⭐⭐⭐ The Procrastination Equation by Steel
| Full Title | The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done |
|---|---|
| Authors | Piers Steel |
| Year Published | 2010 |
| Date Read | December 27, 2016 |
| Rating | 3/5 stars |
This book is a great example of what an author does when he has a unique idea that can be succinctly explained in 10-20 pages but needs to multiply that by a factor of 10 to make money writing a book. Pretty high amount of fluff (chapters 5 and 6 especially seem like they were included just to fill pages). Lots of pop-sci style references that conflate informal surveys, or even myths, with real meta-analyses. Some explanations rely heavily on bunk evolutionary psychology.
If you’re able to look over these downsides, I think that the core equation itself is a great mental model for investigating why you’re putting off certain projects or tasks. If I were to come back and re-read this book, I would just read chapters 7-10, and I’d recommend first-time readers do the same thing. Indeed, even the author knows that this is where the meat of the book lies; he introduces the section with “the rest of the book is dedicated to actionable intelligence that puts putting off in its
place.”
3 stars because Steel wastes half the book with filler before getting to the good stuff.