Books to Read to Overcome Procrastination: Your Guide to Getting Things Done
Procrastination works as a barrier between the two most important things in a person’s life, which are their goals and achievements. It’s the silent thief of time, robbing us of productivity, creativity, and sometimes even self-worth. Whether you’re a student avoiding assignments, a professional delaying projects, or simply someone struggling with personal tasks, the root problem often lies in our mindset, habits, and lack of clarity. Fortunately, the right books to read to overcome procrastination can shift perspectives, rewire behavior, and offer powerful tools to break the cycle of delay.
In this blog, we will explore the best books to read to overcome procrastination, each offering not just theories but actionable insights that can help you transform your life.
1. “Eat That Frog!” by Brian Tracy
Why This Book?
Brian Tracy introduces the metaphor of “eating a frog” as the act of tackling your most daunting, important task first thing in the morning. This book cuts through the clutter with its 21 practical techniques designed to combat procrastination and increase efficiency.
Key Takeaways:
Prioritize your most important tasks and handle them before anything else.
Apply the 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) to focus on tasks that yield the most results.
Plan every day and break big tasks into manageable steps.
Use deadlines as motivators rather than stressors.
Who It’s For:
Anyone feeling overwhelmed with to-do lists and struggling to manage time effectively will benefit greatly from Tracy’s simple, direct strategies.
2. “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield
Why This Book?
Pressfield delves deeply into the psychological warfare of procrastination, particularly for creatives. He introduces the concept of “Resistance”—an internal enemy that blocks us from doing our most meaningful work. Whether you’re writing a book, starting a business, or pursuing any creative endeavor, this book exposes the root causes of delay and offers the mindset needed to break through.
Key Takeaways:
Every artist, Every entrepreneur, and Every professional faces resistance because it is universal.
Professionalism over amateurism—commit to your work as a professional would.
The importance of discipline and daily routines in overcoming internal battles.
Who It’s For:
Perfect for creatives, writers, and entrepreneurs who often find themselves stuck in cycles of inaction despite having passion and ideas.
3. “The Now Habit” by Neil Fiore
Why This Book?
Unlike many other productivity books, “The Now Habit” treats procrastination with empathy. Fiore identifies the deeper emotional causes of procrastination—fear of failure, fear of success, and self-doubt—and provides powerful psychological tools to overcome them.
Key Takeaways:
Procrastination is not a flaw of character; it is a coping mechanism.
Introduces the Unschedule—a scheduling method that includes play first to reduce guilt and stress.
Techniques such as the Reverse Calendar and Three-Dimensional Thinking can help you change your relationship with time.
Who It’s For:
This book is especially useful for perfectionists, anxious overthinkers, and those who feel paralyzed by their fear of not doing things perfectly.
4. “Getting Things Done” by David Allen
Why This Book?
David Allen lays out a comprehensive system for capturing, organizing, and executing tasks so that nothing falls through the cracks. If your procrastination stems from mental overload or chaotic task management, this book offers structure and clarity.
Key Takeaways:
- Use a trusted system to get tasks out of your head and into an external organizer.
- Break tasks into actionable next steps to avoid mental blocks.
- Employ weekly reviews to keep your system clean and updated.
Who It’s For:
Ideal for busy professionals, project managers, and anyone juggling multiple responsibilities and struggling to keep things in order.
5. “Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done” by Jon Acuff
Why This Book?
Starting is easy. Finishing is where most people fail. In “Finish,” Acuff tackles the perfectionism and pressure that often lead to procrastination and abandonment of goals. With humor and wisdom, he shows how to lower unrealistic expectations and complete what you start.
Key Takeaways:
• Perfectionism kills progress—learn to embrace imperfect effort.
• Celebrate progress and avoid the all-or-nothing trap.
Who It’s For:
If you constantly start projects with enthusiasm but abandon them halfway, this book will help you build the muscle of completion.
Final Thoughts: Start Reading, Start Doing
Reading about productivity is not enough—you need to apply what you learn. The books listed above aren’t magic bullets, but they offer different frameworks and philosophies to tackle procrastination from various angles:
- Brian Tracy and David Allen offer structured task management.
- James Clear and Mel Robbins emphasize habit formation and immediate action.
- Steven Pressfield and Neil Fiore dig into the emotional roots of procrastination.
- Cal Newport and Greg McKeown help you focus on what matters.
Pick the one that resonates most with your current challenge. Take notes. Apply one idea at a time. And most importantly, act now. Your journey to a procrastination-free life doesn’t begin with the perfect plan. It begins with a single page, a single habit, and the decision to stop waiting.
Bonus Tip:
If you’re unsure where to start, consider pairing a reading habit with a time-blocked schedule. Read for 15 minutes daily, then implement a key strategy the same day. Learning combined with doing is the ultimate formula for transformation.
Have You Read Any of These?
Which of these books made the biggest difference for you? Are there any you’d recommend that helped you overcome procrastination? Let us know in the comments!
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If you are in your 20s and a beginner who wants to start a personal growth journey then you should read my blog on https://readrealness.com/5-must-read-books-to-read-in-your-20s-for-self-growth/
You can buy all of these books from Amazon.
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