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ISBN: Print 978-1-64739-500-1 | eBook 978-1-64739-304-5
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DEDICATION
To my momwithout you,
I wouldnt be here.
Thank you for teaching me
this one simple truth:
Whatever is meant for me,
will be mine.
CONTENTS
THERE I WAS, sitting cross-legged with my laptop in the common room as the noise of my housemates washed over me. I dont know how I stayed up all night, or how I sat there staring at my laptop for 12 hours without getting anything done, but I did. I looked still and calm, but on the inside I was screaming my head off because I had a massive final paper due at noon the next day and I couldnt get started. Why did I wait until now? How did I let this happen again?
Somehow, with three hours to go, I hammered out the most perfect paper, and just barely got it turned in on time. Would you believe me if I told you that I got not one, but two As on this paper? I was an expert procrastinator; Id bet against time and deadlines, used tactics to delay, and won again. But at what cost?
At first glance, that story has a happy ending. It may even lead you to conclude that procrastination isnt a problem. You might think to yourself after surviving similar situations, Its okayI still got it done . But thats exactly how procrastination traps you, how it twists your view. You tell yourself that things worked out, so you keep doing it... until things dont work out. What my story doesnt share is how stressed I was during that time of my life, more stressed than I had ever been. I wasnt sleeping, I was partying to deal with it, and it was making me miserable. The following year, I made a choice that changed my life forever: I decided that I would no longer put things off until the last minute.
Thinking back, I probably didnt even recognize what I was doing as procrastination. All I knew was that I would no longer let this behavior drive me. I hope youre reading this book because you, too, have realized that procrastinating is not a sustainable way to get things done or accomplish your goals. Its not worth the stress, the drama, and the risk of losing everything because you were too rushed to do your best. So why do you keep playing the procrastination game?
The strategies in this book workIm living proof of that. As a former graduate student whos worked full-time and now runs an online business from home, I have made a lifelong commitment to conquering procrastination. On my blog, Its All You Boo , I help real peoplestudents, parents, employees, entrepreneurs, and everyone in betweenslay their goals with confidence and action. Ill share the same action-taking strategies with you to help you get things done, set goals, manage your time, get motivated, stay focused, and build momentum. Plus, with the guidance of leading psychologists, youll finally understand why you procrastinate and how to break this habit for good.
Because youre reading this book, I know you are ready to kick procrastination out of your life. Im so proud of you for making the choice to leave procrastination behind.
You can do this. Youve already taken the first step!
It happened again , didnt it?
You told yourself that youd watch just one more episode, wait just one more day, do just one more errand. Then youd be ready. And then youd get started.
But you werent ready, and maybe you still arent. You didnt start; you put it off yet again. Or maybe you started, but now everythings so late that youre overwhelmed and discouraged. Youre frustrated, feeling guilty, and feeling all sorts of shame. Why is it so hard to focus on what matters? Why does this keep happening?
Before we plunge into the answer, I want you to know one thing: The problem is not you. Its procrastination. Youre familiar with the word, Im sure. But its important that you understand that procrastination is a habit. Its not who you are. You are not your habits. And you can lose this bad habit for good. Together, well begin by unpacking what procrastination is (and isnt). Youll discover the real reason you procrastinate and find out what kind of procrastination youre prone to. And those insights will empower you to stop procrastinating and start being productive. Ready to get started?
What Is Procrastination?
Lets do some word association. When I say procrastination, what comes to mind? Let me guess. Do terms like laziness, lack of self-control, disorganization, or poor time-management skills pop into your head? Perhaps you think procrastination springs from indifference, or that its an innate personality flaw. Youre not alone in thinking this way; thats what the collective consciousness believes about procrastination. Harsh, right? Thankfully, theyre just shared myths. Theres no reason to apply that derogatory language to you, or anyone else, when we procrastinate.
