Book of the Day – Procrastination

Today’s Book of the Day is Procrastination: What It Is, Why It’s a Problem, and What You Can Do About It, written by Fuschia Sirois in 2022 and published by APA LifeTools.

Fuschia Sirois is a psychologist and a professor in the Department of Psychology at Durham University, in England. She is the Head of the Self-Regulation in Health and Well-Being Laboratory. In her more than 20 years of experience, she has researched procrastination and its relationship with positive psychology, health, and well-being. while exploring its connection with loneliness, perfectionism, and mood variations, but also with gratitude, and compassion.

Procrastination, by Fuschia Sirois

I chose this book as I often have to deal with procrastination when I work with individuals and teams, and Sirois’ is an in-depth and highly informative one on the topic.

The author begins by defining what procrastination is and why it represents a problem for those who experience it. Then, she explains how it differs from time management issues, which are related to organizational issues, rather than to a personal approach to the matter. From there, Sirois delves into the root causes of procrastination, demonstrating how there are emotional and motivational factors, as well as external ones like environmental distractions that make the issue worse.

As an experienced psychologist, Sirois brings her experience on procrastination and smartly reveals how our mind deals with and solves problems.

Backed up by more than 20 years of research in the field, the author is able to convincingly demonstrate why people procrastinate. The book is also rich in practical, evidence-based, and effective strategies to help the readers stop delaying, and completing the assigned, or chosen tasks, so as to reach their goals while developing their full potential.

According to Sirois, at the very heart of procrastination, there are emotions and the ability to regulate one’s mood. The book is a valuable tool to teach readers how to get rid of negative emotions, behaviors, and habits by replacing them with new ones that are more effective in dealing with tasks and reaching one’s goals.

A key point, I personally appreciated, is the idea that if we stop being harsh with ourselves and embrace self-compassion, we will boost our intrinsic motivation.

Sirois discusses the role of self-regulation and self-control in overcoming procrastination and provides valuable insights and also useful worksheets to recognize the triggers of procrastination and boost the emotions and motivations that can positively influence our behavior. She covers techniques like time management, goal-setting, and using rewards to motivate oneself, and she also offers tips for creating a more conducive environment for productivity.
 
Overall, “Procrastination: What It Is, Why It’s a Problem, and What You Can Do About It” is a comprehensive and smart book on the topic of procrastination. Sirois’ approach is at the same time scientific and practical, so I would recommend this book to anyone looking to better understand and overcome procrastination.

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