Discussion #37: Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About it Now, by Jane Burka & Lenora Yuen

Welcome to Citizen Scholar! Since launching seven months ago we&#8217;re reaching people all over the world, so we thank you for your support. If you enjoy our writing on civic virtue and individual excellence, we humbly ask you to share Citizen Scholar with your family members and friends who may enjoy it. The contents of the audio and text formats are identical and meant to accommodate your preferences. Please let us know if you have any feedback - we&#8217;re always looking for ways to improve!<br/><br/>Introduction<br/><br/>Procrastination is an uncomfortable but important topic. Procrastinators, including some of us at Citizen Scholar, suffer a wide range of consequences. Their behavior can also affect people they care about. Most procrastinators are either unaware of these tendencies or in denial; many who acknowledge their procrastination fall into cycles of shame and self-judgement that don&#8217;t lead to improvement. Others despair that this behavior is an immutable part of their personality, meant to be endured rather than overcome.<br/><br/>Fundamentally, the gap between popular thinking about procrastination and the scientific understanding of this phenomenon is surprisingly wide. In Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About it Now, readers benefit from the advice of clinical psychologists who have dedicated their careers to helping procrastinators. In several editions published over the years, Burka & Yuen compiled research as well as observations from their longstanding procrastination therapy practices. The results are truly eye-opening and very helpful to those who would prefer to try a book before therapy to address procrastination.<br/><br/>The Deep Roots of Procrastination<br/><br/>Burka & Yen lay out a number of familiar signs and consequences of procrastination. They also describe the typical cycle that the procrastinator goes through in experiencing them. The following sequence of experiences might sound familiar:<br/><br/>&#8220;I&#8217;ll start early this time.&#8221;<br/><br/>&#82