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23rd out of 298 books
—
401 voters
The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play
One of the most effective programs to combat procrastination, THE NOW HABIT has sold over 100,000 copies, has been translated into 11 languages, and is now revised and updated.
Featuring a new introduction and a new section providing strategies to understand and deal with the role technology plays in procrastination today, THE NOW HABIT offers a comprehensive plan to help...more
Featuring a new introduction and a new section providing strategies to understand and deal with the role technology plays in procrastination today, THE NOW HABIT offers a comprehensive plan to help...more
Paperback, 206 pages
Published
April 5th 2007
by Tarcher
(first published November 1st 1988)
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The whole book was one big "THIS!!". Interspersed with a few "Fuck! I'm such a doofus" moments.
I'm giving this 5 stars, and I'm diarying to revisit this review in 1, 3, and 6 months to see if I was able to implement the techniques Fiore suggests, and if they were effective.
****
book +36 hours
-completed a draft of an article I've been avoiding since November
-emailed someone I've been dodging for ten days
-joined a gym and went once (this is a different kettle of fish from joining a gym and going a...more
I'm giving this 5 stars, and I'm diarying to revisit this review in 1, 3, and 6 months to see if I was able to implement the techniques Fiore suggests, and if they were effective.
****
book +36 hours
-completed a draft of an article I've been avoiding since November
-emailed someone I've been dodging for ten days
-joined a gym and went once (this is a different kettle of fish from joining a gym and going a...more
16 likes · like · see review
view all 17 comments
One of the most practical books in the Psychology of Procrastination that I have read. The cliched advice 'Just do it' is not a sustainable adage for procrastinators to live by. Procrastination is not the problem, it is a symptom a deeper underlying issue regarding fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of success or generally feeling overwhelmed by grand plans and pressure. This book uses a combination of great tools like reverse psychology, introducing guilt-free play into one's schedule, me...more
Perhaps this one is too embarrassing to list here:-)
I got it via inter-library loan, and have procrastinated finishing it, but so far it does have some unique solutions.
ETA: I read it in a rush, which perhaps helped because I just skipped any annoying examples or verbose parts. I thought several of his ideas were original and fit me well. So often, because I haven't done what I "Should" do, I don't let myself do what I want to do either. So I end up doing unproductive things, etc. Anyone faced w...more
I got it via inter-library loan, and have procrastinated finishing it, but so far it does have some unique solutions.
ETA: I read it in a rush, which perhaps helped because I just skipped any annoying examples or verbose parts. I thought several of his ideas were original and fit me well. So often, because I haven't done what I "Should" do, I don't let myself do what I want to do either. So I end up doing unproductive things, etc. Anyone faced w...more
3 likes · like · see review
This is an insightful book about the underlying psychology of procrastination and it offers some useful practical advice about how to stop procrastinating. It's definitely worth reading for anyone who has struggled to complete (or even to start) an important task.
I listened to this book on Audio CD throughout the month of March. It's a practical approach to identifying and understanding the habits of procrastination.
Early in the book the author shattered one of my previously held myths. I believed that procrastination was the problem, now I have come to understand that procrastination is not the problem, its the symptom.
This audiobook (not lengthy) offers a solid viewpoint into why we procrastinate. This makes it useful for individuals who struggle with...more
Early in the book the author shattered one of my previously held myths. I believed that procrastination was the problem, now I have come to understand that procrastination is not the problem, its the symptom.
This audiobook (not lengthy) offers a solid viewpoint into why we procrastinate. This makes it useful for individuals who struggle with...more
I wanted to write this review, but have been putting it off. That's a joke. If you read the book, you know what I mean.
I do suffer from putting things off. Not everything, just those things that, for some reason,hit me as complex and time consuming. Dr. Fiore not only helped me to better understand the nature of my reasoning, but to also realize that I am not broken. He goes even further in offering specific tools and techniques to get yourself out of those bad habits.
For me, there are a coupl...more
I do suffer from putting things off. Not everything, just those things that, for some reason,hit me as complex and time consuming. Dr. Fiore not only helped me to better understand the nature of my reasoning, but to also realize that I am not broken. He goes even further in offering specific tools and techniques to get yourself out of those bad habits.
For me, there are a coupl...more
In my first year as a solopreneur, I became stranged by the inability to walk away from my work, and yet I was getting less and less done. While The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It was extremely helpful in understanding what was going on and how to make things better for my business, it didn't entirely solve the problem of how to make things better for me.
The Now Habit is the book about how to make things better for me. I knew I had to walk away, bu...more
The Now Habit is the book about how to make things better for me. I knew I had to walk away, bu...more
Yes, I have read every productivity book in existence now, why do you ask?
This one was quite different from most of the others I've read - most of the books out there are, essentially, GTD and how to stick to it. This book was actually very psychological - I could identify with a lot of the stories about insecurity, especially as he kept going on and on about students who couldn't finish their dissertations. xD While I liked the idea of the Unschedule, and understand the concepts involved, I fe...more
This one was quite different from most of the others I've read - most of the books out there are, essentially, GTD and how to stick to it. This book was actually very psychological - I could identify with a lot of the stories about insecurity, especially as he kept going on and on about students who couldn't finish their dissertations. xD While I liked the idea of the Unschedule, and understand the concepts involved, I fe...more
I wish that I could recommend this book to my Freshman self, because the program is already working for me (Medical School Application).
Fiore puts forth the thesis that procrastination is a defense mechanism that people use to escape the anxiety they feel for large looming projects. They are afraid of producing inadequate work and they are afraid of being judged harshly for failing. It isn't laziness that drives the procrastinator to procrastinate, rather, it is the negative self-talk: the shou...more
Fiore puts forth the thesis that procrastination is a defense mechanism that people use to escape the anxiety they feel for large looming projects. They are afraid of producing inadequate work and they are afraid of being judged harshly for failing. It isn't laziness that drives the procrastinator to procrastinate, rather, it is the negative self-talk: the shou...more
I'm not usually one to read a bunch of self help sort of books, though I occasionally will run through one on a recommendation, such as the odd finance book about getting debt under control. But, despite other problems that I have in life the single biggest, hands down, is procrastination.
People who don't procrastinate will look at a procrastinator and see only that that person is either not working hard enough or putting off work. They don't procrastinate and as such don't understand the motiva...more
People who don't procrastinate will look at a procrastinator and see only that that person is either not working hard enough or putting off work. They don't procrastinate and as such don't understand the motiva...more
This book has given me a lot to think about re: the reasons behind my chronic and frankly debilitating procrastination problems. Almost every one of the explanations for procrastination given applies to me (perfectionism, self-criticism, fear of failure, being easily overwhelmed, rebelling against authority) and Fiore offers some practical exercises which are meant to turn a procrastinator into a producer. I can already tell, though, that I'm going to have a lot of trouble actually putting them...more
Publisher's Summary
Here's the first comprehensive strategic system for overcoming the causes and eliminating the effects of procrastination.
Here are techniques to help any busy person get more things done more quickly, without the anxiety and stress brought on by delay and pressing deadlines.
If you are a professional, manager, student, entrepreneur, writer, or homemaker, this audiobook will help you achieve your goals more rapidly, whether they are large, complex challenges or the small, essent...more
Here's the first comprehensive strategic system for overcoming the causes and eliminating the effects of procrastination.
Here are techniques to help any busy person get more things done more quickly, without the anxiety and stress brought on by delay and pressing deadlines.
If you are a professional, manager, student, entrepreneur, writer, or homemaker, this audiobook will help you achieve your goals more rapidly, whether they are large, complex challenges or the small, essent...more
I don't think of myself as a huge procrastinator, but I think all of us are in some form or fashion. I'm messy. I'd rather read than do dishes right after I make dinner. I leave my shoes everywhere. I'm on Facebook too much. And I'm trying to streamline things that I do, make my life a little easier by getting on the ball. I think had interesting things to say as to why we procrastinate, and how to get around it. The most intriguing one is the Unschedule--you only get to "treat" yourself after y...more
I picked this book up out of desperation (I'm writing this review to procrastinate this very minute) because of my difficulties with deadlines, and the fact that I make myself sick trying to rush everything last minute. I'm not a fully functioning 'producer' just yet, but I'm optimistic that it may come in time with the help of self-talk and Fiore's advice. The two most important things I learned from this:
1) Stop telling yourself that you "have to" do something or you "should be" doing somethin...more
1) Stop telling yourself that you "have to" do something or you "should be" doing somethin...more
I read about 3/4 of this book and had to stop for the moment since it brought up so much for me to work on in the first half. The exercises are really great and helped me discover some new things about myself that I didn't understand before. It has helped me out significantly in my guilt and procrastination issues. The author is correct that many books teach you how to schedule, plan, and/or organize better but they never actually dig in to why you aren't living your life in the first place. The...more
Pretty good companion to "Getting Things Done." While GTD teaches you how to apply behavioral methods to boost your productivity, "The Now Habit" explains the mental processes that block action, and how to overcome them using a combination behavioral and psychoanalytical tricks. The toolset includes some behavioral tools, like the Unschedule (a schedule where you fill in the fun stuff first), guilt-free play and the reverse calendar. If you are just starting out with the program, I found that th...more
I really enjoyed it. I tend to be a procrastinator and while reading this book, I became more aware of bad habits that have been formed over the years. Now that I'm recognizing them, I'm able to do something about it. The concept that resonated with me the strongest was that the more we procrastinate on a project or task the more stress we feel, that our body feels about it, the more we feel overwhelmed and anxious. All that is work that we're doing, but unproductive work and actually more stres...more
Feb 27, 2013
Susan Bischoff
added it
Pros:
-Very upbeat, positive voice. Like an infomercial without the smarmy.
-Suggestions for things to do to combat the procrastination were placed throughout the book, not at the end.
-Covered many of the ways and reasons we procrastinate, though not as thoroughly as Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do about It Now
Cons:
-It felt like there was a lot of redundancy. I found myself getting annoyed--get to the point, we covered this.
-Much less than "Procrastination: Why You Do It..." with regar...more
-Very upbeat, positive voice. Like an infomercial without the smarmy.
-Suggestions for things to do to combat the procrastination were placed throughout the book, not at the end.
-Covered many of the ways and reasons we procrastinate, though not as thoroughly as Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do about It Now
Cons:
-It felt like there was a lot of redundancy. I found myself getting annoyed--get to the point, we covered this.
-Much less than "Procrastination: Why You Do It..." with regar...more
Oh My! I don't give too many books five stars but this book is amazing.
I'm about half way through the book and I already see progress in the way I operate on a daily basis. I created a simple tracking tool with all the things I want to accomplish and it is the inspiration from this book that keeps me moving forward.
The author writes in a gentle motivating voice. He's dead on with the reasons why we procrastinate at certain times in our lives or in certain areas. It's the understanding of those...more
I'm about half way through the book and I already see progress in the way I operate on a daily basis. I created a simple tracking tool with all the things I want to accomplish and it is the inspiration from this book that keeps me moving forward.
The author writes in a gentle motivating voice. He's dead on with the reasons why we procrastinate at certain times in our lives or in certain areas. It's the understanding of those...more
Ahh, self-help books from the 80s. I scooped this book out of a box of discards at my brother-in-law's place, and flipped through it during a pre-dinner lull in conversation. What at first seemed cheesy quickly became a remarkably practical read. I brought it home and read it each subsequent day during my commute to work.
Whether or not you're find yourself procrastinating, this book supplies some killer tips for being more efficient. I would recommend it highly to:
- people trying to juggle quasi...more
Whether or not you're find yourself procrastinating, this book supplies some killer tips for being more efficient. I would recommend it highly to:
- people trying to juggle quasi...more
This was a great book and a very fast and uncomplicated read. Some of the ideas are extremely powerful . The psychology behind procrastination is usually known by procrastinators, but the strategies for overcoming procrastination in this book are unlike any I have read. The strategies employed do take consistent application and it is easy to start and then fall off the wagon. The concept of figuring out the brevity of your own time to become more realistic about time management is truly transfor...more
Отличная книжка про procrastination. Там две части - одна про объяснения причин и мотивов, вторая про мотивацию и как это лечить.
Центральная идея объяснений - procrastination is not a problem, it's a solution. Т.е. мол прокрастинация - это способ огранизма решить какую-то проблему, а не проблема сама по себе.
Части про объяснения я верю очень, мотивации не сильно.
Но даже понимать проблему оказывается очень продуктивно.
Центральная идея объяснений - procrastination is not a problem, it's a solution. Т.е. мол прокрастинация - это способ огранизма решить какую-то проблему, а не проблема сама по себе.
Части про объяснения я верю очень, мотивации не сильно.
Но даже понимать проблему оказывается очень продуктивно.
Reading a book about procrastination when you should be working is...well...probably a joke that has been made a lot about this book. I'm always on the search for easy ways to deal with myself and particularly my self-destruction. My takeaways from this book are the importance of scheduling personal time and other things when looking at your schedule. A no-brainer, but how many times have you said "I have a week to do that." No you don't. It's amazing how little time is left for things once you...more
Most books that claim to help you with procrastination boil down to: get organized, make a list, get off your butt and do your work. Unlike those, this book is very helpful. It starts by explaining why people procrastinate. It's not because we're lazy, it's because procrastination rewards us in one way or another (ex. if you delay a task, sometimes it will turn out not to have been necessary at all, so not doing it saved you some pointless work. Goofing off is more fun than work. If you wait unt...more
The first half of the book is good, even though the author writes in that don't-spook-the-baby-mouse way, as if he's afraid of overwhelming or confronting the reader (which kind of makes sense, given the book's main premise is that people procrastinate on the things that freak them out). The end bit about dealing with other people who procrastinate is useful, if a bit short. The bit in the middle with the visualization exercises was way too self-y help-y for me!
Be ready to pick and choose what i...more
Be ready to pick and choose what i...more
Interesting read. It's not an anti-laziness book. It's about all the ways we sometimes avoid or "forget" certain things that need to be done. We do the things we do like, but we feel guilty about not doing the "other" things. It's about being afraid of failure and even being afraid of success. The idea of the book is to change the way we think about both work and play. The challenge is to figure out how we can get more done and at the same time enjoy our lives. This is mostly from a technical an...more
One of the most effective programs to combat procrastination, THE NOW HABIT has sold over 100,000 copies, has been translated into 11 languages, and is now revised and updated.
Featuring a new introduction and a new section providing strategies to understand and deal with the role technology plays in procrastination today, THE NOW HABIT offers a comprehensive plan to help readers lower their stress and increase their time to enjoy guilt-free play. Dr. Fiore’s techniques will help any busy person
...more
Jul 02, 2012
Upom
added it
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click here.
This was a pretty good read. A friend recommended it and as procrastination has been one of my banes for a long time, I requested it from the library.
I noticed other reviewers saying it was predictable and rehashed things they'd read elsewhere or seemed like common sense--but I definitely needed to read this one. Sometimes people tell you things over and over again but it never really clicks until the moment is right--and it simply never occurred to me that procrastination happens because it's a...more
I noticed other reviewers saying it was predictable and rehashed things they'd read elsewhere or seemed like common sense--but I definitely needed to read this one. Sometimes people tell you things over and over again but it never really clicks until the moment is right--and it simply never occurred to me that procrastination happens because it's a...more
Overwhelm. That's my problem! That and fear of the added responsibility that comes with success. Oh, and let's throw a little rebellion in there for good measure. I really identified and found it one of the first books to really "get" me as a procrastinator. Unfortunately I also found the proposed solutions overwhelming. I took what I liked and left the rest. "When can I start?" "I am choosing to do (not do) this task." "What action can I take for ten minutes?" "What small part of this task can...more
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“In most cases you are the one who confuses just doing the job with testing your worth.
Replace 'I have to' with 'I choose to'.”
—
4 people liked it
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Replace 'I have to' with 'I choose to'.”
