The Now Habit
by Neil Fiore
Key Concepts
Reverse Calendar
Schedule your leisure and free time first, then fit work into the remaining slots.
The Unschedule
Track actual work completed by marking off time spent, rather than planning future tasks.
Guilt-Free Play
Embrace and fully enjoy your breaks and leisure time without feeling guilty about not working.
Five-Minute Start
Commit to working on a daunting task for just five minutes to overcome initial resistance.
Fear of Completion
Procrastination often stems from a fear of the consequences or implications of finishing a task, not just starting it.
Action Items
Prioritize and schedule your personal leisure and relaxation time before planning any work.
Use a calendar to mark off time periods when you actually worked, reinforcing positive habits.
When facing a large task, commit to working on it for only five minutes to get momentum.
Allow yourself to take breaks and enjoy them fully without any accompanying guilt.
Identify and challenge the underlying fears that might be driving your procrastination.
Core Thesis
Overcome procrastination by scheduling small, enjoyable starts and focusing on completion, not perfection, to reduce fear and resistance.
Mindset Shift
Procrastination is not a character flaw but a learned habit driven by fear, which can be unlearned by changing how you approach tasks and self-talk.