Book Review: Solving the Procrastination Puzzle


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This short book was written in 2013 by the Associate Professor and researcher Timothy A. Pychyl. As a researcher in the realm of procrastination and its tight relation to the well being of individuals, he has been regularly invited to speak about it across numerous campuses in Canada.

This book was widely recognized by critics and readers along the side as a unique book that offers a new approach to resolve the dilemma of postponing things. The author, during his short ten chapters offer various microcosm regarding different situations and the related analysis and perceives to suggest the most suitable solutions to these cases.

From this perspective, one must know the peculiar Latin roots of the word procrastination as it goes with the meaning “to put forward to tomorrow”. This is why; this article will trace this zeitgeist of this act, its definition, its related reverberation as well as the way to break up with this notorious habit.

From the first chapter, the author brings to the forth the various kinds of delays and its significance in our lives. Yet, he sheds the light upon the difference between procrastination and a delay of act paving the ground for the emergence of a moderate and simple definition. According to Dr Pychyl procrastination is “a needless voluntary delay”. In other words, it is the “voluntary and quite deliberate turning away from an intended action even when we know we could act on our intention right away…except our own reluctance to act.”

Dr Pychyl opens the second chapter with this idea “Procrastination is failing to get on with life itself”. The depth of this affirmation triggers the reader to think deliberately about the rooted links between the act of postponing act with lower achievements, more negative feelings and even mental health problems.  

His stance is based on researches that reflect the existence of a mixture of feelings, amongst which guilt and anxiety are on the top while delaying things. He further bases his argument on the fact that while procrastinating, we are wasting part of our finite time on this earth and most significantly losing our goals. This is best detected in the following sentence “when we procrastinate on our goals, we are basically putting off our lives.

It is of primordial importance to acknowledge the gravity of deep desire and need for change as a precondition required ceasing this constant status of “self-regulation failure, we commonly call procrastination”.
The author focuses on providing a rational explanation for the two major reasons that fueled this desire to delay, which are focalism and presentism. The earlier alludes to the tendency to underestimate the power of future events to influence you for better achievements. The latter is the heaviness of the emphasis we lay upon the future.
 
The suggested strategies to heal this wound and cure this trouble habits lays in two basic acts which are time travelling and setting low expectations. As numerous psychologists advocate the need to activate images; as a spring of influence and motivation to further carry on the act. Add to that, we must program our minds to predict diverse plans that might happen in case one has the inclination to postpone work, and rather prepare any solution related to that distinctive situation.

By initiating the first step in achieving any work, you’re greatly making improvement. Nevertheless, this initiation might hinder the process as well; in the sense that dwelling in perfecting your earliest acts or making it look as offbeat as possible. It usually leads to much deeper procrastination. This is why the author puts it clearly that starting must be coupled with digesting a set of concepts.

Implementation intentions, as well as the willpower, are at the core of killing the habit of procrastination. The fact of point, Dr Pychyl strongly advocates this point by stating that “implementation intentions have effects over and above our motivation to succeed. This is important. Commitment and motivation alone will not always get us through.”

An entire range of personal qualities is associated with increasing the risk to have a dramatically high rate of the desire to procrastinate any project. One may name but a few of them such as Emotional stability, impulsiveness, conscientiousness, high self-esteem and self-efficacy.

The concluding thoughts’ part, which least to say about it as all the needed acts to e implemented in a nutshell, is marked by the following sentence “self-change is a journey I take daily, and I will preserve patiently as I take steps forward and one step back”.

This reflects the reluctance anyone can experience during low times or hard times. But the most elementary thing is to keep making moves regardless of how small they are. Hard work and dedication always pay off. 

For these reasons, it would be foolish not to try and keep trying regardless of what constantly pulls you down. As by getting over this treat of procrastinating, you are launching your wings way big and preparing an excellent environment to help you grow on almost all the levels.

Always remember what the great American Martin Luther King Jr. said and if possible make it your new motto in this life
If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”


- Written by Syrine Landolsi (EMN Community Member From Tunisia)

- Edited by Mridul Goyal (EMN Community Member From New Delhi, India)