Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It Now – Book Review

Let’s talk about procrastination.

Not the cute kind where you delay laundry for a day. I’m talking about the soul-sucking, career-stalling, identity-warping variety. The kind that looks like “researching productivity hacks for six hours while your real work cries in the corner.”

Enter Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It Now by Jane B. Burka and Lenora M. Yuen.

This isn’t your average feel-good, hustle-harder self-help fluff. This book walks straight into the fire of your psychological hang-ups, sits you down like a disappointed mentor, and tells you the truth: You’re not lazy. You’re scared.

And fear? Fear is sneaky. It wears a disguise called “perfectionism.” It throws tantrums called “fear of failure” and even “fear of success.” (Yes, some of us are scared of things going well. Shocking, I know.)

 

What This Book Gets Right (and Why It Hurts So Good)

1. It Makes You Feel Seen, Then Dragged
You ever read a book and think, “Damn, were they watching me?” Yeah. This book unpacks the emotional roots of procrastination with the precision of a therapist and the tone of someone who’s been through the same spiral.

It points out that procrastination isn’t a time issue; it’s an emotional management issue. You’re not avoiding the task; you’re avoiding the feelings the task triggers: pressure, judgment, and the unbearable weight of potential.

2. The Psychology is Solid (And Personal)
Burka and Yuen are clinical psychologists, which means they’re not guessing. They’re bringing data, client experience, and personal anecdotes. It’s refreshing. This book isn’t selling you a morning routine. It’s offering you emotional clarity.

Fear of failure? Covered. Fear of success? Absolutely. Rebellion against authority? Oh, that too. (If you ever said “you can’t tell me what to do” and then self-sabotaged… welcome.)

3. It Offers Tactics Without Treating You Like a Child
The advice is practical without being patronizing. Think: timers, task breakdowns, mental reframing, accountability tricks. You know, the good stuff. But it’s all rooted in understanding why your brain resists action in the first place.

They also give space to the emotional part. Like how beating yourself up doesn’t help, but self-compassion does. It’s not soft. It’s smart.

 

Chapter Highlights

 

Chapter 1: What Is Procrastination?

“Procrastination isn’t laziness, it’s willingly setting your future self on fire and then acting surprised when it burns.”

Why we do it:

• It’s not about being lazy, it’s about avoiding stress, discomfort, or boredom.

• Our brain wants immediate relief, so we scroll, snack, or suddenly NEED to clean the entire kitchen.

How to fix it:

• Catch yourself in the act. Next time you delay a task, ask: Am I tired, or just avoiding this?

• Start with just 5 minutes. Trick your brain by saying, “I’ll just do this for 5 minutes”—most of the time, you’ll keep going.

• Make it fun. Hate emails? Play some music, set a timer, and pretend you’re on The Office.

 

Chapter 2: Why We Procrastinate

“Your brain thinks it’s protecting you, but really, it’s just scamming you.”

Why we do it:

• We procrastinate to avoid stress, failure, or boring tasks.

• Your brain is like, “Hey, instead of doing this, let’s do literally ANYTHING ELSE!”

• But avoiding tasks makes stress WORSE. (Shocker.)

How to fix it:

• Lower the stakes. You’re not defusing a bomb—you’re just writing an email. Relax.

• Use the 2-minute rule. If something takes less than 2 minutes, do it NOW before your brain has a chance to whine.

• Schedule your distractions. Love doom-scrolling? Plan a guilt-free scroll session after you finish the task.

 

Chapter 3: Fear of Failure

“If I don’t try, I can’t fail, right? Wrong. You’re just failing secretly instead of publicly.”

Why we do it:

• We put things off because we’re scared of doing them badly.

• Perfectionists, this one’s for you. If it’s not flawless, we’d rather not start at all.

How to fix it:

• Reframe failure. Failing isn’t proof you suck, it’s proof you tried.

• Make failing fun. Give yourself permission to do something badly on purpose. Worst-case scenario? You improve.

• Think of your future self. Do you want to be the person who tried and learned, or the person still avoiding it?

 

Chapter 4: Fear of Success

“Success means more expectations, more work, and people noticing you? Ugh, terrifying.”

Why we do it:

• We sabotage ourselves because we’re scared of what happens next.

• If you finish that project, people will expect more from you. And suddenly, you’re trapped in a cycle of achievement.

How to fix it:

• Take it one step at a time. You don’t have to have it all figured out; just do the next thing.

• Remind yourself: you can handle it. You’ve survived every challenge so far. What makes this one different?

• Think about what you’re missing out on. Fear of success keeps you small. Do you want that?

 

Chapter 5: Perfectionism and Procrastination

“If I can’t do it perfectly, I won’t do it at all! Congrats, you’re now doing nothing.”

Why we do it:

• Perfectionists don’t start because they don’t want to mess up.

• But no one starts out perfect, you have to be bad before you get good.

How to fix it:

• Set a ‘bad version’ goal. Write the worst draft, do the messiest attempt. Just start.

• Follow the 80% rule. If it’s good enough, it’s done. Move on.

• Done is better than perfect. Repeat that until it sinks in.

 

Chapter 6: Dealing with Authority

“Ever been excited to do something until someone tells you to do it? Yeah, same.”

Why we do it:

• Some of us still rebel against rules, even when they make sense.

• If school or strict parents made productivity feel like punishment, your brain still thinks work = suffering.

How to fix it:

• Make it your idea. Instead of “I have to do this,” say, “I choose to do this.” Feels different, right?

• Break the rules a little. Work at night if you hate mornings. Use pink font in your spreadsheet. Trick your brain into feeling rebellious while being productive.

• Reward yourself. If you finish a task, celebrate. Yes, bribing yourself works.

 

Chapter 7: How Procrastination Affects Your Life

“Procrastination doesn’t just kill your to-do list, it kills your confidence, your career, and probably your dreams.”

Why we do it:

• We think we have “plenty of time.” (Spoiler: We don’t.)

• Avoiding tasks feels good in the moment but destroys long-term success.

How to fix it:

• Look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself, “How will this affect me in a month? A year?”

• Create consequences. Tell a friend your deadline; if you miss it, they get to roast you publicly.

• Track your progress. Seeing how much you’ve done is a great motivator.

 

Chapter 8: How to Overcome Procrastination

“Okay, let’s fix this mess. But like, in the least painful way possible.”

How to fix it:

• Lower the stakes. Not every task is a masterpiece. Just get it done.

• Set a timer. Work for 10 minutes. If it still sucks, you can stop. (Spoiler: You won’t.)

• Accountability works. Tell someone your deadline. Suddenly, you have to finish it.

• Make it fun. Hate a task? Blast music, set a reward, pretend you’re the main character in a motivational montage.

 

Chapter 9: Long-Term Change & Self-Compassion

“If beating yourself up worked, you’d be productive by now. Spoiler: It doesn’t.”

Why we do it:

• We think being hard on ourselves will motivate us, but it just makes us feel worse.

• If you constantly call yourself lazy, your brain believes it.

How to fix it:

• Talk to yourself like a friend. Would you call your bestie a failure for missing a deadline? No? Then don’t do it to yourself.

• Celebrate progress, not perfection. Every small win counts.

• Be patient. Changing habits takes time. Messing up doesn’t mean you’re back to square one.

 

Who This Book Is For

• The high-achiever who keeps missing deadlines and calling it “creative energy.”
• The side-hustler with a million ideas and zero follow-through.
• The perfectionist who wants to write a book but keeps rearranging their desk instead.

If you’ve ever ghosted your goals because they felt too heavy, this book is your call-out and your comeback.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Read This Book

Most productivity books are about doing more. Procrastination is about understanding yourself so you can stop doing less.

This book won’t give you a miracle cure, but it will help you stop blaming yourself and start managing your mind like a grown adult with dreams.

And let’s be honest, there’s something wildly refreshing about a book that says, “Yeah, you’re messed up. But here’s why. And here’s what to do next.”

Read it. Highlight it. Laugh. Cry. And then go finally do the thing.