Solving the Procrastination Puzzle (Timothy A. Pychyl)

What it is

Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change is by Timothy A. Pychyl, a psychology professor at Carleton University in Ottawa who has researched procrastination for years. The Tarcher edition (2013, 128 pages) is a revised version of a book he first self-published. It is short on purpose: you can read it in an evening, and the value is in using it.

The ideas that matter most

• Procrastination is needless, voluntary delay. Planned delay is fine. Procrastination is putting off something you intend to do, even though you expect to be worse off.
• It is about feelings, not time management. We delay tasks that feel boring, confusing or threatening, and we feel better right away when we avoid them. That short relief is what keeps the habit going.
• "I will feel more like it tomorrow" is a trap. You will rarely feel like it. Waiting for the right mood is part of the problem.
• Get started with a tiny next action. Ask "what is the next small thing I can do?" and do only that. Once you begin, the task usually feels less bad than you expected.
• Decide in advance. Plans in the form "when X happens, I will do Y" (implementation intentions) take the decision out of the moment.
• Forgive yourself. Pychyl's research looked at self-forgiveness after procrastinating. Being harsh with yourself makes the task feel even worse, which feeds more delay.

Honest limits

This is a brief self-help guide, not a full programme. If you cannot start anything at all, sleep badly and feel low for weeks, that may be more than procrastination, so talk to a doctor or counsellor. Ongoing problems with attention are also worth raising with a professional.

Who it suits

Students who leave assignments to the night before, job seekers who keep postponing applications, and anyone who wants the psychology behind procrastination without a long book.

How to use it well

• Read it once, then reread one chapter a week.
• Keep a list of your favourite excuses and the next small action for each.
• Write three implementation intentions for this week and check them on Friday.

Pair it with on Sefism

• Follow Focus, habits and time.
• If avoidance comes from fear of rejection, use Handling rejection and setbacks.
• For advice on your own situation, ask Tauseef a question.

Best for: a short, evidence-based way out of putting things off.