The Procrastination Equation

DON'T WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK: The world's leading expert on procrastination uses his groundbreaking research to offer understanding on a matter that bedevils us all. Writing with humour, humanity and solid scientific information reminiscent of Stumbling on Happiness and Freakonomics, Piers Steel explains why we knowingly and willingly put off a course of action despite recognizing we'll be worse off for it. For those who surf the Web instead of finishing overdue assignments, who always say diets start tomorrow, who stay up late watching TV to put off going to sleep, The Procrastination Equation explains why we do what we do—or in this case don't—and why in Western societies we're in the midst of an escalating procrastination epidemic. Dr. Piers Steel takes on the myths and misunderstandings behind procrastination and motivation. With accessible prose and the benefits of new scientific research, he provides insight into why we procrastinate even though the result is that we are less happy, healthy, and even wealthy. Who procrastinates and why? How many ways, big and small, do we procrastinate? How can we stop doing it? The reasons are part cultural, part psychological, part biological. And, with a million new ways to distract ourselves in the digitized world, more of us are potentially damaging ourselves by putting things off. But Steel not only analyzes the factors that weigh us down but the things that motivate us—including understanding the value of procrastination.

Why do kitchens need to be cleaned the night before the final exams? Why does the arrival of a new email suddenly seem more important than a crucial sales pitch? And why does a healthy diet always start tomorrow? Writing with a combination of humour, humanity and solid scientific research, Piers Steel explains why we procrastinate— why we knowingly and willingly put off a course of action despite recognising we'll be worse off for it. hat's more, his study shows that despite procrastination making us poorer, fatter and unhappier, we're putting things off like never before—with new distractions such as Facebook and Twitter now in our lives, procrastination is on the rise. Some of the questions this book addresses are: - What are the main types of procrastination? Why is our brain wired for procrastination? How has procrastination played out through history? What is the price of procrastination? How to we fix our procrastinating ways? Piers Steel has spent the last ten years of his life devoted to studying procrastination, and the decades before that embodying it. He knows his subject both as a practitioner and as a scientist, and offers accessible techniques for controlling and improving motivation. Everyone from the dithering student to the dallying employee will recognise something of themselves in this engaging and insightful book.

“The Procrastination Equation will teach you how to bust the excuses that are preventing you from doing your best work and living your best life….So don’t put it off any longer. Read this book. Today.” —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind “Illuminating….Piers Steel shows us the secrets of procrastination, how it affects us and how we will, one day, be able to prevail.” —Dan Ariely, author of The Upside of Irrationality and Predictably Irrational Using a mix of psychology, evolutionary biology, self-help, and more than a decade of research, Dr. Piers Steel, the world’s foremost authority on procrastination, offers a tried and true method helping us to identify, understand, and break free of our self-destructive bad habits and create more positive lives for ourselves.

In this groundbreaking book, the world’s leading expert on procrastination, Dr Piers Steel, reveals the truth about why procrastinate – and shows us what we can do about it. Using a powerful mix of psychology, science, self-help, and a decade of his own research, Dr Steel shows us what effect procrastination has on our lives, and offers real hope to sufferers everywhere. New to this revised edition, Dr Steel shows exactly how to apply the techniques in common problem areas, resulting in a step-by-step procrastination busting guide for work, money matters and losing weight.

"Previously published as The Procrastinator's Digest in Canada by Howling Pines Publishers in 2010."

AARP Digital Editions offer you practical tips, proven solutions, and expert guidance. In Still Procrastinating?, Joseph Ferrari will help you find out why you put things off and learn how to conquer procrastination for good. Do you ever say to yourself "What if I make a bad decision?," "What if I fail?," or "I'm better under pressure"? There are all sorts of reasons people procrastinate. What are yours? This book draws on scientific research on procrastination conducted over more than twenty years by the author and his colleagues, to help you learn what stops you from getting things done so that you can find the solutions that will really work. Contrary to conventional wisdom, chronic procrastination is not about poor time management, but about self-sabotaging tendencies that can prevent you from reaching your full potential. This book gives you the knowledge and tools you need to understand and overcome these tendencies so you can start achieving your goals--not next week, next month, or next year, but today! Exposes the hidden causes of procrastination, including fear of failure, fear of success, and thrill-seeking Identifies types of procrastinators and helps determine which type describes you Shares surprising information on how factors such as technology and the time of day affect procrastination Examines specific issues related to putting things off in school and at work Shares more than twenty years of research on the causes and consequences of chronic procrastination Written by a psychologist who is an international expert on the subject of procrastination Are you still procrastinating? This take-charge guide will help you stop making excuses and start transforming your life--right now.

From New York Times bestselling author and senior economic correspondent at The New York Times, how to survive—and thrive—in this increasingly challenging economy. Every ambitious professional is trying to navigate a perilous global economy to do work that is lucrative and satisfying, but some find success while others struggle to get by. In an era of remarkable economic change, how should you navigate your career to increase your chances of landing not only on your feet, but ahead of those around you? In How to Win in a Winner-Take-All World, Neil Irwin, senior economic correspondent at the New York Times, delivers the essential guide to being successful in today’s economy when the very notion of the “job” is shifting and the corporate landscape has become dominated by global firms. He shows that the route to success lies in cultivating the ability to bring multiple specialties together—to become a “glue person” who can ensure people with radically different technical skills work together effectively—and how a winding career path makes you better prepared for today's fast-changing world. Through original data, close analysis, and case studies, Irwin deftly explains the 21st century economic landscape and its implications for ambitious people seeking a lifetime of professional success. Using insights from global giants like Microsoft, Walmart, and Goldman Sachs, and from smaller lesser known organizations like those that make cutting-edge digital effects in Planet of the Apes movies or Jim Beam bourbon, How to Win in a Winner-Take-All World illuminates what it really takes to be on top in this world of technological complexity and global competition.