by David Parker
quantitative measurements for procrastination and, 17–19
single task focus and, 19–21
stuck feelings and, 8–10
taking control over life and, 7–8
wants over needs and, 21–22
willingness to change development, and dealing with, 26
workplace procrastination and, 10–11
consequences for your inaction, 119–21, 221
contentment from “do”-ing, 221
control of procrastination, 84–86
coping mechanisms, 12, 41–42, 153
counting technique, 183–86
cycle of procrastination, 29–33, 103–5, 115
daydreamer characteristic, 62
dealing with setbacks. See setbacks, dealing with
decision-making, 172–73, 195
depression
confident and secure feelings vs., 86–87, 220
control of procrastination and, 84–86
economic depression compared with mental, 86–87
filing cabinet organization as antidepressant and, 191–92
filing cabinet organization as cure for, 191–92
free time as lost and, 80
as liability, 45–46
payoffs of, 83–84
procrastination, and connection with, 2, 23–25, 27–28, 33, 77–79, 82, 175–76
suggestions for dealing with setbacks and, 166–67
treatment of symptoms of, 80–82
despair over comparisons between procrastinators and “do”ers, 110–12
diary, feelings, 27–29, 219
distorted outlook, 66–67, 94–95
distractions, giving up, 193, 213
diversions and insecurity blankets, 101, 220
“do”-ers
actions of, 177
description of, 199
envy of, 65
habitual procrastinator compared with, 1, 34–37, 65, 110–12
transformation to, 26, 223
“do”-ing
as best cure for worst tasks, 195
contentment from, 221
excuses for not, 58–59, 121
The J.O.T. Method™, and experience of, 152
new methods of, 3
writing less vs., 144–47
economic depression compared with mental depression, 86–87
envy of “do”-ers, 65
excuses for not “do”-ing, 58–59, 121
expectations
fear of non-stop work, 63–64
positive rebuttals for unrealistic, 154–55
external forces, 14–15, 210–11
fear
as characteristic of human ostrich, 50–51, 63–64
of non-stop work expectations, 63–64
feelings
bored, 8–10
comfort in uncomfortable, 93–94
confident and secure, 86–87, 220
diary of, 27–29, 219
feeling like dealing with tasks, 220
floating away from reality, 99
helpless and hopeless, 3, 94, 96
learn to face your overwhelming, 121–23
scenarios about, 172–73
stuck, 8–10
filing cabinet organization, 191–92
“first things first” attitude, 193
fixes, quick, 2
floating away from reality
description of, 97–99, 218
diversions while, 100
feelings while, 99
grounded or tied down vs., 97
insecurity blankets and, 101, 220
The J.O.T. Method™ vs., 127
mental and physical effects of, 99–100
mental muscle weakness and, 99–100
free time, 12, 22–23, 80
frustration/less frustration, 71–72, 157–59, 220
getting by lifestyle, 38
getting-over-on-others practices, 37–38
goals, 69, 155–57
Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination
always keep promises you make to yourself, 109–10, 115
avoid being a perfectionist, 123–25
avoid giving yourself vague or conflicting instructions, 112–15
avoid harsh or improper/inappropriate self-statements, 116–19
description of breaking, 127–30
learn to face your overwhelming feelings, 121–23
remember procrastinators find excuses for not “do”-ing, 121
respond to your tasks in a logical way, 115
set self-esteem development as goal for accomplishing tasks, 116
take the pressure off by developing patience, 125–26
try not to compare and despair, 110–12
understand there will be consequences for your inaction, 119–21, 221
grade-school procrastinators, 205–7
See also habitual procrastination; human ostrich; student procrastinators
grounded or tied down vs. floating away from reality, 97
habits
the force of positive, 176
setbacks, and changing long-held, 153–54
habitual procrastination
conflicts in life and, 12
as coping mechanism, 41–42, 153
cycle of procrastination and, 29–33, 103–5, 115
depression, and connection with, 27–28, 33
description of, 3
“do”-er person compared with, 1, 34–37, 110–12
feelings diary and, 27–29, 219
getting by lifestyle of, 38
getting-over-on-others practices of, 37–38
internal resistance and, 71, 208–9
laziness compared with, 15–17
reasons for, 3, 38–39, 43–44
reminders of procrastination and, 29–33
stress and, 39–43
summary of, 44, 198–99, 217–18
true personalities vs. characteristics of, 53
See also characteristics of human ostrich; conflicts in life; Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination; human ostrich; student procrastinators
helpless and hopeless feelings, 3, 94, 96
home-life procrastination
conflicts in life and, 11–15
light housecleaning starter-tasks and, 106, 190–91, 222
housecleaning
conflicts in life and, 14–15
starter-tasks, and light, 190–91
human ostrich
aspects of, 54–55, 74, 198–99, 221
depression as liability and, 45–46
fear, and description of, 50–51
as learned response, 51
perception of activities and, 47–50
summary, 51
See also characteristics of human ostrich; conflicts in life; Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination; student procrastinators
impatience, 60–61, 71–72
See also patience
inaction, consequences for your, 119–21, 221
inadvertent errors using The J.O.T. Method™
abbreviated entries and, 144
“do”-ing more while writing less and, 144–47
improper/inappropriate self-statements, 137–38
improper or conflicting instructions and, 139
organization of little things, 147
perfectionism and, 138
rewriting improper or conflicting instructions and, 139–44
uncompleted tasks and, 148–50
See also The J.O.T. Method™ (“just one task” at a time technique)
inner procrastinator fed by outer procrastination characteristic, 74
insecurity blankets and diversions, 101, 220
internal resistance characteristic, 71, 208–9
Internet surfing, 162
The J.O.T. Method™ (“just one task” at a time technique)
combining techniques using, 178–82
counting technique using, 183–86
description of, 131–
35, 218–19
“do”-ing experience and, 152
floating vs., 127
improvements on, 177–86
patience development and, 152
points to remember for using, 133
reasons for success using, 134–35, 151
requirements for, 130–31
rules for, 131
selecting the first task, and using, 136
self-esteem development using, 133
setbacks and, 168–72
student procrastinators and, 209
See also inadvertent errors using The J.O.T. Method™
judgments, making, 19–21
kitchen chores, 13–14
lack of satisfaction/satisfaction upon completion of task, 72, 220
larger projects
“beginning and end” of project thinking for working on, 194
compartmentalization strategies for working on, 186–90
laziness compared with procrastination, 15–17
learned response, procrastination as, 51
light housecleaning as starter-task, 106, 190–91, 222
logical way of responding to your tasks, 115
managers in the workplace, 200–202
mental and physical effects of floating away from reality, 99–100
mental depression. See depression
mental muscle weakness, 99–100
negative thinking about tasks and actions, 67–68, 219
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), 24–25
organization
filing cabinet, 191–92
of little things, 147
ostrich, human. See characteristics of human ostrich; human ostrich
outcomes distortions characteristic, 66–67
outer procrastination feeds inner procrastinator characteristic, 74
outlook, distorted, 94–95
over-analysis leads to paralysis, 3, 91–92
overcoming procrastination. See advanced techniques for overcoming procrastination; avoidance; floating away from reality; Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination; The J.O.T. Method™ (“just one task” at a time technique); setbacks, dealing with; significant other’s relationship with procrastinator; student procrastinators; techniques for overcoming procrastination; willingness to change development
panic attacks and anxiety, 3, 57–58, 103–5, 165–66
paralysis, and over-analysis, 3, 91–92
parents, of student procrastinators, 203, 207–11
patience
developing, 125–26, 152
as enemy of procrastination, 61
impatience vs., 60–61, 71–72
“patience” as mantra, 192
payoffs of depression and procrastination, 83–84
perfectionism, 61–62, 123–25, 138
personal responsibility, 3
physical activities
advanced techniques for overcoming procrastination using, 190–91
light housecleaning as starter-task and, 106, 190–91, 222
willingness to change development and, 106
See also activity/activities
physical and mental effects of floating away from reality, 99–100
planning difficulties, 70
positive habits, the force of, 176
positive reinforcement, 195, 221
positive self-talk, 154–55, 163–65, 218
prioritizing tasks, 19–21, 57–58, 194
procrastinators/procrastination
behaviors of, 1–2
etymology of procrastination, 33–34
solutions for, 2–3, 221–23
See also characteristics of human ostrich; conflicts in life; depression; habitual procrastination; human ostrich; student procrastinators
projects, larger
“beginning and end” of project thinking for working on, 194
compartmentalization strategies for working on, 186–90
promises you make with yourself, 109–10, 115
quantitative measurements for procrastination, 17–19
quick fixes, 2
recovering procrastinator. See advanced techniques for overcoming procrastination; avoidance; characteristics of recovering procrastinator; floating away from reality; Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination; The J.O.T. Method™ (“just one task” at a time technique); setbacks, dealing with; significant other’s relationship with procrastinator; student procrastinators; techniques for overcoming procrastination; willingness to change development
reinforcement, positive, 195, 221
reminders of procrastination, 29–33
responsibility, personal, 3
returning student procrastinators, 214–15
See also habitual procrastination; human ostrich; student procrastinators
returning to uncompleted tasks frustration, 71
rewards, as positive reinforcement, 195, 221
roadmap for dealing with tasks, 172, 220
rules for overcoming habitual procrastination. See Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination
sacrifices, making, 193, 213
satisfaction/lack of satisfaction upon completion of task, 72, 220
secure and confident feelings, 86–87, 220
self-awareness, 92
self-communication characteristic, 65–66
self-esteem/lack self-esteem development, 3, 116, 133
self-statements, improper/inappropriate, 116–19, 137–38
self-talk, positive, 154–55, 163–65, 218
setbacks, dealing with
alcohol and substance abuse, and suggestions for, 162–63
changing long-held habits and, 153–54
decision-making and, 172–73
depression, and suggestions for, 166–67
feelings scenarios and, 172–73
frustration, and frustration fighters for, 157–59
goals as unreasonable or realistic and, 155–57
Internet surfing, and suggestions for, 162
The J.O.T. Method™ and, 168–72
panic attacks, and suggestions for, 165–66
positive self-talk, and suggestions for, 163–65
preventive measures for, 163–68
suggestions for, 167–68
television viewing, and suggestions for, 159–62
unrealistic expectations and positive rebuttals for, 154–55
“Should I be doing something else?” thinking, 62–63
significant other’s relationship with procrastinator, 197–200
solutions for procrastination, 2–3, 221–23
stress, 39–43
stuck feelings, 8–10
student procrastinators
academic competition and, 215–16
college, 211–13
description of, 204–5
external forces and, 210–11
giving up distractions and, 213
grade-school, 205–7
internal resistance and, 208–9
The J.O.T. Method™ and, 209
making sacrifices and, 213
parents and, 203, 207–11
reasons for, 203–4
returning students and, 214–15
teenagers as, 207
See also characteristics of human ostrich; habitual procrastination; human ostrich
substance and alcohol abuse, 162–63
symptoms of depression, treatment of, 80–82
taking control over life, 7–8
tasks
anxiety choosing between high priority, 3, 57–58
attitudes about, 114–15
difficulties alternating between, 60
dislike of complex, 59
“do”-ing as best cure for worst, 195
feeling like dealing with, 220
focus on single, 19–21
light housecleaning as starter-task, 190–91
negative thinking about actions and, 67–68, 219
prioritizing, 3, 19–21, 57�
�58, 194
roadmap for dealing with, 172, 220
seeing the good in, 101
small, 3
taken one at a time, 126
uncompleted, 71, 148–50
worrying over, 55–56
See also completion of tasks; The J.O.T. Method™ (“just one task” at a time technique); work
techniques for overcoming procrastination
about, 3
attitudes about tasks and, 114–15
feelings scenarios and, 172–73
as lengthy process, 95–96
positive self-talk and, 163–65, 218
see the good in tasks, 101
take one task at a time, 126
willingness to change development and, 84, 85
See also avoidance; floating away from reality; Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination; willingness to change development
teenager procrastinators, 207
See also characteristics of human ostrich; habitual procrastination; human ostrich; student procrastinators
television viewing, 159–62
thinking
all-or-nothing, 12, 68–69
“beginning and end” of project, 194
negative, 25, 67–68, 219
of procrastinators, 1–2
“Should I be doing something else?”, 62–63
tasks or actions, and negative, 67–68, 219
transformation of negative, 25
tied down or grounded vs. floating away from reality, 97
time
depression, and high cost of free, 80
distortions of, 66–67
free, 12, 80
lengthy process of recovery and, 95–96
management of free, 12
theft of, 86
waiting for the right, 56–57
treatment of symptoms of depression, 80–82
true personalities vs. procrastinator characteristics, 53
uncomfortable feelings as comfortable, 93–94
uncompleted tasks
frustration, and returning to, 71
inadvertent errors using The J.O.T. Method™ and, 148–50
unresolved procrastination characteristic, 72–74
vague or conflicting instructions, avoid, 112–15
wants over needs characteristic, 21–22
willingness to change development
avoidance, and need for, 95
conflicts in life, and need for, 26
“do”-er person, and transformation through, 26, 223
panic attacks, and need for, 103–5
physical activities as helpful in, 106–7
techniques for overcoming procrastination and, 84, 85
See also Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination
work
fear of expectations of non-stop, 63–64
tremendous activity vs. small amounts of, 64–65
See also tasks
workplace procrastination, 10–11, 200–202
worrying over tasks, 55–56
