Index

tasks

anxiety choosing between high priority, 3, 57–58

attitudes about, 114–15

difficulties alternating between, 60

dislike of complex, 59

“do”-ing as best cure for worst, 195

feeling like dealing with, 220

focus on single, 19–21

light housecleaning as starter-task, 190–91

negative thinking about actions and, 67–68, 219

prioritizing, 3, 19–21, 57–58, 194

roadmap for dealing with, 172, 220

seeing the good in, 101

small, 3

taken one at a time, 126

uncompleted, 71, 148–50

worrying over, 55–56

See also completion of tasks; The J.O.T. Method™ (“just one task” at a time technique); work

techniques for overcoming procrastination

about, 3

attitudes about tasks and, 114–15

feelings scenarios and, 172–73

as lengthy process, 95–96

positive self-talk and, 163–65, 218

see the good in tasks, 101

take one task at a time, 126

willingness to change development and, 84, 85

See also avoidance; floating away from reality; Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination; willingness to change development

teenager procrastinators, 207

See also characteristics of human ostrich; habitual procrastination; human ostrich; student procrastinators

television viewing, 159–62

thinking

all-or-nothing, 12, 68–69

“beginning and end” of project, 194

negative, 25, 67–68, 219

of procrastinators, 1–2

“Should I be doing something else?”, 62–63

tasks or actions, and negative, 67–68, 219

transformation of negative, 25

tied down or grounded vs. floating away from reality, 97

time

depression, and high cost of free, 80

distortions of, 66–67

free, 12, 80

lengthy process of recovery and, 95–96

management of free, 12

theft of, 86

waiting for the right, 56–57

treatment of symptoms of depression, 80–82

true personalities vs. procrastinator characteristics, 53

uncomfortable feelings as comfortable, 93–94

uncompleted tasks

frustration, and returning to, 71

inadvertent errors using The J.O.T. Method™ and, 148–50

unresolved procrastination characteristic, 72–74

vague or conflicting instructions, avoid, 112–15

wants over needs characteristic, 21–22

willingness to change development

avoidance, and need for, 95

conflicts in life, and need for, 26

“do”-er person, and transformation through, 26, 223

panic attacks, and need for, 103–5

physical activities as helpful in, 106–7

techniques for overcoming procrastination and, 84, 85

See also Golden Rules of overcoming habitual procrastination

work

fear of expectations of non-stop, 63–64

tremendous activity vs. small amounts of, 64–65

See also tasks

workplace procrastination, 10–11, 200–202

worrying over tasks, 55–56

worsening procrastination, 72–74