to read it in a few hours.
15. Spend fifteen minutes a day de-cluttering your workspace.
April 11, 2017
My dad bought this for me on my 17th birthday, presumably to help motivate me to do something with my life. I remember telling him, "Meh, I'll read it later." My Type A father didn't think my joke was very funny.
Flash forward seventeen years, ironically and without deliberate intention, and today is my birthday. Really odd that when plowing through the shelf of books that I've committed to finishing and this one lands on today but it definitely proves my dad's point: I am a CHRONIC procrastinator. But hey, I read it later, didn't I?
I've actually spent a fair chunk of time in the past few years researching and learning about the best ways to conquer procrastination and I've read a couple of books on the subject. This Handbook encompasses all of the methods that I've come across and I would say this is an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn some tips. The only drawbacks are the ungodly amount of examples and testimonials that she includes in the book. I agree that real-life examples are a poignant learning tool but at some point, it seems pretty apparent that this method is more to pad the pages and squeeze out some extra mileage. The same goes for the 'extra credit' sections at the end of chapters. These are questions that the reader can answer by writing in the book but a handful of simple one-liner answers amount to three or four pages in the book. I usually skipped over them so it wasn't bothersome as a time inconvenience or anything but I think the price tag on the book would lose a couple of dollars if she'd just stuck to the material.
Overall, a straight-forward and quick approach to understanding and working through procrastination. I would recommend 'Solving the Procrastination Puzzle' by Timothy Pychyl or 'How To Fail At Almost Everything and Still Win Big' by Scott Adams over The Procrastinator's Handbook but if you're drawn to snippets of knowledge followed with multiple examples of seemingly real people with real problems overcoming them because they employed the aforementioned snippets, this one knocks it out of the park.
Flash forward seventeen years, ironically and without deliberate intention, and today is my birthday. Really odd that when plowing through the shelf of books that I've committed to finishing and this one lands on today but it definitely proves my dad's point: I am a CHRONIC procrastinator. But hey, I read it later, didn't I?
I've actually spent a fair chunk of time in the past few years researching and learning about the best ways to conquer procrastination and I've read a couple of books on the subject. This Handbook encompasses all of the methods that I've come across and I would say this is an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn some tips. The only drawbacks are the ungodly amount of examples and testimonials that she includes in the book. I agree that real-life examples are a poignant learning tool but at some point, it seems pretty apparent that this method is more to pad the pages and squeeze out some extra mileage. The same goes for the 'extra credit' sections at the end of chapters. These are questions that the reader can answer by writing in the book but a handful of simple one-liner answers amount to three or four pages in the book. I usually skipped over them so it wasn't bothersome as a time inconvenience or anything but I think the price tag on the book would lose a couple of dollars if she'd just stuck to the material.
Overall, a straight-forward and quick approach to understanding and working through procrastination. I would recommend 'Solving the Procrastination Puzzle' by Timothy Pychyl or 'How To Fail At Almost Everything and Still Win Big' by Scott Adams over The Procrastinator's Handbook but if you're drawn to snippets of knowledge followed with multiple examples of seemingly real people with real problems overcoming them because they employed the aforementioned snippets, this one knocks it out of the park.
October 28, 2008
currently reading since NOVEMBER 30. This is not a coincidence.
I think if I read it, I will have to change my ways. It's like any self-improvement book... I always trudge through it, no matter how short or helpful or even funny it is. This book is all three. But I keep putting off reading it...
I finished it after giving myself the deadline of October 3, after which I gave it to my oldest son. He'd requested it after I kept telling him what I was learning. There is much practical insight in this book. I learned a lot about myself.
I think if I read it, I will have to change my ways. It's like any self-improvement book... I always trudge through it, no matter how short or helpful or even funny it is. This book is all three. But I keep putting off reading it...
I finished it after giving myself the deadline of October 3, after which I gave it to my oldest son. He'd requested it after I kept telling him what I was learning. There is much practical insight in this book. I learned a lot about myself.
February 17, 2012
As proof that I needed this book, I bought it over a year ago, and just got around to reading it!
Rita Emmett gets to the heart of why we procrastinate and hit the nail on the head so many times for me --- I have the book all marked up and dog-eared, and plan on referring back to it at those times when I feel "stuck".
One thing she suggests is making a list of 101 things you've been meaning to do or finish but haven't got around to. It's good to get all those things out of your head and onto paper. I started my list, and I think I'm closer to around 150 now! (just looking at it makes me want to procrastinate! :)
Rita Emmett gets to the heart of why we procrastinate and hit the nail on the head so many times for me --- I have the book all marked up and dog-eared, and plan on referring back to it at those times when I feel "stuck".
One thing she suggests is making a list of 101 things you've been meaning to do or finish but haven't got around to. It's good to get all those things out of your head and onto paper. I started my list, and I think I'm closer to around 150 now! (just looking at it makes me want to procrastinate! :)
July 10, 2024
very helpful and motivating!!
January 9, 2014
Rita Emmett has provided a resource to help anyone struggling with the malady of procrastination. The author defines the disease and its symptoms then offers practical advice for healing. This is a "must read" for anyone desiring to become more efficient at the demands of life.
February 14, 2024
I really hoped this book would have some good suggestions to help overcome my tendency to procrastinate. There were a handful of potentially useful ideas, which could probably be summed up in just three words - make a list. I make lists, I'm *good at making lists - it's doing something about those lists that's the problem :)
It seemed that a lot of the book addressed procrastination at work, but there were a few suggestions that could be applied to home as well:
* Do the worst/hardest thing on your list first
* For large tasks, commit to working on them for one uninterrupted hour, then do more if you wish. Often, it's getting started that's the hard part (don't I know it!). Set an alarm so you don't keep checking the time.
* Make a list of 101 things you want to do, put the list where others can see it, then work at crossing things off the list. Knowing that others could be checking your progress will (supposedly) motivate you to *do some of what's on the list.
There were so many real-life example and testimonials, parts of the book read like an ad for the book... or her speaking engagements, etc. If these had been eliminated, or even weeded to include only a few of them, the book would have been considerably shorter, and probably more engaging as well.
It seemed that a lot of the book addressed procrastination at work, but there were a few suggestions that could be applied to home as well:
* Do the worst/hardest thing on your list first
* For large tasks, commit to working on them for one uninterrupted hour, then do more if you wish. Often, it's getting started that's the hard part (don't I know it!). Set an alarm so you don't keep checking the time.
* Make a list of 101 things you want to do, put the list where others can see it, then work at crossing things off the list. Knowing that others could be checking your progress will (supposedly) motivate you to *do some of what's on the list.
There were so many real-life example and testimonials, parts of the book read like an ad for the book... or her speaking engagements, etc. If these had been eliminated, or even weeded to include only a few of them, the book would have been considerably shorter, and probably more engaging as well.
January 7, 2019
I received this book almost 10 years ago from my mother, and I'm finally reading it now. Wow, am I embarrassed I took so long for this. I looked at it, and at the time saw it looked like it had too many ideas, and the "homework" made me cringe.
But there are some extremely direct and accessible ideas within here--reinforcement is largely why I need to stay on the path.
My favorite suggestion was to create a list of 101 things you need to do, but have been putting off.
But there are some extremely direct and accessible ideas within here--reinforcement is largely why I need to stay on the path.
My favorite suggestion was to create a list of 101 things you need to do, but have been putting off.
March 23, 2023
The beginning was tough to read because if you’ve been a procrastinator forever, you already know all of the “whys” behind your ways. Though, the second half of the book dealing with “how to stop” procrastination was precious and helpful.
July 9, 2013
i was hoping that this would get me out of a work rut, but no such luck. words and tips that i'd seen many times before. some little bits of inspiration mostly filtered through a lot of practical knowledge.
i did love this quote:
Almost every carpenter in the country knows that you have to measure twice and cut once. Making mistakes when you cut can be very expensive. "On the other hand, even though they measure twice, sometimes there's a mistake. Ad do you know what they say to themselves when they goof up?" "What?", asked Stella. "it aint a grand piano." Ed explained, "You see, not everything a carpenter does is going to be at the same level of importance as a grand piano. "
i did love this quote:
Almost every carpenter in the country knows that you have to measure twice and cut once. Making mistakes when you cut can be very expensive. "On the other hand, even though they measure twice, sometimes there's a mistake. Ad do you know what they say to themselves when they goof up?" "What?", asked Stella. "it aint a grand piano." Ed explained, "You see, not everything a carpenter does is going to be at the same level of importance as a grand piano. "
August 20, 2016
To summarize this book in 3 words - MAKE A LIST. The theme throughout the book is make a list, prioritize the list, check things off the list, apply this list making to all aspects of your life, from work, to decluttering/cleaning your house, to deciding what leisure activities are important. Not particularly helpful advice to a procrastinator like myself who makes all manner of lists, but needs a bigger kick in the pants to actually do the things on said lists. There are a handful of interesting quotes though, and sometimes reading about strategies helps act as a motivator, but I'm a bit skeptical.
December 8, 2011
I liked this book. There's nothing super revolutionary in it but lots of practical ideas that if implemented would probably really change my life for the better. I'm a huge procrastinator and lot of what she wrote rings true.
August 23, 2014
My favorite quote so far, by the author, Rita Emmett:
"God created company so the house would get cleaned."
"God created company so the house would get cleaned."
January 6, 2015
Well written, but I fear that any book written for procrastination will probably never be read by a procrastinator ;-)
August 1, 2024
The reason I am giving this book a 4/5 is for two reasons, one: it’s just a little dated and two: I got so much other helpful information out of this book for not being a procrastinator.
It’s not a problem that it’s dated because it’s not Rita Emmett’s fault I found the book now, when she had written it when she did. There were a lot of references to paper clutter and CD players and with our digital age, we don’t have much of those problems anymore.
For the relation part, I don’t find myself to be a huge procrastinator. There are some things I put off like maybe cleaning out the old clothes in my closet or getting rid of some things on a shelf, but for the most part, I love cleaning and getting work done a week before the deadline.
The reason this book got a higher rating even though I didn’t relate, was because of how much other stuff I actually learned besides beating procrastination. There were so many helpful tips about money saving which really stood out to me because as a young adult, I really want to focus on saving for my future. I found myself turning to my boyfriend a lot and reading out loud what she wrote about saving and now him and I are following her ideas.
If you are a procrastinator, this book will help you. If you’re not a procrastinator, this book will also help you. So all in all, I just recommend this book as a good self help read.
It’s not a problem that it’s dated because it’s not Rita Emmett’s fault I found the book now, when she had written it when she did. There were a lot of references to paper clutter and CD players and with our digital age, we don’t have much of those problems anymore.
For the relation part, I don’t find myself to be a huge procrastinator. There are some things I put off like maybe cleaning out the old clothes in my closet or getting rid of some things on a shelf, but for the most part, I love cleaning and getting work done a week before the deadline.
The reason this book got a higher rating even though I didn’t relate, was because of how much other stuff I actually learned besides beating procrastination. There were so many helpful tips about money saving which really stood out to me because as a young adult, I really want to focus on saving for my future. I found myself turning to my boyfriend a lot and reading out loud what she wrote about saving and now him and I are following her ideas.
If you are a procrastinator, this book will help you. If you’re not a procrastinator, this book will also help you. So all in all, I just recommend this book as a good self help read.
December 28, 2024
I want to stop wasting my one wild and precious life on my phone addiction, so I decided to dust off my old Kindle and finish reading all the books that I've abandonded.
I saw that I'd stopped reading "The Procrasinator's Handbook" at 57%, which made me laugh. Then it made me sad, so I decided to start here.
It only took me a couple hours to finish the rest of this book. The advice here is simple and common-sense—nothing groundbreaking about how procrastinating is a trauma response or is actually rooted in avoiding difficult emotions or how neurodivergence leads to cycles of hyper-productive perfectionism and then burnout. Nope, this is just simple advice from a simpler time, without smart phones and endless content on those smart phones telling you how to optimize your life with ChatGPT prompts and your astrology chart and a $90 planner.
Make a list. Keep your lists in the same place. Break projects down into smaller pieces. Keep everything related to a project in one folder and one notebook that are the same color, and keep the notebook inside the folder.
Reading this book is like spending an afternoon with your organized Type A friend and absorbing their wisdom, without worrying that they're judging you for the dishes in your sink. Anyway, writing this review is not on my list. This is me procrastinating.
Off to wash the dishes.
I saw that I'd stopped reading "The Procrasinator's Handbook" at 57%, which made me laugh. Then it made me sad, so I decided to start here.
It only took me a couple hours to finish the rest of this book. The advice here is simple and common-sense—nothing groundbreaking about how procrastinating is a trauma response or is actually rooted in avoiding difficult emotions or how neurodivergence leads to cycles of hyper-productive perfectionism and then burnout. Nope, this is just simple advice from a simpler time, without smart phones and endless content on those smart phones telling you how to optimize your life with ChatGPT prompts and your astrology chart and a $90 planner.
Make a list. Keep your lists in the same place. Break projects down into smaller pieces. Keep everything related to a project in one folder and one notebook that are the same color, and keep the notebook inside the folder.
Reading this book is like spending an afternoon with your organized Type A friend and absorbing their wisdom, without worrying that they're judging you for the dishes in your sink. Anyway, writing this review is not on my list. This is me procrastinating.
Off to wash the dishes.
February 21, 2025
The Procrastinator's Handbook is a manual on conquering a habit. Almost everyone puts off something they need to do at one time or another. Author Rita Emmett lends her aid by providing stories and techniques to do requisite tasks immediately.
Starting, Emmett discusses why someone may procrastinate and organizes her advice accordingly. The task may be annoying, and they don't want to do it. In this case, Emmett suggests blocking out a portion of your day and devoting your full attention to the job. Another technique is to do the most unpleasant task first.
Another reason to not do something is fear. The procrastinator's standards might be too high, or they fear failure altogether. Finally, the procrastinator may have too many responsibilities and don't know where to begin.
The book is short. It is also older than I thought it would be. However, the advice offered is timeless. Although I said the book is old, it does write about emails and other technologies. I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
Starting, Emmett discusses why someone may procrastinate and organizes her advice accordingly. The task may be annoying, and they don't want to do it. In this case, Emmett suggests blocking out a portion of your day and devoting your full attention to the job. Another technique is to do the most unpleasant task first.
Another reason to not do something is fear. The procrastinator's standards might be too high, or they fear failure altogether. Finally, the procrastinator may have too many responsibilities and don't know where to begin.
The book is short. It is also older than I thought it would be. However, the advice offered is timeless. Although I said the book is old, it does write about emails and other technologies. I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
September 5, 2024
I read this book ca. 2001. It is now 2024 and find myself in a phase of life where procrastination is rearing its ugly head. After 23 YEARS I still remember one piece of advice from this book and it has had a huge impact on my situation: If you are watching TV, never sit through commercials. Get up and for just those few minutes, take care of something. I’m watching the U.S. Open right now but just cleaned my kitchen using two player breaks. During the next one I will begin another tidying project. Thanks to Ms Emmett, I will get things done today, even though I felt a pull not to. THAT is a good book.
August 1, 2018
This is a practical, succinct little book filled with tons of advice to get you moving. One of my favorite lines was "Ink it; Don't think it." Another favorite story in the perfectionism section was about Michael Jordan and how he has missed more than 9000 shots in his life. He said, "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. So that is why I succeed." Love that. This book will get you moving and unstuck from wherever you are right now.
March 5, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit dated in reference to technology and repeated some philosophies and techniques I've heard before, but perhaps they were less cliche when this book was published. There were also some insights and connections that were truly relevant. Another tool I'm my belt so to speak. The gems of this book were for me more in the psychological reasons for procrastination than the solutions presented. A worthwhile read.
October 27, 2023
Good read if you struggle with procrastinating. It can be helpful in identifying the type of procrastinator you are, bringing awareness to it, and help identify why. This can be useful to make changes. It also offers various anecdotes and paths forward in tackling procrastination and getting things done. Not an earthshattering solution to everything, but a realistic step in the right direction if you're serious about becoming aware and making changes.
November 7, 2018
This book has some great tips for mastering procrastination. It took me a while to finish this book, but I made sure that I do all the tasks for "Extra Credit".
It is such a motivating book that you would want to act upon the advices given in it almost immediately. It helped me to think about those areas in my life where I was lacking. Hopefully, would be acting upon those areas aswell.
It is such a motivating book that you would want to act upon the advices given in it almost immediately. It helped me to think about those areas in my life where I was lacking. Hopefully, would be acting upon those areas aswell.
December 25, 2017
Pretty good book on the subject. Found a lot of interesting info, some more applicable than other. My main complaint would be that it's not really a game-changer, or at least wasn't for me. It's a bundle of interesting advice that may or may not make a difference, YMMV.
October 19, 2018
The examples are very, very outdated which makes the book a bit funny and not as helpful as it was intended to be. Also, I expected more chapters on motivation and in reality the book is based on time management and tips and tricks how to be neat or organise time.
February 19, 2019
Beginning and the end of this book is more about time management and how to become organized rather than the psychology behind procrastination.
The chapters at the middle of book were very helpful for me.
The chapters at the middle of book were very helpful for me.
January 1, 2021
A great book for refocusing time, tasks and energy to reach and complete goals. I particularly enjoyed the questions to inspire my thinking process and the quotes along the way. I will be referring back to this book from time to time for motivation.
September 29, 2021
8/10
A short, simple, quick read that’s interactive and self explorative. If you’re looking for a book with cold hard facts then this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for quick and easy tools to apply to your daily life, read this book!
A short, simple, quick read that’s interactive and self explorative. If you’re looking for a book with cold hard facts then this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for quick and easy tools to apply to your daily life, read this book!
January 4, 2022
Its a great learning opportunity to managing your time and productivity. The author enlists numerous keynotes for everyday imporvement. you can build a great productive behavior by practicing even few of these.
July 19, 2023
A useful book to explore why we procrastinate (fears) and what to do about it (identify them and work on them step by step). I took a lot of notes from it. I skipped the last chapter that was about decluttering.
January 15, 2018
How to for those who put things off till they become overwhelming.
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