Psychology · Book club
Solving the Procrastination Puzzle book club questions
Here are 11 book club questions for Solving the Procrastination Puzzle by Timothy A. Pychyl, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. Copy them, print them, or bring them up one at a time.
Solving the Procrastination Puzzle is Timothy Pychyl's short, research-grounded guide to understanding and overcoming procrastination.
Timothy A. Pychyl · 2013 · 2h 30m
Full summary and key takeaways →The 11 questions
- 1.
Pychyl argues procrastination is about avoiding feelings, not about time. What feeling are you most often avoiding when you put something off?
- 2.
Think of a task you've been avoiding. What specific emotion arises when you think about starting it — anxiety, boredom, self-doubt, something else?
- 3.
Have you ever waited for the 'right feeling' or the right level of motivation before starting a project? How did that work out?
- 4.
Write an implementation intention for something you're currently procrastinating on. Be specific about the when-then trigger.
- 5.
Pychyl emphasizes self-compassion after procrastination rather than self-criticism. Does your default response to procrastination fit that recommendation?
- 6.
How clear and vivid is your sense of the future version of yourself who will experience the consequences of today's delays? What would it take to make that future self feel more real?
- 7.
Where in your environment are the most powerful sources of immediate emotional relief that you turn to when avoiding a task?
- 8.
Pychyl distinguishes chronic procrastination from occasional delay. Do you consider yourself a chronic procrastinator, and what's the evidence for that?
- 9.
What's the most common form of productive procrastination in your life — the useful tasks you do instead of the important one?
- 10.
The book mentions that procrastination can be associated with underlying depression or anxiety. Do you think that applies to any procrastination patterns in your life?
- 11.
If you applied the 'just get started' principle to one thing this week, what would you start and how would you structure the first five minutes?
How to run the discussion
- Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
- Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
- Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
- Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.
Themes worth steering toward
If the conversation stalls, these are the threads that usually restart it.
Common questions
What are good book club questions for Solving the Procrastination Puzzle?
Here are 11 book club questions for Solving the Procrastination Puzzle by Timothy A. Pychyl, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. The strongest openers ask what each reader noticed rather than what they concluded, and the discussion usually turns on procrastination, self-regulation, emotions.
How long should a book club discussion of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle last?
Most groups run 60 to 90 minutes of actual discussion. That is roughly six to eight questions, not all of them, so pick the ones that suit your group rather than working down the list in order.
What are the main themes in Solving the Procrastination Puzzle?
Procrastination, Self-regulation, Emotions, Behavior change, Productivity. Those are the threads most likely to divide a room, which makes them the useful places to steer a discussion that has gone quiet.
Picking the next one? See books like Solving the Procrastination Puzzle or questions for other book club picks.
