{"id":107705,"date":"2023-07-13T09:52:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T13:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=107705"},"modified":"2023-07-13T14:13:43","modified_gmt":"2023-07-13T18:13:43","slug":"the-procrastination-equation-by-piers-steel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-procrastination-equation-by-piers-steel\/","title":{"rendered":"The Procrastination Equation by Piers Steel: Book Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is The Procrastination Equation <\/em>by Piers Steel about? Do you frequently delay important work until right before the deadline?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The Procrastination Equation<\/em>, Piers Steel discusses the reasons behind procrastination and its consequences. He also provides strategies for combating the most common procrastination triggers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read below for a brief overview of The Procrastination Equation<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Procrastination Equation<\/em> by Piers Steel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you frequently delay important work until right before the deadline? Do you find yourself distracted and overwhelmed by your daily tasks, unsure of how to begin them? If this sounds familiar, you\u2019re not alone\u2014according to The Procrastination Equation<\/em> by Piers Steel, nearly 95% of people say they procrastinate, and a quarter of them identify procrastination as a pervasive, prominent trait.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Procrastination seems to have increased substantially over the years. Steel reports in a 2007 research paper that in 1978, survey results suggested that around 5% of people<\/a> were chronic procrastinators. By 2007, that number had jumped to 26%. Some experts posit that the increasing use of the internet and electronic devices<\/a> in the past decades has been (and continues to be) the primary cause of this jump. The internet is now part of nearly every aspect of daily life for most people, and it provides ample forms of distraction that contribute to procrastination.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To address this common problem, Steel wrote The Procrastination Equation<\/em>, exploring strategies to help procrastinators increase their motivation and reclaim control over their time. By reducing distractions, building confidence in your abilities, and making unpleasant tasks more valuable for yourself, you can begin to overcome procrastination<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steel has spent his career researching the science of procrastination and motivation. He holds a doctorate in industrial\/organizational psychology, and he\u2019s a Distinguished Research Chair at the University of Calgary. His work has appeared in publications such as Psychology Today<\/em><\/a>, Good Housekeeping<\/em><\/a>, and The New Yorker<\/em><\/a>. Additionally, he started the Procrastinus website<\/a>, which connects people with research and resources for understanding and reducing procrastination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Procrastination?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Steel defines procrastination as purposefully putting off tasks against your better judgment and contrary to your best interests.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, going to see a movie to avoid renewing your driver\u2019s license at the DMV qualifies as procrastination\u2014you\u2019re actively avoiding an important task and, in doing so, accepting potentially negative consequences like missing the deadline and creating more stress for yourself later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Postponements for reasons that are logical and outside of your control don\u2019t count as procrastination. For example, if you\u2019re stuck in traffic when you\u2019re supposed to be making a phone call, delaying the call until you get to your office makes sense. You\u2019ll be safer and more focused on the call if you make it while you aren\u2019t distracted by traffic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Do We Procrastinate?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now that we\u2019ve explored Steel\u2019s definition of procrastination<\/a>, we\u2019ll examine the top three reasons we procrastinate<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Choosing instant gratification<\/a> over long-term gain <\/li>
  2. Disliking the task we must complete<\/li>
  3. Believing that we\u2019re going to fail <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Reason #1: We Choose Instant Gratification Over Long-Term Gain<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    First, Steel argues that choosing instant gratification over long-term gain often plays a substantial role in procrastination. <\/strong>People who procrastinate for this reason choose rewards they can get right away over those they have to wait for, even if the payoff of waiting is much larger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Therefore, rather than working toward long-term goals step-by-step, these procrastinators are more likely to put off tasks with future deadlines until the last minute. They procrastinate by making impulsive decisions that bring them immediate pleasure without fully considering the consequences of delaying their more important tasks. This creates urgency and stress once they finally reach deadlines and have to complete the tasks in drastically shortened time windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Steel says the tendency to act on impulses for immediate rewards stems from a general human propensity to view future tasks as abstract and immediate tasks as concrete. When we think of tasks and concerns in abstract terms, we\u2019re less likely to act on them, making us more likely to act based on immediate instead of future concerns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, say you\u2019re an artist, and you want to submit your painting to an art show. The deadline to submit is a month away, which feels abstract, so you don\u2019t fill out your application yet. Over the next few weeks, every time you think about filling it out, you tell yourself that you still have plenty of time. You choose to do something more concrete and immediately enjoyable instead, like reading a book or scrolling through social media. Then, one day, you realize there\u2019s just a few hours until the deadline, and you have to scramble to get your application materials together. They aren\u2019t as good as they could have been if you\u2019d acted sooner, and you cause yourself a lot of unnecessary stress trying to get them in on time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reason #2: We Dislike What We\u2019re Doing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Second, Steel states, we often procrastinate on tasks we dislike <\/strong>and find unpleasant, dull, or pointless. This is due to the value we place on tasks, which stems from our relative enjoyment of them\u2014the less we enjoy doing something, the less valuable we find it, and the less motivated we are to do it promptly. Instead, we spend time on activities we enjoy doing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, many of us put off paying monthly bills until the last minute. The task is tedious, and boring tasks<\/a> are one of the things we most commonly procrastinate on. Additionally, it can be stressful watching large amounts of money leave our accounts every month, contributing to our dislike of the task and making us want to delay it as long as we can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reason #3: We Believe We\u2019ll Fail<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    According to Steel, many of us procrastinate because we believe we\u2019ll fail at the task we\u2019re avoiding.<\/strong> Instead of pursuing the task and risking the pain of failure, we postpone it as long as we can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, say you\u2019ve been going on dates to eventually start a new relationship. However, you\u2019ve had several bad dates in a row, and your self-confidence begins to decline. You start postponing and canceling dates, assuming they\u2019re going to fail, which takes you further from your original goal of finding a partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Negative Consequences of Procrastination<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    No matter why we do it, procrastination can have many negative consequences, especially when it becomes chronic.<\/strong> Steel asserts that chronic procrastinators are less successful and satisfied in all realms of life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    (Shortform note: Almost everyone procrastinates sometimes, but only a fraction of people qualify as chronic<\/em> procrastinators. To determine whether you fall into the latter category, look for the following signs:<\/a> 1) You consistently struggle to meet deadlines. 2) Procrastination affects your relationships with friends and family. 3) You procrastinate in multiple realms of your life (at work, at home, with friends, and so on). 4) The stress of putting things off affects your sleep and physical health.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here, we\u2019ll spotlight how procrastination impacts two realms of life: health and financial success<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Realm #1: Health<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    According to the author, one of the most common things people procrastinate on is routine medical care,<\/strong> which can have serious implications for health and longevity. Many diseases and infections are easier to treat when they\u2019re caught early, but people still postpone doctor\u2019s visits and preventive screenings because they\u2019re unpleasant. Due to these delays, procrastinators are often less healthy than people who struggle less with procrastination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Likewise, the traits that typically accompany the tendency to procrastinate\u2014such as impulsivity and lack of self-control\u2014make procrastinators more susceptible to unhealthy habits, including excessive alcohol consumption and smoking. These habits represent short-term pleasure, which procrastinators favor over long-term health outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Realm #2: Financial Success<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Steel argues that procrastinators are typically less financially successful than their peers.<\/strong> Procrastinators often delay paying off debt, meaning they end up paying more in fees and interest. Additionally, they typically wait much longer to start saving for retirement<\/a>, so they end up without enough money in old age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How Can We Avoid Procrastinating?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019ve defined procrastination, explored the main reasons we do it, and considered some of its most common negative consequences. Now, we\u2019ll discuss how to avoid<\/em> procrastination by exploring three of Steel\u2019s strategies: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Managing distractions<\/a> and impulses <\/li>
    2. Making your tasks more interesting <\/li>
    3. Building your confidence <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Within each strategy, we\u2019ll touch on specific anti-procrastination techniques you can apply in your everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Strategy #1: Manage Distractions and Impulses<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Steel notes that since impulsivity causes procrastination, managing distractions and impulses can prevent<\/em> procrastination. If you avoid things that offer tempting immediate rewards, you reduce the amount of time you spend delaying important tasks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Strategy #2: Make The Task More Valuable to You<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Steel\u2019s second strategy addresses the second reason for procrastination\u2014disliking what we\u2019re doing\u2014by making tasks more interesting (and thus more valuable) to us.<\/strong> In today\u2019s world, most work is broken into routine, repetitive tasks that contribute to monotony and boredom, such as doing inventories, entering data into spreadsheets, and writing reports. We struggle to feel motivated to complete these dull tasks because our brains deem them unimportant. Thus, we procrastinate, and the unpleasant work adds up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Strategy #3: Build Your Confidence<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Steel\u2019s third strategy is building your confidence to avoid procrastination<\/a> that\u2019s based on the fear of failure<\/a>.<\/strong> As we touched on earlier, the less confidence you have in your ability to succeed, the less motivated you\u2019ll be, and the more likely you are to procrastinate<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      On the other hand, Steel says that being too<\/em> confident about your ability to succeed can also result in procrastination. If you believe that everything will work out no matter what, you might wait for success and good fortune to come to you instead of working to make it happen. Additionally, overconfident people often underestimate the amount of time needed to complete tasks, so they wait until the last minute to begin. This can undermine their results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      To successfully avoid procrastination, you must strike a balance between acknowledging the work it\u2019ll realistically take to complete a task<\/a> and believing that you\u2019re capable of succeeding. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      What is The Procrastination Equation by Piers Steel about? Do you frequently delay important work until right before the deadline? In The Procrastination Equation, Piers Steel discusses the reasons behind procrastination and its consequences. He also provides strategies for combating the most common procrastination triggers. 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