Book Freak #5: Procrastination Tips
Quotes from books about beating procrastination
Book Freak is the third newsletter from Cool Tools Lab (our other two are the Cool Tools Newsletter and Recomendo). In each weekly issue, we offer three short pieces of advice from books. Here’s the advice from our fifth issue.
Think on paper
Here is a great rule for success: Think on paper. Only about 3% of adults have clear, written goals. These people accomplished five and ten times as much as the smartest people of equal or better education and ability but who, for whatever reason, have never taken the time to write out exactly what they want. – Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, by Brian Tracy (2006)
Avoid commitment overload
Many people find that they are more productive when they’re busy than when they have nothing to do and no structure to their lives. But when that dizziness is taken too far and an overload of responsibilities, the opposite happens. People become overwhelmed and unable to function. Every time they think of working on one project, the Mind starts spinning with all the other things they have to do. The energy they expend worrying about those other commitments drains the energy they need for the task at hand. – The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Overcoming Procrastination, by Michelle Tullier (2012)
Motivation follows action
Let go of the misconception that our motivational state must match the task at hand. In fact, social psychologists have demonstrated that attitudes follow behaviors more than (or at least as much as) behaviors follow attitudes. When you start to act on your intention as intended, you will see your attitude and motivation change.” – Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, by Timothy A. Pychyl (2013)
