From To-Do to Ta-Da: 13 Best Books on Procrastination

Procrastination can be a real productivity killer, making you feel guilty, anxious, and stressed. It’s the feeling of knowing what you have to do but not being able to pull the trigger and start doing it. If you’re tired of putting things off and want to regain control, you’ve come to the right place. 

Reading a book about procrastination is an excellent way to motivate yourself to work. It can also provide useful tips and tools to stay on task. If you need help choosing a procrastination book, Headway can help! You’ll find a collection of useful book summaries to get you started when you download the Headway app. 

So, if you’re ready to improve your productivity, this article will introduce you to the best books for procrastinators. It aims to help you break the cycle of procrastination and achieve more in less time. 

Key points:

• People often speak about procrastination trivially, but those who experience it can feel anxious, stressed, and guilty for stepping away from their tasks. 

• Make the most of your breaks by reading a book about procrastination. Learn how to relieve stress and boost motivation to get more done. 

• If you’re looking for practical guidance, the best books for procrastinators include The Procrastination Equation by Piers Steel and Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy.

• To understand procrastination, identify triggers, and ease anxiety, the best books for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and stress relief are Be Calm by Jill Weber and Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel G. Amen.

• If you struggle to read whole books or worry you’ll get distracted, explore book summaries on the Headway app. You’ll access fascinating insights to identify if the book is right for you and start your journey to a procrastination-free lifestyle. 

The best books for procrastination

Procrastination is delaying or postponing tasks, even though we should be doing them. The reasons for procrastination vary, but it often leads to stress and decreased productivity.

The good news is many resources are available to help individuals overcome procrastination. One such resource is literature. Numerous books on procrastination offer strategies and insights for managing these feelings. The following will help you discover valuable advice and actionable steps to boost productivity. From understanding the underlying causes to developing effective habits, these books offer a range of solutions to suit individual needs. So, if you’re ready to take action, read on to discover some of the best books to stop procrastinating.

The Science of Overcoming Procrastination: How to be Disciplined, Break Inertia, Manage Your Time, and be Productive by Patrick King

Have you ever wondered why you procrastinate? Patrick King, the author of our first recommendation, is here to tell you the answer. In this book, readers will learn why people procrastinate, how to identify the signs, and how to find a balance in life so they don’t become overwhelmed. King aims to redefine how we see procrastination, encouraging readers to see it as a sign that something needs changing. For instance, you may need to work on your skill set or adjust your lifestyle. The author also provides advice on prioritizing tasks and managing your time.

If you want to start learning about the tools in this book, you can listen to the summary on the Headway app. This overview introduces you to the key strategies to stop procrastinating. It’ll also give you a better understanding of procrastination and help you decide if you want to read the entire book and learn about each step in more depth.

The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done by Piers Steel

This is the ultimate guide for those who procrastinate, as it offers clear steps to a healthy life. Everyone procrastinates for different reasons. Knowing your cause might help you find a suitable solution. Piers Steel is a researcher known for his work on motivation and productivity. He goes into the effects of procrastination and why it’s not the same as laziness.
The Procrastination Equation is a practical and easy-to-follow book. It provides actionable tools to help you with this behavior. Readers understand the importance of their environment, stopping distractions, and implementing positive habits to beat procrastination.

How to Stop Procrastinating: A Simple Guide to Mastering Difficult Tasks and Breaking the Procrastination Habit by S.J. Scott

Many of us consider the impact of procrastination at work, but in truth, it impacts your whole life, from your relationships to your health. Fortunately, this book tells you how to address these reasons, whether it’s fear, perfectionism, or a lack of motivation. It provides short-term and long-term strategies to help you get more done and stop this habit for good. 

Furthermore, readers learn to communicate and avoid taking on too much. Scott also discusses the effects of procrastination and why putting tasks off can be worse in the long term. 

The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoy Guilt-Free Play by Dr. Neil Fiore

Dr. Neil Fiore takes a slightly different approach in this recommendation as he addresses the guilt that accompanies procrastination. Putting important things off can leave you feeling shameful and further impact your mental well-being. As a notable figure in the industry, the author understands the stress and effects of procrastination on our lives. Fiore focuses on the underlying reasons for procrastinating and how to address them. He includes ways to reduce internal conflict to make you feel safe even if you have let procrastination take over. 

Furthermore, instead of highlighting the need to complete tasks, he offers helpful tools to balance life’s activities, including leisure, time with loved ones, extracurriculars, and work. 

How to Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away: An Expert Guide to Getting Stuff Done by Leslie Josel

We know that procrastination tangles itself into your whole life. However, trying to “fix” everything all at once is daunting, and you may even procrastinate from addressing the issue! 

Josel encourages you to take your journey one step at a time. If you decide this book is for you, you’ll learn to check in with your habits and analyze if they hinder or support your journey. Unlike some of the other reads so far, Josel emphasizes the need for guilt-free rest. This book demonstrates how to make breaks work without getting caught in the procrastination cycle. 

Eat That Frog!: 21 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy

Are you looking for tangible steps to stop procrastination? Renowned motivational speaker Brian Tracy says it’s all in your daily habits. In his book, Tracy helps you achieve your goals without putting them off. He talks through his approach about being selective in which tasks you do and ensuring they align with your broader objectives. 
His book inspires readers to be intentional about how they use their time (even on their breaks) to increase energy and motivation. Brain Tracy’s book is for you if you keep putting off meaningful tasks and are unsure where to go next.

The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life by John G. Miller

People who procrastinate often ignore their tasks even if they know it will cause them more stress. This next suggestion helps readers choose a better alternative through self-accountability. In The Question Behind the Question (QBQ), Miller proposes ideas and strategies to practice accountability rather than blaming external sources. 

The author offers a new way of approaching challenges and suggests valuable mindset shifts to help you work through the mental clutter. Read or listen to the summary of QBQ on the Headway app, and see if this action-focused book is right for you.

Hyperfocus: How to Manage Your Attention in a World of Distraction by Chris Bailey

In Hyperfocus, Chris Bailey lets you into his world by teaching you to eliminate distractions and figure out what works. As well as creating a distraction-free space, he discusses how people can enter a state of ‘hyperfocus’ to complete tasks. He dives into what hyperfocus is and how to use it to your advantage. The author wrote this book to help you live a more content and intentional life. 

Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield

It’s time to defeat your limitations by letting go of resistance and supporting yourself. The author of Do the Work helps you identify your motivators and move through the fear. This read supports you in breaking away from the habits hindering you. This is an excellent option if you’re looking for a motivational book on procrastination.

Best books to help stop overthinking procrastinators 

As you may have noticed from the above book recommendations, people procrastinate for many reasons. One of those is anxiety or fear. Whether you’re a perfectionist worried about not doing your best, unsure what steps to take next, or facing something new, addressing this fear is essential to achieving your goals. So, to ease the anxiety about getting stuff done, keep reading to discover the best book to help stop overthinking.

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Lack of Focus, Anger, and Memory Problems by Daniel G. Amen

This author speaks about how the brain impacts everyday health. For example, mood disorders don’t just affect the mind, but the body too. Change Your Brain, Change Your Life teaches you about this link and how soothing your brain is the key to healthier, happier lives. This book is great to read if anxiety, or other symptoms of mood disorders, prevent you from getting things done. 

If you’re unsure if this book is right for you, you can listen to a detailed summary on the Headway app. You’ll hear about the main concepts Daniel Amen examines and decide if you want to learn more by reading the full book. 

Anxiety at Work: 8 Strategies to Help Teams Build Resilience, Handle Uncertainty, and Get Stuff Done by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton

Anxiety can affect your whole life. It creates pressure at work, disrupts your relationships, impacts your mental and physical well-being, and stops you from achieving your goals. These eight strategies focus on your working environment, helping you understand your emotions and addressing work anxiety. 

It aims to break the stigma of discussing mental health in the workplace, making the office safer and more supportive. However, many of these changes need to come from the organizations themselves. So while individuals may benefit from reading this, it also provides companies with advice to make it easier for employees to speak up about their struggles. 

Be Calm: Proven Techniques to Stop Anxiety Now by Jill Weber

Be Calm takes an honest approach to anxiety in the modern age. Jill Weber details how anxiety symptoms appear in people’s lives and help readers work through the various emotions accompanying them. It’ll teach you how anxiety works and why overthinking can escalate into bigger issues. Alongside learning about anxiety, Weber introduces strategies to apply to your present life. This book is thoughtfully written and perfect if you want something actionable.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

Burnout occurs when people overwork themselves, say yes to too many tasks, and aim to please everyone around them. It disregards your own needs and can cause severe stress. This book has been written with that in mind and encourages readers to change their lifestyle to ease the stress and get more done. In these chapters, the author motivates you with his strategies for clearing the mental clutter, planning, organizing, and executing tasks more efficiently. Getting Things Done is the best book for procrastination as it aims to give you more time to do the things you love.

Enjoy guilt-free breaks when you learn on the Headway app 

We know procrastination is frustrating and can affect all areas of your life. Even addressing the problem is exhausting and easily put off. Therefore, if you’re reading this procrastination book list and can’t find the motivation to read an entire book, Headway might help.

You can read or listen to detailed summaries of the above books to begin your journey. We’ve split each summary into small sections. So, even if you’re prone to procrastination, the fun visuals and short sessions make it easier to complete an outline. These convenient segments help you stay on task and focused. 

Instead of distracting yourself for a few hours and feeling guilty about it, you can take a moment to relax and listen to a summary that will motivate you to get back to work. 
What’s more, if you enjoyed the Headway summary, you may feel motivated to read the whole book and dive deeper into each technique. While each overview isn’t as thorough as the entire book, you can download the Headway app to help you take the first steps toward better productivity.

Final thoughts

Procrastination is a common problem you can overcome with the right strategies. These books on tackling procrastination offer valuable insights and advice to boost productivity and manage this habit. 

Check out the Headway app to discover easy-to-understand summaries from the best procrastination books. Headway offers text and audio clips to make your reading experience more enjoyable and accessible. So, take the time to read one or more of these books, and download the Headway app to unlock your true productivity potential today.

FAQs

What are the causes of procrastination?

There are several reasons one may procrastinate, such as anxiety, needing help understanding a task, or burnout. Fortunately, there are ways to relieve the pressure and complete more jobs.

How do I stop procrastinating?

It depends on why you’re procrastinating, but some helpful strategies include breaking a task into smaller sections, developing positive habits, and removing distractions. Download the Headway app to find the best book to stop procrastinating.

What are the three steps to combat procrastination?

Firstly, identify how procrastination shows up in your life and address these reasons. Next, break the most important task of the day into low-intensity jobs. Finally, remember procrastination is a habit, and it’ll take time to change. So, go easy on yourself and forgive yourself when you procrastinate.