How to Do It Now Because It's Not Going Away: An Expert Guide to Getting Stuff Done

by Leslie Josel

Overview

With distance learning, teens are having to manage their time and attention now more than ever.

Procrastination is especially tough for young adults. Getting started is overwhelming, it's hard to get motivated, not knowing how long things take messes up planning, and distractions are everywhere. We are all wired to put things off, but we can learn tools and techniques to kick this habit. This book is a user-friendly guide to help teens get their tasks done. Simple, straightforward, and with a touch of humor, it's packed with practical solutions and easily digestible tips to stay on top of homework, develop a sense of time, manage digital distractions, create easy-to-follow routines, and get unstuck. In her breezy, witty style, internationally recognized academic and parenting coach Leslie Josel opens the door to a student's view of procrastination, dives deep into what that really looks like, and offers up her Triple Ts—tips, tools and techniques—to teach students how to get stuff done…now.

"Hey Guys! This book is the easiest and fastest way for you to learn how to help yourself. If your parents are constantly on you about school stuff, how you manage your time or things like that you'll definitely want to use this book." — Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW (ADHD Dude)

"Listen up, parents! This is the book that will get teens nodding their heads—and actually using the strategies and tips as they transform their study time! Teens and college students alike will feel totally empowered as they tackle their toughest obstacles: procrastination, distraction, organization, and all the rest. With real-life examples and a super-readable format, students will gain the practical help they need to power through their studies and do their best work."
Amy McCready, author of The "Me, Me, Me" Epidemic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Capable, Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728411767
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	152
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	12 - 13 Years

About the Author

Leslie Josel is an award-winning academic/life coach for teens and college students, who founded Order Out of Chaos to help students learn the skills they need to succeed in learning and in life. She is also an award-winning author, creator of an academic planner that helps students master time management skills, and an internationally acclaimed speaker on topics spanning from time management to raising problem solvers to procrastination.

Table of Contents

Before We Begin 6

Introduction Procrastination 8

Chapter 1 "I Have Time"

Time Management 12

Chapter 2 "It's Not Due Till Friday"

Homework 27

Chapter 3 "I Read Over My Notes": Study Skills 44

Chapter 4 "I Don't Need To Write It Down": Planning 60

Chapter 5 "I'll Remember": Routines and Rituals 84

Chapter 6 "I Know Where Everything Is": Organizing 97

Chapter 7 "Five More Minutes": Distractions 114

Chapter 8 "I'm Not In The Mood": Motivation 128

Ten Questions to Overcome Procrastination Pushback 140

Before You Go 142

Acknowledgments 144

Resources 145

Index 150

Editorial Reviews

"[D]irect, jovial, and nonjudgmental. . . . A solid purchase for high school and college collections."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

09/01/2020

Gr 9 Up—This guide for high school and college students offers practical tips to eliminate procrastination through time management and organization. Josel, who has 15 years of experience as an academic/life coach, advises students to use charts to block out time for assignments, after-school activities, and chores. A chapter on avoiding distractions suggests that students turn off autoplay to avoid binge-watching, close all browser windows that aren't related to homework, and use apps to block social media notifications while studying. The section on motivation recommends facing fears about failure and getting comfortable making mistakes. Other helpful tips include using color-coded materials for each subject, creating a "launching pad" near the front door to gather materials needed for the following day, forming study groups to increase accountability, and breaking down big projects into smaller pieces with scheduled time to work on each section. Although useful, the subject matter is fairly dry, so the target audience probably won't read this cover to cover. If they browse through chapters and download time-saving apps including Evernote, which shares school notes across all of their devices, it will still improve their productivity. The text doesn't address learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but young adults are advised to talk to parents and counselors if they suspect they need help. The text's conversational style is direct, jovial, and nonjudgmental. Charts, graphs, and quotes break up the text. VERDICT A solid purchase for high school and college collections.—Amy Duffy, Chicago P.L.

School Library Journal

2020-07-14
A breezy entry in the evergreen genre of student self-help guides.

Organized around the nigh-universal experience of academic procrastination, this practical vade mecum dives into any number of related topics: time management, homework, study skills, planning, creating routines, organizing, avoiding distractions, and motivation. Aimed explicitly at high school and college students, the text pays scant attention to psychological or scientific aspects—despite multiple offhand references to “research,” no citations are provided—instead concentrating on practical tips. First-person prose addressed directly to “you” sports a chatty, nonjudgmental, even occasionally vulgar tone, with the earnest, slightly strained hipness of an adult eager to be perceived as cool. Every short chapter is packed to bursting with sample charts, worksheets, questionnaires, suggested playlists, recommended products, supplies, and apps along with personal anecdotes (some of dubious relevance) drawn from the author’s career as an academic and life coach. The relentlessly peppy “just do it” approach treats procrastination, disorganization, and similar difficulties as simple matters of technique, practice, and willpower, which many will find inspiring; unfortunately, only the briefest of nods is given to potential mental health issues or other possible explanations, such as non-neurotypical patterns of thought. Like similar titles, this will probably be most helpful when paired with sustained personal support and encouragement.

Exactly the sort of thing hopeful parents and counselors will press upon struggling students. (resources, index) (Nonfiction. 12-adult)

Kirkus Reviews