The Best Books About Procrastination to Read Right Now
The best books about procrastination that tell you exactly how to deal with it -- backed by research and science!
Who among us can claim that they haven't procrastinated on an important task? Nobody, that's who. Luckily, a lot of recent research has revealed a lot about the science of procrastination that was unknown just a few years ago. In this article, we've dived into the research, and come up with the best books about procrastination, that will help you understand procrastination and how to overcome it.
Looking for a book to help you overcome procrastination right now? We picked our 5 top favorite books that give you strategies to put into effect immediately. Are you looking to understand the theory, reasons, and science behind procrastination? We listed 8 books that go deep into it. And as a bonus, we also added 4 books that don't specifically deal with procrastination, but will be very useful to you if you find procrastination a problem.
Let's check out 17 of the best books on procrastination you need to read now!
Our Top Five Books to Help You Stop Procrastinating Right Away
Looking for something that will help you right away? We got you. Here are the books with practical strategies you can put into use the moment you close the book. We've focused on books that are action-oriented and less heavy on theory.
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
Here at Boss as a Service, we love eating frogs! It's a great productivity tool to help you break free from inertia and get cracking on the work. And its applications are universal! Brian Tracy breaks down this technique in one of the most well-known procrastination books, Eat That Frog.
The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done
Another motivational guide to conquering procrastination and getting productive, The Procrastination Equation has some real hard-hitting, life-changing advice. It's written by Piers Steel, a famous expert on procrastination and researcher on psychology, science and self-help.
Want to see how this applies to you right now? Try out our interactive quiz, which is based on this book!
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
A well-known productivity coach, David Allen provides basic principles, practical techniques and tips on transforming daily life in Getting Things Done, with a focus on the other side of productivity: the ability to relax your mind and body.
Stop Procrastinating: A Simple Guide to Hacking Laziness, Building Self Discipline, and Overcoming Procrastination
Written by bestselling author and popular life-hack blogger Nils Salzgeber, Stop Procrastinating is a practical guide to tackling your procrastination habits. It does not delve into the theory of procrastination, but rather goes straight into how to hack the habit and get productive, with lots of concrete, real life examples to keep it immediately useful.
The Procrastination Cure: 21 Proven Tactics For Conquering Your Inner Procrastinator, Mastering Your Time, And Boosting Your Productivity!
Counted among the best books on productivity, The Procrastination Cure by Damon Zahariades is a simple guide that lists how you can quickly and effectively beat your inner procrastinator.
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Other Great Books On Procrastination
The theory is not to be scorned though! Here are the best books that explain the science of procrastination and how it applies to us.
Still Procrastinating: The No Regrets Guide to Getting It Done
If you're interested in procrastination as a concept and want insights into its theory, read Still Procrastinating: The No Regrets Guide to Getting It Done by Joseph Ferrari, another prominent researcher on the subject. Along with the theory, though, he also provides practical tips on how to stop procrastinating and increase productivity in everyday life.
The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play
Later, not now is a classic way of thinking when procrastinating, So to defeat procrastination and break free from it, you have to develop a "now!" habit. This is what academic Neil Fiore says in The Now Habit, a book that combines his own neuroscientific discoveries to develop one strategy for overcoming procrastination.
The Art of Procrastination: A Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging and Postponing
Acceptance can be the first step to living with and improving a habit. Using this approach, philosophy teacher John Perry has written The Art of Procrastination, a charming, funny book on the link between our procrastination habits and perfectionism.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
If you procrastinate because there's nothing motivating you to work, you need to find that source of inspiration and keep it around, because you never know when it may try to escape. In Drive, Daniel H Pink tells us all about motivation and how to bring it fresh and bold perspective back into your life.
The War of Art
What's the biggest foe of creativity? Resistance. It also fuels procrastination. So Steven Pressfield helps with some practical techniques and strategies to beat procrastination and fight resistance in a self help book, The War of Art, that teaches you to break down the creative barriers that stop you from achieving success.
Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change
Sometimes, procrastination can seem like a jumble of pieces and clues that need to be put together to be solved. Taking this analogy, psychology professor Timothy A Pychyl has written Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, in which he lists some science-backed techniques to break down self destructive habits and behaviours and put together a new game for success.
Procrastination: Why You Do It, What To Do About It
People of all walks of life experience procrastination, no matter where they come from or what work they do. So, to provide a broader view on different aspects of procrastination that can be related to practical aspects of anyone's personal life, psychologists Jane B. Burka and Lenora M. Yuen have written Procrastination.
Soon: An Overdue History of Procrastination, From Da Vinci and Darwin to You and Me
Finally, for those who want to be able to relate personal stories with historical figures on procrastination, Andrew Santella has written Soon, which delves into how the concept came to be and the different ways people have struggled with it. It feels good to know that we're not the only ones – creatives like Da Vinci and scientists like Darwin were just as bad!
Books All Procrastinators Should Read
Here are our favorite books that don't specifically deal with procrastination, but are probably going to be very useful to you, if you find procrastination a problem.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Deep Work has now become synonymous with focused, distraction-free productivity. In this book, Cal Newport provides tips and practical strategies on improving your concentration, eliminating unproductive stimuli, and mastering discipline.
Atomic Habits
Behavioral change is just as much about breaking some bad habits as it is about developing some good habits. With Atomic Habits, world-famous productivity and time management expert James Clear shows us how to make small changes that can completely transform our habits and get us good and working.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies
Procrastination can be a symptom of deeper underlying conditions, just like anxiety and depression. So perhaps cognitive behavioral therapy used to treat these conditions can help with procrastination as well. To learn more about it, read the simply titled Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
Habits are repetitive behaviors meant to keep you consistent and disciplined on a particular task, for however long you've decided to. This is a great way to beat procrastination. In The Power of Habit, business journalist Charles Duhigg decodes the art of creating and maintaining habits.
Practical Tips For Reading the Procrastination Books
Now that we've got our reading list ready, it's time to understand how to approach it. This may sound fairly obvious, but during moments of enthusiasm, it's easy to forget that procrastination can creep in at any point, including when you're trying to learn how to beat it. So here are some things to remember when you start up with a book:
Don't try to finish it in one sitting
It's a marathon, not a sprint! Actually, it's neither – it's a book! And it's meant to be enjoyed and understood, not rushed through. Trying to read it all in one sitting can be counterproductive because it'll make you feel like it's a monumental task, and you'd rather put it off till later when you have the time.
Try to build a reading habit
Even if you can only spare 30 minutes a day to read, make sure you commit to it and keep the habit consistent. Some days, it may feel mechanical, but as long as you're not letting yourself abandon the book and making an effort to understand the concepts, you'll keep learning.
Don't read to procrastinate!
Books about procrastination are meant to help you break the habit. But if you're picking them up as a way to avoid more pressing matters, you're kind of defeating their purpose.
Don't read all the books at once
Some people, including yours truly, like to pick up multiple books at once to read. But doing this may not help much, because it does not give you the space you need to understand what one book is trying to tell you. So take it slow, and understand one idea at a time.
And always remember: chronic procrastination may be linked to other issues. Please seek professional help if you find yourself constantly putting things off.
Final thoughts
When struggling with procrastination it's always helpful to lean on those with expert, well-researched opinions on the concept and try their suggestions on overcoming the barriers.
Looking for more? Check out these articles!
- Why Can't I Finish Anything, you ask? Here's Why.
- How to Manage Procrastination With ADHD
- 25 ADHD Apps to Help You Focus, Get Organized, and Thrive