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The Now Habit
Originally published by Tarcher in 1988, The Now Habit has sold more than 58,000 copies, and is as relevant as ever! Author Neil Fiore offers the first comprehensive strategy to overcome the causes of procrastination and to eliminate its deleterious effects. His techniques will help any busy person get more things done more quickly, without the anxiety and stress brought on by failure to meet the workplace's pressing deadlines. This revised, redesigned edition includes a new introduction and a section that provides strategies to understand and deal with the complex role technology plays in procrastination today.
224 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 1988
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September 21, 2015
original review Jan 13, 2013
The whole book was one big "THIS!!". Interspersed with a few "Fuck! I'm such a doofus" moments.
****
book +36 hours
-completed a draft of an article I've been avoiding since November
-emailed someone I've been dodging for ten days
-joined a gym and went once (this is a different kettle of fish from joining a gym and going a sustained 4+ times a week; please check back)
-Completed a work review I have put off since December
-completed a task due last November
update 21 Sep 2015
this book didn't make my life perfect, but it really did change me for the better.
I changed my job
I allow myself to have things that make me happy
I moved to my dream condo (I have a pool! I wanted a pool my whole life but figured I didn't deserve one. Now I have one! Eeeeee!)
I earn more money
I'm healthier
I completed several important personal projects
I still go to the gym
I restarted a recreational activity I love
I gave up ownership of some problems that were making me miserable and guilty
I still struggle with giving myself free time, because I don't feel I've earned it, but I keep working on it. I struggle with completing personal tasks, as I give priority to work tasks, but I'm working on that too.
I still give this 5 stars
The whole book was one big "THIS!!". Interspersed with a few "Fuck! I'm such a doofus" moments.
****
book +36 hours
-completed a draft of an article I've been avoiding since November
-emailed someone I've been dodging for ten days
-joined a gym and went once (this is a different kettle of fish from joining a gym and going a sustained 4+ times a week; please check back)
-Completed a work review I have put off since December
-completed a task due last November
update 21 Sep 2015
this book didn't make my life perfect, but it really did change me for the better.
I changed my job
I allow myself to have things that make me happy
I moved to my dream condo (I have a pool! I wanted a pool my whole life but figured I didn't deserve one. Now I have one! Eeeeee!)
I earn more money
I'm healthier
I completed several important personal projects
I still go to the gym
I restarted a recreational activity I love
I gave up ownership of some problems that were making me miserable and guilty
I still struggle with giving myself free time, because I don't feel I've earned it, but I keep working on it. I struggle with completing personal tasks, as I give priority to work tasks, but I'm working on that too.
I still give this 5 stars
June 16, 2021
4.5 "helpful, systematic, encouraging" stars !!
2017 Honorable Mention Read
I am a closet procrastinator. My friends do not know that I am., but my partner and family are well aware of it. Procrastination has become quite severe over the past three years to the point that I am tired much of the time and needing more and more rest despite not really increasing my productivity.
This book was immensely helpful to me and I am already turning things around and hope to continue doing so. Through reflection and implementing these strategies I have discovered that I am not lazy or unmotivated but rather have way too many demands and most of those are self-imposed.
I am not a perfectionist either but the fact of the matter is that all the projects that I am involved in both work and leisure spheres are not necessary to my well-being and in fact are causing unnecessary stress. This book has helped me come up with a plan to get my time under control, prioritize my tasks, schedule in more free time and most important helped me understand that I can let many things go in order to improve my quality of life. I do not need to have both a full time job and a side business. I do not need to have the income as we have everything we need and can greatly cut down on our expenses so that we don't have to work as much.
In a few short weeks, my sense of ease has increased and my knowledge that what I set my mind to do I can accomplish while letting a lot of other obligations and time wasters go.
The book takes the reader through a wide variety of strategies, examples and explanations that will be helpful to anybody that procrastinates from an occasional basis to those that are heavily oppressed by this very difficult human problem.
My one small issue with the book is that all of his case studies tended to be those that work in business or sales and it would have been helpful to have a wider variety of occupations and professions looked at.
There is also a very helpful chapter for managers in how to deal with procrastination in their employees as management styles are often the main culprit in procrastination in subordinates.
This book was mildly life-changing for me and for that Dr. Fiore I am very thankful !!
2017 Honorable Mention Read
I am a closet procrastinator. My friends do not know that I am., but my partner and family are well aware of it. Procrastination has become quite severe over the past three years to the point that I am tired much of the time and needing more and more rest despite not really increasing my productivity.
This book was immensely helpful to me and I am already turning things around and hope to continue doing so. Through reflection and implementing these strategies I have discovered that I am not lazy or unmotivated but rather have way too many demands and most of those are self-imposed.
I am not a perfectionist either but the fact of the matter is that all the projects that I am involved in both work and leisure spheres are not necessary to my well-being and in fact are causing unnecessary stress. This book has helped me come up with a plan to get my time under control, prioritize my tasks, schedule in more free time and most important helped me understand that I can let many things go in order to improve my quality of life. I do not need to have both a full time job and a side business. I do not need to have the income as we have everything we need and can greatly cut down on our expenses so that we don't have to work as much.
In a few short weeks, my sense of ease has increased and my knowledge that what I set my mind to do I can accomplish while letting a lot of other obligations and time wasters go.
The book takes the reader through a wide variety of strategies, examples and explanations that will be helpful to anybody that procrastinates from an occasional basis to those that are heavily oppressed by this very difficult human problem.
My one small issue with the book is that all of his case studies tended to be those that work in business or sales and it would have been helpful to have a wider variety of occupations and professions looked at.
There is also a very helpful chapter for managers in how to deal with procrastination in their employees as management styles are often the main culprit in procrastination in subordinates.
This book was mildly life-changing for me and for that Dr. Fiore I am very thankful !!
August 5, 2012
I wish that I could recommend this book to my Freshman self, because the program is already working for me (Medical School Application).
Fiore puts forth the thesis that procrastination is a defense mechanism that people use to escape the anxiety they feel for large looming projects. They are afraid of producing inadequate work and they are afraid of being judged harshly for failing. It isn't laziness that drives the procrastinator to procrastinate, rather, it is the negative self-talk: the should've's and have-to's, the feeling of being trapped, an inability to accurately keep track of time spent, and a temporary reprieve from all of the suffering that the procrastinator must deal with.
So how does one beat procrastination, this learned behavior that we engage in to get away from self-imposed criticism and anguish? Fiore suggests starting with changing the way you talk to yourself. Always choose to do things because you choose to do them, not because you have to. You'll feel less trapped that way. Next, schedule all the things you do in a day EXCEPT the work you intend on completing (he calls this the Unschedule). This will give you a realistic glimpse of your day so that you don't schedule things that you are likely to fail to do. After that, compose an exhaustive list of all the tasks that you need to complete in order to complete the project, organize them by chronology, and write them backwards, starting with your finished product and working your way back to your current situation. This "reverse calendar" should provide a realistic roadmap to your ultimate goal. By breaking the project into small chunks, you are increasing the probability that you are going to get started on each task, especially if you build a "winning streak"
Fiore goes on to explain that we become most productive when we stick to a schedule of mandatory fun. By scheduling tennis, horseback riding, camping, frisbee, biking and other fun things, you structure your days around fun. You fit your work time around these fun things, trying to hit a certain number of work hours everyday. The goal is to START as often as possible, not finish. When you think of finishing things, you think of overwhelming and indefinite goals in the future, which can be self-defeating. It is better to think of work as a series of tasks with immediate and tangible goals, which is obviously more motivating.
Fiore also provides focusing exercises that I found helpful. They take about two minutes to do and leave you feeling invigorated right before you start to work.
I recommend this to anyone who is having trouble with procrastination. Totally worthwhile read.
Fiore puts forth the thesis that procrastination is a defense mechanism that people use to escape the anxiety they feel for large looming projects. They are afraid of producing inadequate work and they are afraid of being judged harshly for failing. It isn't laziness that drives the procrastinator to procrastinate, rather, it is the negative self-talk: the should've's and have-to's, the feeling of being trapped, an inability to accurately keep track of time spent, and a temporary reprieve from all of the suffering that the procrastinator must deal with.
So how does one beat procrastination, this learned behavior that we engage in to get away from self-imposed criticism and anguish? Fiore suggests starting with changing the way you talk to yourself. Always choose to do things because you choose to do them, not because you have to. You'll feel less trapped that way. Next, schedule all the things you do in a day EXCEPT the work you intend on completing (he calls this the Unschedule). This will give you a realistic glimpse of your day so that you don't schedule things that you are likely to fail to do. After that, compose an exhaustive list of all the tasks that you need to complete in order to complete the project, organize them by chronology, and write them backwards, starting with your finished product and working your way back to your current situation. This "reverse calendar" should provide a realistic roadmap to your ultimate goal. By breaking the project into small chunks, you are increasing the probability that you are going to get started on each task, especially if you build a "winning streak"
Fiore goes on to explain that we become most productive when we stick to a schedule of mandatory fun. By scheduling tennis, horseback riding, camping, frisbee, biking and other fun things, you structure your days around fun. You fit your work time around these fun things, trying to hit a certain number of work hours everyday. The goal is to START as often as possible, not finish. When you think of finishing things, you think of overwhelming and indefinite goals in the future, which can be self-defeating. It is better to think of work as a series of tasks with immediate and tangible goals, which is obviously more motivating.
Fiore also provides focusing exercises that I found helpful. They take about two minutes to do and leave you feeling invigorated right before you start to work.
I recommend this to anyone who is having trouble with procrastination. Totally worthwhile read.
July 15, 2009
Most books that claim to help you with procrastination boil down to: get organized, make a list, get off your butt and do your work. Unlike those, this book is very helpful. It starts by explaining why people procrastinate. It's not because we're lazy, it's because procrastination rewards us in one way or another (ex. if you delay a task, sometimes it will turn out not to have been necessary at all, so not doing it saved you some pointless work. Goofing off is more fun than work. If you wait until the last minute, if your work isn't perfect, you have a built-in excuse to not consider that a reflection on you--you would have done better if you had had more time). So the trick is to find a way to make work less scary and more rewarding than procrastinating.
5 blocks to productivity:
- "I have to..." No, you can choose to do it or choose the consequences of not doing it. Same with "I should..." Forget that--make a decision, do it, or don't do it.
- "I must finish." Don't think about that, it's too overwhelming and far off. Instead, think about how to get started on one little piece, any little piece. And forget worrying about the perfect starting point, just start somewhere. Start at the next possible opportunity. Keep starting more and more little pieces, and eventually they'll add up to progress.
- "This is too big." Again, stay away from the big picture if it scares you. Look for one small step you can take next.
- "I must be perfect." No. I can be human. Nobody is perfect.
- "I don't have time to play." Actually, you'll do better work if you take care of yourself and make time to play. Replace this with "I must take time to play."
To summarize, make a schedule for the week. Don't write any time for work in, just write in all the time you have blocked off for lunch, sleep, commuting, taking a shower, exercise, meetings, and fun stuff. Block off all that time--it is unavailable for work. Then, as you go through the work day, every time you work for half an hour uninterrupted, give yourself credit for that on your schedule. Also note what you did with the rest of the time, and use that information to see how you could manage your time better. But the keys are
- don't write work on the schedule until you've done it
- reward yourself with a little break or something every time you finish a good half hour
- pepper the schedule with stuff to look forward to
- do not work more than 5 hours a day or 20 hours a week
Great stuff--has really helped me.
5 blocks to productivity:
- "I have to..." No, you can choose to do it or choose the consequences of not doing it. Same with "I should..." Forget that--make a decision, do it, or don't do it.
- "I must finish." Don't think about that, it's too overwhelming and far off. Instead, think about how to get started on one little piece, any little piece. And forget worrying about the perfect starting point, just start somewhere. Start at the next possible opportunity. Keep starting more and more little pieces, and eventually they'll add up to progress.
- "This is too big." Again, stay away from the big picture if it scares you. Look for one small step you can take next.
- "I must be perfect." No. I can be human. Nobody is perfect.
- "I don't have time to play." Actually, you'll do better work if you take care of yourself and make time to play. Replace this with "I must take time to play."
To summarize, make a schedule for the week. Don't write any time for work in, just write in all the time you have blocked off for lunch, sleep, commuting, taking a shower, exercise, meetings, and fun stuff. Block off all that time--it is unavailable for work. Then, as you go through the work day, every time you work for half an hour uninterrupted, give yourself credit for that on your schedule. Also note what you did with the rest of the time, and use that information to see how you could manage your time better. But the keys are
- don't write work on the schedule until you've done it
- reward yourself with a little break or something every time you finish a good half hour
- pepper the schedule with stuff to look forward to
- do not work more than 5 hours a day or 20 hours a week
Great stuff--has really helped me.
January 3, 2012
I'm not usually one to read a bunch of self help sort of books, though I occasionally will run through one on a recommendation, such as the odd finance book about getting debt under control. But, despite other problems that I have in life the single biggest, hands down, is procrastination.
People who don't procrastinate will look at a procrastinator and see only that that person is either not working hard enough or putting off work. They don't procrastinate and as such don't understand the motivations and reasons behind why someone would. So they demand "get to work" and "just do it" and "work harder" which more often than not will just cause more procrastination.
This book is the first I've ever come across that actually understands procrastination. Reading through its pages I found myself nodding my head a lot because it described my internal struggle with work almost perfectly. And more importantly, the methods and exercises it provides for battling procrastination seem perfectly valid and easily doable. I've already started changing my habits by simply recognizing when I'm headed toward procrastination and being able to head it off before it happens.
And most importantly, this book isn't just about working harder. It's about working better and integrating play into your schedule because it recognizes the single most important element to procrastination - the reason we get bummed out and piddle around is the prospect that work is going to take away time from play. So by putting play on your schedule first and building work around play, you flip the whole thing on its head.
The only hesitation I had in giving this 5 stars is that the last couple of chapters delve into the sort of hippy zen breathing chanting mantra type stuff that I tend to loath in self help books. But up until that point it was an excellent book, and really you can ignore that part and still get a lot out of it.
People who don't procrastinate will look at a procrastinator and see only that that person is either not working hard enough or putting off work. They don't procrastinate and as such don't understand the motivations and reasons behind why someone would. So they demand "get to work" and "just do it" and "work harder" which more often than not will just cause more procrastination.
This book is the first I've ever come across that actually understands procrastination. Reading through its pages I found myself nodding my head a lot because it described my internal struggle with work almost perfectly. And more importantly, the methods and exercises it provides for battling procrastination seem perfectly valid and easily doable. I've already started changing my habits by simply recognizing when I'm headed toward procrastination and being able to head it off before it happens.
And most importantly, this book isn't just about working harder. It's about working better and integrating play into your schedule because it recognizes the single most important element to procrastination - the reason we get bummed out and piddle around is the prospect that work is going to take away time from play. So by putting play on your schedule first and building work around play, you flip the whole thing on its head.
The only hesitation I had in giving this 5 stars is that the last couple of chapters delve into the sort of hippy zen breathing chanting mantra type stuff that I tend to loath in self help books. But up until that point it was an excellent book, and really you can ignore that part and still get a lot out of it.
May 31, 2018
Quite cool.
January 30, 2013
One of the most practical books in the Psychology of Procrastination that I have read. The cliched advice 'Just do it' is not a sustainable adage for procrastinators to live by. Procrastination is not the problem, it is a symptom a deeper underlying issue regarding fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of success or generally feeling overwhelmed by grand plans and pressure. This book uses a combination of great tools like reverse psychology, introducing guilt-free play into one's schedule, meditation to stay centred and growing each day by cultivating the psychology of love rather than fear.
I am not usually a fan of positive psychologists that use the 'Ra Ra Ra' method of motivation;- I find it to be unscientific and usually unsustainable beyond the initial high that all that rara-ing creates. Neil Fiore's book is based on a very deep understanding of human nature, psychology and positive reinforcement. A great book that I highly recommend to create sustainable habits
I am not usually a fan of positive psychologists that use the 'Ra Ra Ra' method of motivation;- I find it to be unscientific and usually unsustainable beyond the initial high that all that rara-ing creates. Neil Fiore's book is based on a very deep understanding of human nature, psychology and positive reinforcement. A great book that I highly recommend to create sustainable habits
November 28, 2019
I don't really read self-help books. I simply don't find myself interesting enough to spend hours on introspection.
Nothing makes me sadder than meeting a gorgeous man, who tells me is a reader only to learn he reads exclusively self-help. (I've been on Tinder a lot lately).
Additionally, most self-help books could be easily blog posts. They have just been stretched with mind-numbing repetitions and pointless anecdotes to justify the advance paid out to the author. And so is the case with this book.
I haven't met a person who would claim they never procrastinate. Everyone procrastinates. We all don't like doing certain things and we put them off. I did agree with Fiore's assessment of the reasons behind procrastination. It's not rocket science - we use procrastination as a defence mechanism to shield us from fear of success as well as a fear of failure. Of course it doesn't explain reason behind procrastinating on things like taking out the bins. I'm not particularly afraid of neither success nor failure when it comes to taking out the bins. This kind of procrastination is the rebellion of our inner child against chores, against what feels like a life full of chores and no guilt-free playtime.
So we procrastinate, then feel bad about it and nothing is achieved.
I did sort of know all of this already but the author's suggestions to overcome the problems didn't really work for me. Telling myself that 'I choose to do something', rather that 'I have to do something' is not useful advice, as I generally don't talk to myself, and just saying those words in my head won't actually make me believe them. In my heart of hearts I would still know I HAVE to go sort out my council tax bill, and that I am not really CHOOSING to do it.
The idea to create this so called 'unschedule' is completely idiotic. Fiore advises we should write down in a painstaking detail all the things that take up our time every day that can't be negotiated (like sleeping, commuting to work, eating, etc etc) to get a realistic idea how much time we actually have in a day to work on our projects, etc, because it won't be 24 hours. No shit, Sherlock. I'm not spending two hours, writing down how I spend every minute of my day to learn what I already know that I have about two hours of free time on weekdays.
Most of other advice is so common sense that I have worked it out myself a while ago through just being an adult human being (like break down big tasks into smaller sub-tasks, make time for fun and reward yourself for achieved goals, etc., don't think about the enormity of your task, just focus on starting not finishing)
I'm afraid I didn't find this whole book motivating or inspiring. But at least I'm writing this review right after I finished reading it, and not half a year later. I should also mention that I listened to this as an audiobook, which was inexplicably narrated by the author himself. I'm glad Fiore overcame his stutter but his shaky delivery didn't add to the experience.
When it comes to self-help there is only source I accept - zen habits by Leo Babauta.
Nothing makes me sadder than meeting a gorgeous man, who tells me is a reader only to learn he reads exclusively self-help. (I've been on Tinder a lot lately).
Additionally, most self-help books could be easily blog posts. They have just been stretched with mind-numbing repetitions and pointless anecdotes to justify the advance paid out to the author. And so is the case with this book.
I haven't met a person who would claim they never procrastinate. Everyone procrastinates. We all don't like doing certain things and we put them off. I did agree with Fiore's assessment of the reasons behind procrastination. It's not rocket science - we use procrastination as a defence mechanism to shield us from fear of success as well as a fear of failure. Of course it doesn't explain reason behind procrastinating on things like taking out the bins. I'm not particularly afraid of neither success nor failure when it comes to taking out the bins. This kind of procrastination is the rebellion of our inner child against chores, against what feels like a life full of chores and no guilt-free playtime.
So we procrastinate, then feel bad about it and nothing is achieved.
I did sort of know all of this already but the author's suggestions to overcome the problems didn't really work for me. Telling myself that 'I choose to do something', rather that 'I have to do something' is not useful advice, as I generally don't talk to myself, and just saying those words in my head won't actually make me believe them. In my heart of hearts I would still know I HAVE to go sort out my council tax bill, and that I am not really CHOOSING to do it.
The idea to create this so called 'unschedule' is completely idiotic. Fiore advises we should write down in a painstaking detail all the things that take up our time every day that can't be negotiated (like sleeping, commuting to work, eating, etc etc) to get a realistic idea how much time we actually have in a day to work on our projects, etc, because it won't be 24 hours. No shit, Sherlock. I'm not spending two hours, writing down how I spend every minute of my day to learn what I already know that I have about two hours of free time on weekdays.
Most of other advice is so common sense that I have worked it out myself a while ago through just being an adult human being (like break down big tasks into smaller sub-tasks, make time for fun and reward yourself for achieved goals, etc., don't think about the enormity of your task, just focus on starting not finishing)
I'm afraid I didn't find this whole book motivating or inspiring. But at least I'm writing this review right after I finished reading it, and not half a year later. I should also mention that I listened to this as an audiobook, which was inexplicably narrated by the author himself. I'm glad Fiore overcame his stutter but his shaky delivery didn't add to the experience.
When it comes to self-help there is only source I accept - zen habits by Leo Babauta.
December 20, 2016
I'm glad I got to read this before the year ended. I think it will be very useful to incorporate these habits into my 2017 resolutions and goal settings, and hopefully taking each to full use as the year flows. I'm happy I read this to see where my pestiest habits are obvious to have time and room to correct them and start with a kick off of motivation, a burst anew!! :)
April 30, 2019
این کتاب ترجمه فارسی هم داره با عنوان عادت به اکنون.
در مجموع کتاب خوبیه و در مورد عادت به تعویق انداختند کارها و روش های مقابله با این عادت حرف میزنه.
بحث های جالبی داره من جمله اینکه به تعویق انداختن کارها از روی تنبلی ذاتی نیست بلکه به علت ترس از بهترین نبودن و بهترین نشدنه یعنی تمرکز روی بی نقص بودن نتیجه ای که دور و درازه این حالت رو در انسان به وجود میاره.
در مجموع کتاب خوبیه و در مورد عادت به تعویق انداختند کارها و روش های مقابله با این عادت حرف میزنه.
بحث های جالبی داره من جمله اینکه به تعویق انداختن کارها از روی تنبلی ذاتی نیست بلکه به علت ترس از بهترین نبودن و بهترین نشدنه یعنی تمرکز روی بی نقص بودن نتیجه ای که دور و درازه این حالت رو در انسان به وجود میاره.
December 11, 2016
I need all the help I can get.
July 18, 2012
I don't think of myself as a huge procrastinator, but I think all of us are in some form or fashion. I'm messy. I'd rather read than do dishes right after I make dinner. I leave my shoes everywhere. I'm on Facebook too much. And I'm trying to streamline things that I do, make my life a little easier by getting on the ball. I think had interesting things to say as to why we procrastinate, and how to get around it. The most intriguing one is the Unschedule--you only get to "treat" yourself after you've done 30 minutes of uninterrupted work, and once you've done that work, put it on your calendar. So your calendar doesn't fill up with tasks you dread (11am--work on Jones report), but AFTER you've worked on the Jones report, you put it on your calendar, thereby a) giving yourself a tiny gold star, and b) being able to track how long it REALLY took to finish the Jones report. I think often I'm not honest about what I'm actually doing or how long that thing actually takes, and then the day just fritters away. I'd probably be amazed at how much or little time I spend on certain activities that could best be spent some other way. Seriously, if you could figure out how much actual, concentrated work you do a day (and shut up, it's not 8 straight hours daily) I think we'd be much more productive. I'm going to try out a few of these habits and see how they do for me.
However, I did try a simple habit last week of immediately doing something (dishes, putting away the shoes) as soon as I saw/thought about it, and it made me feel so much better! I didn't feel guilty about relaxing. Fiore is big on "guilt-free play", so schedule your time to get the annoying stuff out of the way first!
However, I did try a simple habit last week of immediately doing something (dishes, putting away the shoes) as soon as I saw/thought about it, and it made me feel so much better! I didn't feel guilty about relaxing. Fiore is big on "guilt-free play", so schedule your time to get the annoying stuff out of the way first!
March 1, 2013
I wanted to write this review, but have been putting it off. That's a joke. If you read the book, you know what I mean.
I do suffer from putting things off. Not everything, just those things that, for some reason,hit me as complex and time consuming. Dr. Fiore not only helped me to better understand the nature of my reasoning, but to also realize that I am not broken. He goes even further in offering specific tools and techniques to get yourself out of those bad habits.
For me, there are a couple of elements that have made a world of difference. First, is learning to focus on starting, not the finished product. In doing that and giving myself 20-30 minute work spaces followed by a break to do something I want to do is the second tool I use most often. There are many more tools provided, but those two made an immediate impact for me.
It has made a change in just a few weeks in both my attitude and productivity.
Not bad, if I say. For that, and that alone, I rate this 5 stars. If you are already a person who successfully juggles a lot of things, then you may not get much from this book, but if you still have halting performance in prioritizing your life and getting things done, then this book will have something in it that you will be able to use.
I do suffer from putting things off. Not everything, just those things that, for some reason,hit me as complex and time consuming. Dr. Fiore not only helped me to better understand the nature of my reasoning, but to also realize that I am not broken. He goes even further in offering specific tools and techniques to get yourself out of those bad habits.
For me, there are a couple of elements that have made a world of difference. First, is learning to focus on starting, not the finished product. In doing that and giving myself 20-30 minute work spaces followed by a break to do something I want to do is the second tool I use most often. There are many more tools provided, but those two made an immediate impact for me.
It has made a change in just a few weeks in both my attitude and productivity.
Not bad, if I say. For that, and that alone, I rate this 5 stars. If you are already a person who successfully juggles a lot of things, then you may not get much from this book, but if you still have halting performance in prioritizing your life and getting things done, then this book will have something in it that you will be able to use.
March 30, 2013
I listened to this book on Audio CD throughout the month of March. It's a practical approach to identifying and understanding the habits of procrastination.
Early in the book the author shattered one of my previously held myths. I believed that procrastination was the problem, now I have come to understand that procrastination is not the problem, its the symptom.
This audiobook (not lengthy) offers a solid viewpoint into why we procrastinate. This makes it useful for individuals who struggle with procrastination and managers or colleagues of constant procrastinators.
Prior to reading this book, I didn't view procrastination as one of my major challenges- but much of this book resonated with me and I will take it as an opportunity for personal improvement.
A quick note: in this audiobook there are a number of unexpected silent gaps for you to meditate along with the reader. -- I'm not sure why the producer took this approach as it's unlikely you are listening to this audiobook at a convenient time or place to close your eyes and meditate for ten minutes.
I will purchase this book in ebook format as well.
Early in the book the author shattered one of my previously held myths. I believed that procrastination was the problem, now I have come to understand that procrastination is not the problem, its the symptom.
This audiobook (not lengthy) offers a solid viewpoint into why we procrastinate. This makes it useful for individuals who struggle with procrastination and managers or colleagues of constant procrastinators.
Prior to reading this book, I didn't view procrastination as one of my major challenges- but much of this book resonated with me and I will take it as an opportunity for personal improvement.
A quick note: in this audiobook there are a number of unexpected silent gaps for you to meditate along with the reader. -- I'm not sure why the producer took this approach as it's unlikely you are listening to this audiobook at a convenient time or place to close your eyes and meditate for ten minutes.
I will purchase this book in ebook format as well.
June 13, 2017
I have read the Chinese version. I think this book is good.
November 20, 2012
Yes, I have read every productivity book in existence now, why do you ask?
This one was quite different from most of the others I've read - most of the books out there are, essentially, GTD and how to stick to it. This book was actually very psychological - I could identify with a lot of the stories about insecurity, especially as he kept going on and on about students who couldn't finish their dissertations. xD While I liked the idea of the Unschedule, and understand the concepts involved, I felt the book was a little light on the do it, do it now mentality that I've found helpful out of most productivity books. I also felt like the Power of Habit more actively helped me to understand what would work about forming new habits. While this book says to reinforce your good behavior with rewards and encourages you not to beat yourself up if you fail, it didn't point out that this is not necessarily enough and how to change your routine if your new habit formation fails.
Anyway, good book, especially if you're constantly drowning in self-doubt and low self-esteem, and realize that system just isn't working for you. As someone with a deeply ingrained terror of success, I found many aspects of Fiore's anecdotes helpful.
This one was quite different from most of the others I've read - most of the books out there are, essentially, GTD and how to stick to it. This book was actually very psychological - I could identify with a lot of the stories about insecurity, especially as he kept going on and on about students who couldn't finish their dissertations. xD While I liked the idea of the Unschedule, and understand the concepts involved, I felt the book was a little light on the do it, do it now mentality that I've found helpful out of most productivity books. I also felt like the Power of Habit more actively helped me to understand what would work about forming new habits. While this book says to reinforce your good behavior with rewards and encourages you not to beat yourself up if you fail, it didn't point out that this is not necessarily enough and how to change your routine if your new habit formation fails.
Anyway, good book, especially if you're constantly drowning in self-doubt and low self-esteem, and realize that system just isn't working for you. As someone with a deeply ingrained terror of success, I found many aspects of Fiore's anecdotes helpful.
May 18, 2009
Ahh, self-help books from the 80s. I scooped this book out of a box of discards at my brother-in-law's place, and flipped through it during a pre-dinner lull in conversation. What at first seemed cheesy quickly became a remarkably practical read. I brought it home and read it each subsequent day during my commute to work.
Whether or not you're find yourself procrastinating, this book supplies some killer tips for being more efficient. I would recommend it highly to:
- people trying to juggle quasi-work related projects outside of regular-work hours
- people who try to start projects, but end up staring at the screen after starting and deleting dozens of attempted opening lines
- people who feel loads of self-imposed pressure to perform well, and thus delay starting projects
Whether or not you're find yourself procrastinating, this book supplies some killer tips for being more efficient. I would recommend it highly to:
- people trying to juggle quasi-work related projects outside of regular-work hours
- people who try to start projects, but end up staring at the screen after starting and deleting dozens of attempted opening lines
- people who feel loads of self-imposed pressure to perform well, and thus delay starting projects
May 4, 2008
Perhaps this one is too embarrassing to list here:-)
I got it via inter-library loan, and have procrastinated finishing it, but so far it does have some unique solutions.
ETA: I read it in a rush, which perhaps helped because I just skipped any annoying examples or verbose parts. I thought several of his ideas were original and fit me well. So often, because I haven't done what I "Should" do, I don't let myself do what I want to do either. So I end up doing unproductive things, etc. Anyone faced with that "inner rebel" that rebukes your best plans, will find helpful concrete ideas here. He also illuminated how we take things we want to do and turn them into chores via our self-talk. I love the idea of committing to "play" and then setting 30 mintues prior to it for the work you're avoiding. Also the focus on starting instead of finishing. I'm always telling myself, I have to finish *it* by Friday, by tomorrow, instead of just focusing on when will I start again...
Obviously not for everyone but I think I'll want to reread it again.
I got it via inter-library loan, and have procrastinated finishing it, but so far it does have some unique solutions.
ETA: I read it in a rush, which perhaps helped because I just skipped any annoying examples or verbose parts. I thought several of his ideas were original and fit me well. So often, because I haven't done what I "Should" do, I don't let myself do what I want to do either. So I end up doing unproductive things, etc. Anyone faced with that "inner rebel" that rebukes your best plans, will find helpful concrete ideas here. He also illuminated how we take things we want to do and turn them into chores via our self-talk. I love the idea of committing to "play" and then setting 30 mintues prior to it for the work you're avoiding. Also the focus on starting instead of finishing. I'm always telling myself, I have to finish *it* by Friday, by tomorrow, instead of just focusing on when will I start again...
Obviously not for everyone but I think I'll want to reread it again.
May 7, 2019
This book has great suggestions to get a project finished. They include to do a little bit, as little as 15-30 minutes at a time. Another suggestion was to just start anywhere. And, they suggested a jabberwocky start. That is my word application for a time when you just shoot from the hip and do not aim for accuracy.
This last idea makes sense to me since I try to write to the end of a project without editing. Otherwise, if you edit as you go along, you will be older than dirt before it is done.
My two criticisms were that too much time was spent telling us what they would be telling us and a worksheet that was talked about but not accessible for the audio book.
This last idea makes sense to me since I try to write to the end of a project without editing. Otherwise, if you edit as you go along, you will be older than dirt before it is done.
My two criticisms were that too much time was spent telling us what they would be telling us and a worksheet that was talked about but not accessible for the audio book.
March 17, 2021
এটা এখন পর্যন্ত সেল্ফ ডেভেলপমেন্ট এর ওপর পড়া আমার বেস্ট বই। বইটিতে মূলত প্রোকাস্টিনেশন(Procrastination) বা দীর্ঘসূত্রতা(কোনো গুরুত্বপূর্ণ কাজ পরে করবো বলে ভবিষ্যতের জন্য ফেলে রাখা) নিয়ে আলোচনা করা হয়েছে।আমরা কেন,কিভাবে প্রোকাস্টিনেশন করি থেকে শুরু করে কিভাবে এর থেকে মুক্তি পেতে পারি তা নিয়ে বিস্তারিতভাবে আলোচনা করা হয়েছে। বইয়ে উল্লেখিত টিপ্সগুলো অনেক বেশি বাস্তবসম্মত এবং আমি আমার নিজের সাথে অনেক বেশি সম্বন্ধ করতে পেরেছি ( কারণ আমার মতো আইলসা এই দুনিয়ায় একটাও নাই :3 )
রেটিং - ৪.৮/৫
~ মুস্তাকিম
১৭ মার্চ, ২০২১
রেটিং - ৪.৮/৫
~ মুস্তাকিম
১৭ মার্চ, ২০২১
April 22, 2016
I think the advice in here is sound, and could be very helpful to some people. It's basically cognitive behavioral therapy focused on procrastination. This was too narrow a focus for me to find the whole book very interesting to read though, so for me personally it was 2* but for the subset of procrastinators who can get themselves to read a big book and do all the exercises it would be a 4*.
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January 25, 2022Heeft nog lang geduurd voor ik dit uit had...
:-)
Maar serieuzer: dit vond ik een nuttig boek. Als aartsuitsteller snap ik iets meer van mezelf en de procrastinators om me heen. Ik las een ebook-versie maar ga een papieren versie kopen om nog vaak in terug te bladeren.
:-)
Maar serieuzer: dit vond ik een nuttig boek. Als aartsuitsteller snap ik iets meer van mezelf en de procrastinators om me heen. Ik las een ebook-versie maar ga een papieren versie kopen om nog vaak in terug te bladeren.
October 19, 2021
Oh My! I don't give too many books five stars but this book is amazing.
I'm about half way through the book and I already see progress in the way I operate on a daily basis. I created a simple tracking tool with all the things I want to accomplish and it is the inspiration from this book that keeps me moving forward.
The author writes in a gentle motivating voice. He's dead on with the reasons why we procrastinate at certain times in our lives or in certain areas. It's the understanding of those reasons and the useful tools that he provides that helps you to overcome and work toward goals left undone. That's what makes this book so useful. Not too many self-development books provide such easy to use techniques to help you improve in an area of your life, this one does.
One thing this book does not do is provide heavy examples with fairy tale endings that I find in many self-development books. I think many of those fairy tale endings are misdirecting and can contribute to a sense of failure.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wishes accomplish something in their life that remains on that nagging back burner.
I'm about half way through the book and I already see progress in the way I operate on a daily basis. I created a simple tracking tool with all the things I want to accomplish and it is the inspiration from this book that keeps me moving forward.
The author writes in a gentle motivating voice. He's dead on with the reasons why we procrastinate at certain times in our lives or in certain areas. It's the understanding of those reasons and the useful tools that he provides that helps you to overcome and work toward goals left undone. That's what makes this book so useful. Not too many self-development books provide such easy to use techniques to help you improve in an area of your life, this one does.
One thing this book does not do is provide heavy examples with fairy tale endings that I find in many self-development books. I think many of those fairy tale endings are misdirecting and can contribute to a sense of failure.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wishes accomplish something in their life that remains on that nagging back burner.
February 27, 2009
This was a pretty good read. A friend recommended it and as procrastination has been one of my banes for a long time, I requested it from the library.
I noticed other reviewers saying it was predictable and rehashed things they'd read elsewhere or seemed like common sense--but I definitely needed to read this one. Sometimes people tell you things over and over again but it never really clicks until the moment is right--and it simply never occurred to me that procrastination happens because it's an effective solution to stress and fear over work. It may only be temporarily effective and only effective in certain situations and may end up taking more time, effort, and energy than the alternative--but the immediate "I'm not doing work right now" relief overshadows these other details.
I took lots of notes on this book, and even if I don't use everything in it, it was definitely inspiring.
I noticed other reviewers saying it was predictable and rehashed things they'd read elsewhere or seemed like common sense--but I definitely needed to read this one. Sometimes people tell you things over and over again but it never really clicks until the moment is right--and it simply never occurred to me that procrastination happens because it's an effective solution to stress and fear over work. It may only be temporarily effective and only effective in certain situations and may end up taking more time, effort, and energy than the alternative--but the immediate "I'm not doing work right now" relief overshadows these other details.
I took lots of notes on this book, and even if I don't use everything in it, it was definitely inspiring.
January 12, 2015
Probably the most useful book on breaking the procrastination habit that I have ever read. Just by changing self-talk, I find I can break through resistance and get working on a project. Re-framing the motivation for a task from "I have to" (someone else is making me do this) to "I choose to" (this whole thing is my decision) changes my feelings about a task. It was also nice to find validation for a technique that I have always used: schedule in the fun and make the not-so-scintillating tasks fit in around it.
Maybe I will eventually get my walls painted and the house de-junked after all. Resistance is futile!
Maybe I will eventually get my walls painted and the house de-junked after all. Resistance is futile!
December 22, 2014
Although my procrastination patterns have been entrenched so deeply that I even procrastinated reading this book (!), I had never had much insight into their underlying causes and mechanisms. The Now Habit has given me a valuable understanding of where they stem from, along with several simple, yet effective strategies to tackle them. If your modus operandi is "I'll do that later" and your to-do list is so full that just looking at it makes you cringe with horror, I strongly recommend reading this book - now!
March 24, 2013
This is an insightful book about the underlying psychology of procrastination and it offers some useful practical advice about how to stop procrastinating. It's definitely worth reading for anyone who has struggled to complete (or even to start) an important task.
November 20, 2017
didn't finish....but not because of procrastination...no, I didn't finish because I enjoyed applying lessons learned and lost sight of finishing the book. Listening to this as an audiobook. I used it as a way to stay productive during the workday. Here is what I've learned so far: if you have to or should...you won't. Choose what you want to do...then you just might have a chance of getting it done.
November 14, 2017
this was written 28 yrs ago. I picked it up at a free book exchange . I can see why now.
December 30, 2021
Now Habit
If you have a choice between listening to the audio version of this or reading the text version? Go for the text. This is definitely an instance where the author should not have read his own work. Think equal parts William Shatner, B-movie hypnotist, and narrator of a 1950s filmstrip designed to be watched by eighth graders when they have a substitute for science class. I was tempted to quit this book as soon as it started because of the narration--but the topic inspired me to stick with it. I did check my library's catalog for a text version. No ebook, and the one print copy they have was due back in April. So apparently, the patron who checked out this book on overcoming procrastination had been procrastinating on returning it for almost four months.
I think the techniques Fiore describes for transforming from a procrastinator to a "producer" are solid. Since I've only just completed the book, I haven't been able to implement them extensively, but I've already begun to apply some approaches, such as doing 30-minute chunks of focused work. I really wish I had this book before I undertook my doctoral dissertation. I would have used his "unschedule" to build in recreational and restorative activities and realistic blocks of work time, instead of living under the thrall of "I should be working on my dissertation" at all times.
Although there are useful approaches to be gleaned from the book, at times I felt the author was being overly repetitious. And as an example of the disadvantage of listening to this in audio format, there was a section where he went through a few different guided relaxations, one right after another. They were all very similar (read REPETITION) to one another--and one featured a SOLID TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE. I even checked my player to make sure the battery hadn't died. At the conclusion of the two minutes, he came back with, "Did that feel like two minutes?" Nope, it felt like an eternity. I really think for the purposes of the audiobook, that part should have been moved to the end as an appendix.
If you have a choice between listening to the audio version of this or reading the text version? Go for the text. This is definitely an instance where the author should not have read his own work. Think equal parts William Shatner, B-movie hypnotist, and narrator of a 1950s filmstrip designed to be watched by eighth graders when they have a substitute for science class. I was tempted to quit this book as soon as it started because of the narration--but the topic inspired me to stick with it. I did check my library's catalog for a text version. No ebook, and the one print copy they have was due back in April. So apparently, the patron who checked out this book on overcoming procrastination had been procrastinating on returning it for almost four months.
I think the techniques Fiore describes for transforming from a procrastinator to a "producer" are solid. Since I've only just completed the book, I haven't been able to implement them extensively, but I've already begun to apply some approaches, such as doing 30-minute chunks of focused work. I really wish I had this book before I undertook my doctoral dissertation. I would have used his "unschedule" to build in recreational and restorative activities and realistic blocks of work time, instead of living under the thrall of "I should be working on my dissertation" at all times.
Although there are useful approaches to be gleaned from the book, at times I felt the author was being overly repetitious. And as an example of the disadvantage of listening to this in audio format, there was a section where he went through a few different guided relaxations, one right after another. They were all very similar (read REPETITION) to one another--and one featured a SOLID TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE. I even checked my player to make sure the battery hadn't died. At the conclusion of the two minutes, he came back with, "Did that feel like two minutes?" Nope, it felt like an eternity. I really think for the purposes of the audiobook, that part should have been moved to the end as an appendix.
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