Procrastination

Procrastination can be a tenacious, recurrent, complex process that is characterized by a strong tendency to recoil from uncomfortable situations by discomfort dodging actions. You wash your car rather than return a priority phone call you dread making. By learning to stop procrastinating on facing anxious situations you simultaneously help yourself conquer both adversities. Join me. We’ll start that journey. Read More

A decade ago I asked a successful author friend of mine for advice on writing. I had tapped into a mother lode of theories that had me bursting with ideas. I never aimed to be a writer, but what else can you do with all of these things to say? After some desultory career years, I thrilled to have a clear focus. I could write! Read More

In my last post, I presented my take on the cost of balance in life. Without thinking about it, at least without over-analyzing it, I ended my post by addressing my own particular "blend" of balance: work, play and love. It took another Psychology Today blogger to explain to me why I had arrived where I have. This is the blend for a meaningful life. Read More

 Every year of our lives, we use up some 8,760 hours. Every ten years, 87,600 hours. If our lives extend only to age 50, we'll still have 438,000 hours to achieve whatever goals we've set for ourselves. If we make it to 60, we've got a total of 525,600 hours at our disposal--to handle priorities, fulfill obligations, meet interesting people, pursue personal interests, travel to exotic lands, contribute to the lives of others, etc. . . . Read More

We have more control over our character, our judgment and strength of will—the essence of who each of us is—than we commonly believe. Read More

One of our research papers that will soon appear in the journal Personality and Individual Differences explains how self-forgiveness may reduce subsequent procrastination. I'm revisiting this issue with this short post featuring two of our Carpe Diem cartoons. Read More

I have a question for the faithful readers of my Don't Delay blog. In fact, I have two questions. They're about how you plan and make intentions. Will you take a minute and answer them for me? (This is short, but interesting, I think.) Read More

How do predictions affect how quickly you get things done? Your prediction about when you will complete a task may be rosy—but does that rosy prediction actually help you get things done faster? Read More

We're not always bothered by procrastination on our major goals. Putting off the small stuff can drive us nuts, and it all adds up. Here's a short post about a simple strategy for dealing with this needless delay. Read More