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Overcoming Procrastination: Or How to Think and Act Rationally in Spite of Life's Inevitable Hassles
Self Help book.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
17 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Albert Ellis
251 books444 followersAlbert Ellis was an American psychologist who in 1955 developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). He held M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology from Columbia University and American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). He also founded and was the President of the New York City-based Albert Ellis Institute for decades.
He is generally considered to be one of the originators of the cognitive revolutionary paradigm shift in psychotherapy and the founder of cognitive-behavioral therapies. Based on a 1982 professional survey of USA and Canadian psychologists, he was considered as the second most influential psychotherapist in history (Carl Rogers ranked first in the survey; Sigmund Freud was ranked third).
He is generally considered to be one of the originators of the cognitive revolutionary paradigm shift in psychotherapy and the founder of cognitive-behavioral therapies. Based on a 1982 professional survey of USA and Canadian psychologists, he was considered as the second most influential psychotherapist in history (Carl Rogers ranked first in the survey; Sigmund Freud was ranked third).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 4, 2018
This book is about using REBT to combat procrastination. REBT (rational emotive behavioral therapy ) was the first type of cognitive therapy invented, some say the most effective type.
The authors of this book seem to write like they speak and it did not seem to help the book. The writing also comes across as a bit caustic. I didn't think the authors described rational emotive behavioral therapy well in this book.
Despite the poor writing there is a significant amount of useful information for overcoming procrastination in this book. It is still worth checking out.
People interested in using REBT as an antidote to procrastination might be better served by another book with the same title by Windy Dryden. Almost all of the same information, but better written, better organized and shorter.
The authors of this book seem to write like they speak and it did not seem to help the book. The writing also comes across as a bit caustic. I didn't think the authors described rational emotive behavioral therapy well in this book.
Despite the poor writing there is a significant amount of useful information for overcoming procrastination in this book. It is still worth checking out.
People interested in using REBT as an antidote to procrastination might be better served by another book with the same title by Windy Dryden. Almost all of the same information, but better written, better organized and shorter.
November 11, 2023
This book helped change my life for the better. Need a refresher after all these years so currently rereading it.
May 14, 2022
Very good therapy centered textbook which you rarely stumble upon.
May 7, 2020
عالی👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
پر از نکات کاربردی و جذاب👌🏻
اگه خودتونو یه اهمال‌کار می دونید حتما حتما بخونید
March 28, 2019
I have been fascinated by the advice and psychological tools offered in this book. I wasn't even halfway through it, and I felt like I was already benefiting from it. It's not just tools for dealing with procrastination that it offers either, but with many of the things that cause procrastination, such as a low frustration tolerance, that contribute to other personal issues. I've never been a fan of self help books, but this one is different. I highly recommend it for anyone, regardless of whether or not you have problems with procrastination.
October 20, 2020
I have owned this since at least 1980 (I found a to do list from grad school in my copy)--this is something that I have been struggling with for a long time! I reread just now--I've read a lot on the topic since I first bought this.....He is very good on the emotional origins of procrastination (self doubt and a low tolerance for frustration) but sadly outdated in methods. NO, emotional groves cannot by solved by "take a rational approach". If only!
Anyway, ready to let this go . Donated to DPL (minus the rare grad school to do list!)
Anyway, ready to let this go . Donated to DPL (minus the rare grad school to do list!)
September 21, 2023
There is some useful information in here about applying REBT techniques to treating procrastination though it can be difficult to pick them out given the dates style the book is written in.
It’s a useful adjunct to a more general and up to date book on REBT. If you are looking for one you may want to check out The Four Thoughts that F*ck You Up by Daniel Fryer which is really accessible and I would recommend reading first.
It’s a useful adjunct to a more general and up to date book on REBT. If you are looking for one you may want to check out The Four Thoughts that F*ck You Up by Daniel Fryer which is really accessible and I would recommend reading first.
August 16, 2019
It took me a while to finish this and write the review.
The practicality of Ellis' rational approach is compelling and broadly applicable. Timeless advice on talking sense into yourself.
The practicality of Ellis' rational approach is compelling and broadly applicable. Timeless advice on talking sense into yourself.
November 6, 2023
غلبه بر اهمال‌کاری¹، کتابی نوشته آلبرت الیس، روانشناس مشهور و بنیانگذار روش رفتاردرمانی عقلانی هیجانی (REBT) است؛ نوعی درمان شناختی-رفتاری که هدف آن تغییر باورها و احساسات غیرمنطقی است که منجر به رفتارهای خودتخریبی می‌شود. این کتاب بر این فرض استوار است که اهمال‌کاری یک ویژگی شخصیتی نیست، بلکه یک عادت آموخته شده است که می‌توان آن را فراموش کرد و عادات سازنده و رضایت‌بخش‌تری را جایگزین آن کرد. در این کتاب توضیحاتی جامع و علمی درباره علل و پیامدهای اهمال‌کاری و همچنین راهکارهای عملی و مؤثری برای غلبه بر آن ارائه شده است. نویسنده به موضوعاتی همچون شناخت اهمال‌کاری و روش به چالش کشیدن افکار ایجاد کننده آن، نحوه کنار آمدن با اضطراب و ناامیدی ناشی از اهمال‌کاری، چگونگی تعیین اهداف واقع‌بینانه و دست‌یافتنی و نیز به نحوه اقدام و حفظ انگیزه و پیشرفت در مسیر مبارزه با اهمال‌کاری پرداخته است. همچنین تمرین‌ها و کاربرگ‌هایی در کتاب گنجانده شده است که به خوانندگان کمک می‌کند تا اصول و تکنیک‌های روش مورد نظر نویسنده را در راه پیشگیری از اهمال‌کاری به کار بندند. کتاب به سبکی روشن و جذاب و با مثال‌ها و روایت‌هایی از تجربه خود نویسنده و مراجعانش نوشته شده و برای هر کس که می‌خواهد بر اهمال‌کاری غلبه کند، چه در زندگی شخصی و چه در زندگی حرفه‌ای، مناسب است. مطالب کتاب بر خلاف برخی کتاب‌های خودیاری زرد که راه‌حل‌های سطحی یا غیرواقعی را ارائه می‌دهند، بر اساس تحقیقات و شواهد مستحکم است. من با توجه به شناخت قبلی از نویسنده که با خواندن کتاب «زندگی عاقلانه» به دست آورده بودم تصمیم به انتخاب کتاب گرفتم و به نظرم خواندن آن خالی از لطف نیست.
January 19, 2017
This is a brilliant book giving a number of practical solutions to dealing with procrastination. Rather than review the book I will summarise some of the key concepts.
1) place bets - burn £20 or worse write a check to Jeremy Corbyns election campaign and post it if you fail to do what you said (homework or an hour working on a project)
2) you may procrastinate because you think the task is unfair and your boss out of order and this should not happen. Realise that if it has happened then it must have happened and should happen so visualise feeling having less emotionally strong emotions and reactions. Try and feel instead that while I don't like this, this is the way of the world and I am chosing to do this and will feel better when it is done
3) role playing - what would batman or Jordan Belfort do
4) overcome the compulsive desire for entertainment by looking at the long term pros and cons of task vs TV and how you will feel with the task done vs watching the programme with yet less time for the task
5) work with friends or a parter and both study or go to the gym but maintain the ability to work alone and and not always need someone
6) focus on the positive. Blown your diet after 8 weeks? Focus on the 100 positive meals eaten not the 1 failure.
7) only defer tasks (like paying bills) when attached to some reminder with a date. Do not merely defer indefinitely
8) keep a daily check log of progress. You don't want to break that excellent record so don't.
9) take a pill that induces vomiting if you fail to act... pretty harsh!
10) build it in to routine
11) get out of the habit of being a procrastinator
12) do it just for 5 minutes. Then give up or continue if you are on a roll
13) give yourself a reward for completion - chocolate or holiday dependent on the task
The book goes in to a lot more detail on picking the right method for the right task and for your particular reason for procrastinating.
1) place bets - burn £20 or worse write a check to Jeremy Corbyns election campaign and post it if you fail to do what you said (homework or an hour working on a project)
2) you may procrastinate because you think the task is unfair and your boss out of order and this should not happen. Realise that if it has happened then it must have happened and should happen so visualise feeling having less emotionally strong emotions and reactions. Try and feel instead that while I don't like this, this is the way of the world and I am chosing to do this and will feel better when it is done
3) role playing - what would batman or Jordan Belfort do
4) overcome the compulsive desire for entertainment by looking at the long term pros and cons of task vs TV and how you will feel with the task done vs watching the programme with yet less time for the task
5) work with friends or a parter and both study or go to the gym but maintain the ability to work alone and and not always need someone
6) focus on the positive. Blown your diet after 8 weeks? Focus on the 100 positive meals eaten not the 1 failure.
7) only defer tasks (like paying bills) when attached to some reminder with a date. Do not merely defer indefinitely
8) keep a daily check log of progress. You don't want to break that excellent record so don't.
9) take a pill that induces vomiting if you fail to act... pretty harsh!
10) build it in to routine
11) get out of the habit of being a procrastinator
12) do it just for 5 minutes. Then give up or continue if you are on a roll
13) give yourself a reward for completion - chocolate or holiday dependent on the task
The book goes in to a lot more detail on picking the right method for the right task and for your particular reason for procrastinating.
July 30, 2012
The authors - two established doctors of psychiatry who pioneered the "Rational-Emotive Technique" of dealing with and changing behavior - have a clumsy, ham-fisted way of getting their ideas across in this book. The ideas presented are basic; and the many examples of generic patients suffering conveniently generic problems can get tiresome.
Even still... if you are holding this book, chances are you are looking for some help, and if this book is what you've got handy, give it a whirl. The ideas, themes and suggestions will probably seem mostly familiar to you, but having it all laid out and connected does help quite a bit to put things into perspective. There is lots of repetition; I often felt that the authors were trying to beat simple concepts into my head like I was a five-year-old. But, as annoying as that was, I think it helped drive some key concepts home. Simple ideas are all-too-easy to brush aside ("Yeah, of course I know that. Who doesn't? I don't have to think about that stuff.."), so sometimes it's beneficial to be hit over the head with some common sense. I have to say that this book helped me more than I initially thought it would, and I'm glad I read it. (Even if it was written in the manner of a stuffy doctor trying very hard to seem human. But maybe that was just me. To be fair though, this was written in the '70s. Maybe the author was totally hip back then, and i'm the square.)
All things considered, though, I would imagine there are better written books out there on this subject, probably even based on the knowledge and techniques of the authors of this one. I don't have any suggestions, but I'm sure you can find a gook book easily enough. I would give it a shot before delving into this one. But if you DO happen to pick this one up... well, you could do much worse.
Even still... if you are holding this book, chances are you are looking for some help, and if this book is what you've got handy, give it a whirl. The ideas, themes and suggestions will probably seem mostly familiar to you, but having it all laid out and connected does help quite a bit to put things into perspective. There is lots of repetition; I often felt that the authors were trying to beat simple concepts into my head like I was a five-year-old. But, as annoying as that was, I think it helped drive some key concepts home. Simple ideas are all-too-easy to brush aside ("Yeah, of course I know that. Who doesn't? I don't have to think about that stuff.."), so sometimes it's beneficial to be hit over the head with some common sense. I have to say that this book helped me more than I initially thought it would, and I'm glad I read it. (Even if it was written in the manner of a stuffy doctor trying very hard to seem human. But maybe that was just me. To be fair though, this was written in the '70s. Maybe the author was totally hip back then, and i'm the square.)
All things considered, though, I would imagine there are better written books out there on this subject, probably even based on the knowledge and techniques of the authors of this one. I don't have any suggestions, but I'm sure you can find a gook book easily enough. I would give it a shot before delving into this one. But if you DO happen to pick this one up... well, you could do much worse.
February 6, 2011
I'm currently on my iPhone so this review will be short.
The book is not the best thing ever, but if it's the first self help book of this type that you've read (as in my case), it's a nice way to break the ice per say, and start te wheels turning on fighting the war against procrastination.
I recommend it for anyone who wants to be more of a productive, timely person (once again, such as myself).
I apologize fo any spelling errors. Typing on this thing is a pain.
The book is not the best thing ever, but if it's the first self help book of this type that you've read (as in my case), it's a nice way to break the ice per say, and start te wheels turning on fighting the war against procrastination.
I recommend it for anyone who wants to be more of a productive, timely person (once again, such as myself).
I apologize fo any spelling errors. Typing on this thing is a pain.
July 20, 2015
I like it. It is my second reading. It provides the same principles of RET found in the rest of Ellis' books. The focus is on procrastination and the specific examples are helpful.
I bought this as a new book from the bookstore and have been reading it after one of our dogs chewed on it years ago. The notation on the inside cover says I finished reading if for the first time 8/17/2004. Ok. I don't know how much it means that this is what I am writing about in the review.
I bought this as a new book from the bookstore and have been reading it after one of our dogs chewed on it years ago. The notation on the inside cover says I finished reading if for the first time 8/17/2004. Ok. I don't know how much it means that this is what I am writing about in the review.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews